July 2 – Gypsum Mine Trail

Another night and another sunset.

Again it was a scorching hot sunny day.

We had done all of the National Park things on my list so I found a mention of this trail on the campground website. It is a just a bit inland from Cheticamp, so very close by.

There was a gypsum mine / quarry and the pit has filled in with water that has a nice blue green colour. It is a favourite swimming place for locals.

The trail in is just over a kilometer and is really a wide ATV track and ATV’s are allowed to use it.

Part way in there is a alcove that seems to have been mined.

 

Even the photosphere doesn’t do it justice.

Blocking the ATV’s from the lake there was a row of large rocks, one of which sparkled as through it was made of shattered glass.

It looked much better in person and in the sunshine.

To the lake.

There were a few small ledges like the one in the picture above but mostly it look like a straight drop-off, who knows how far down. I think it would have been a bit scary to swim in, just thinking about how far down it could be. 

The photosphere.

There were people swimming. I felt the water. It was cool but on a day like today it would have felt great.

As always, if there is a way to get higher I will take it. I noticed this spire above us.

And a steep trail.

I had to pull myself up with this rope.

The photosphere from here.

And then a bit higher up. Someone was swimming across.

And the photosphere.

The guy who swam across climbed up a cliff with a rope, that was there for that purpose and jumped. I just got a still capture from a video so it is a pretty lousy shot.

Back down with Jennie, we continue around the lake into a small valley.

I had taken some of the high up pictures from near that spire, just right of center in the picture above.

Here is the view down from there.

And yet another photosphere.

Then a very large family showed up and we exited stage left.

We decided to have one last seafood meal.at The Seafood Stop restaurant. Jennie had crab legs and I had a fish sandwich that had an enormous grilled piece of fish. Both very good.

The funny thing was that while most places have a kid’s menu section, this one had a senior’s menu section.

There was a campground out on a point that I had thought about going to, so I wanted to have a look. Instead we passed this beautiful beach and had to stop.

It has actual sand and the sand goes out a long way into the water and stays very shallow. Perfect for wading. So after al this time we finally got in the water on the afternoon of our last day. Since it was so shallow the water was very warm.

Lots of small sand bars.

We walked for about a kilometer before heading back to the car and home.

And so ends this trip. Much shorter than our normal adventures but really great. Hopefully we can still find more places to go that aren’t crazy or on fire.

July 1 – Corney Brook Trail

Last night we could see a bit of colour in the sunset.

We have been pretty lucky with the weather here. When we arrived only one day of the five was to be sunny with the rest forecasting at least some rain. So far all the days have at least some sun and the only rain was today after we got back to the RV.

As it was Saturday morning there is usually a farmer’s market somewhere. It was another small one in Cheticamp. We didn’t stay long.

Some nice wispy clouds.

The Corney Brook Trail follows the brook up a box canyon, with very steep walls, to, of course, a waterfall. It is a 6.5 km return trip climbing about 400 vertical feet. I am not sure why I always think feet for vertical and km for horizontal. The trail is wide and well kept. There are a few climbs but most are gradual and the rest was fairly flat.

A lot of work went into creating the trail. Large sections of it are up along the steep canyon walls with it being supported by long and tall stone walls. This one was right at the start.

And another example.

At first we did a climb up the canyon wall and then had a level section with the brook far below until it caught up to us.

In one place there was a cool breeze blowing (it was hot today) so we took a break and noticed all these trees on the hill above us had been uprooted. We wondered if there was some sort of funnel effect and strong winds were even stronger here.

Onwards.

Over a few bridges.

This next one was very solidly built. It had huge poured concrete abutments and very strong timbers. Why?

As we got close, we joked that these were the falls.

And we arrived to have the place to ourselves for a little while. Jennie’s legs were too short for the red chair.

It was just right for me.

And non blurred.

The brook continued down some cascades below us.

And the photosphere.

We had lunch and talked to a lady who lived near here and had survived Hurricane Fiona. It was not as bad here as the other side of Cape Breton but still very scary.

Heading back and almost there.

Across the Cabot Trail from the trailhead there is small, pretty campground for tents and small RVS.

And some stairs down to the beach where the brook flows into the ocean.

A nice patch of irises.

The photosphere.

The brook water was not too cold.

Then one final stop at this beach to get a shot of the sea stacks,

There are lots of wild roses around

And then home for the rain.

Tomorrow is our last day before we head back to the cottage and, I am told, the smoke. It has been smokeless for our entire trip.