Cape Breton Highlands National Park – Part 1

We had a very smooth ferry ride last night.  The ferry was so much like a cruise ship that John and I felt right at home.  We arrived in North Sydney at 8:30 am Atlantic time – now we are done with that silly extra 1/2 hour time difference in Newfoundland.  Our berth at the terminal was taken by the Port aux Basque ferry so we had to wait for it to move before we could dock at 9:30.  We drove off the boat at 10:18.

The view from St. Ann’s Look Off at the summit of Kellys Mountain

We are spending the night at Ingonish Beach at the edge of Cape Breton Highlands National Park. It is only  about 76 km from North Sydney harbour to Ingonish Beach so obviously it didn’t take us too long to get there – 11.55 to be precise.  However we did not stop.  We drove to the Park entrance, bought our pass and continued up the road.

The sun broke through the clouds and we had nice light for most of our drive today; which was really good as it was a scenery day all the way.  This side of the Cape Breton Peninsula is characterized by rocks, bluffs and beaches.  The other side is winding mountain roads with 300′ cliffs.  (That will be tomorrow’s fun)

 

Lovely reflections near North Gut  Just past Wreck Cove

 

 

Can you spot the two seals?

 

 

Climbing the Smokey to Ingonish Ferry  Nice view at the top

  Ingonish Beach

 

The drive to Keltic Lodge

 

 

 

At Keltic Lodge

 

 

 Lakies Head

  Green Cove  

McKinnons Cove

 Black Brook Beach

There are 10 red chairs scattered in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. We found one at least.

 Near Effies Brook

We only made one ‘historical stop’ and that was the presumed landing site of John Cabot, his son Sebastion and the 18 crew on “The Matthew” in 1497 (after they left Newfoundland’s coast).  The landing site is located outside the National Park beyond North Cape down a narrow, but paved, road to Sugar Loaf.   There is a Provincial Park located there and you can hike up the Sugar Loaf if you have very strong legs and a few hours.  We drove back to Ingonish Beach and checked into our snug little cabin for the night.

  The Sugar Loaf  An old cannon in a yard