Cliffs on the Bay of Fundy
I was so excited this morning. Just itching to get going. Crazy feet and everything. Words cannot describe it.
Today I was lucky enough for the opportunity to go on a long haul 12 kilometre hike researching on the 51 kilometre Cape Chignecto Trail in the Cape Chignecto Provincial Park in Advocate Harbour, Nova Scotia, Canada. And lucky me… while hiking the high red rock cliffs on the Bay of Fundy nature was my audience and my lecturer. I was humbled.
Today was a day of energy, reflection and dreaming! That is what an excellent hiking adventure does for us. Every great hiking trail elevates us to an even better place than we already enjoy. It is almost euphoric. It is because of days like this that Bro and I work long hours.
I have been planning this Cape Chignecto hike for some time. The route was going to take me to the remote, untouched sections of the Nova Scotia coastline high above the Bay of Fundy.
Seal Cove
I began my adventure from the Eatonville Trailhead in the northern section of the park. The southern trailhead is the main trailhead with the registration office, info centre and park rangers.
I decided to enter from the backdoor of the trail system because I felt it would provide me the best opportunities for getting some great video and pictures of cliffs and accessing beaches. I was pleased as you can tell. LOL
The hiking and backpacking route following the coastline of Cape Chignecto follows low lying forest and high flying cliff trails. You hike up and you hike down. Do not get too excited about the down sections because what goes down must go up on this exceptional wilderness trail. The route is challenging and good footing is a good trait to have.
The forest section took me exploring a coastline of trees, passing through fields of ferns and then dropping down to valleys of creeks, streams and bridges… often side stepping mud puddles and high stepping tree roots and exposed boulders.
There were great mud puddles covering entire sections of the trail. Mud is expected when hiking a coastline trail because it is often moist from oceans and weather. I hopped-skipped-tripped through them all like a wannabe Spider Man. At first you try to side step the mud… later the effort to not get muddy is allot less to say the least.
Hiking Trail along cliffs on Bay of Fundy
The up and down forest trail eventually climbs an embankment and you are thrown out on top of some cliffs. The wind all of sudden awakens with gusts. The cliffs are revealed and the Bay of Fundy dominates. Your senses explode… sight and sound.
The cliff trail is dressed in tall grasses and thin out forest… the trail is often confused if it should follow the cliff or dip back into the forest. There are lookout points and exposed cliffs to access for the best views. However be careful it is a long way down.
My hiking destination in Cape Chignecto Provincial Park was Seal Cove. Why? Because it has a beach access. I timed my departure for low to mid tides and Seal Cove is a point on the trail where you can access the shoreline.
The cove did not disappoint. It was beautiful. It was decorated in pebbles of red, brown and white. Driftwood stacked the shore like a bookcase. Red rock cliffs closed the cove in. The waves slapped the shore creating moments of white water. The cove was my reward for the hike. And the reward was better than expected as there was no one else at the cove. In fact I did not meet one soul on the trail if you can believe it? Seal Cove was my special world for just a moment in time. It was no surprise I was smiling all the way back!