Thursday, 20 October — Baddeck to Whycocomagh

I awoke just before 7h30 to a lovely day, sunny and bright with some haze and lots of white clouds in a blue sky. I had a continental breakfast at the Inn (included in the room price) and then sat on the chairs provided outside my room whilst enjoying the views and the sun. There was little apparent colour on the Washabuck Peninsula across St Patricks Channel, though it wasn’t getting the benefit of the bright sun yet, and lots of greens were visible on this side as well. After packing up and loading the car, I drove north on the Trans-Canada Highway to the Big Hill Crossing Road and crossed up and over the side of Big Hill and descended down to its crossroads with the Rear Big Hill Road, where I turned around; the road was passable, but parts were not in the best condition. Unfortunately, I found no views from the road that were picture-worthy, as I had hoped the elevation might provide. On the way back, I met a gentleman on an ATV from Big Harbour and we both stopped, he to ask if I were lost and I to tell him I wasn’t but was looking for views of and information about Bald Mountain, which I had hoped to espy from Big Hill, but hadn’t. He was a big-hearted Cape Bretoner and kindly invited me to get in touch with him next year and he’d get me there on an ATV! I will certainly do that and look forward to seeing the views from there in person, something I had never assumed I’d be able to do, as it is said to be a long hike. He also said there was a good vantage point to which I could drive, recently cleared by logging activity, from which to survey the Rear Big Hill area, which I added to my to-do list for next year. Lucky I was indeed to meet him by chance! I continued back down the Big Hill Crossing Road and turned back south on the Trans-Canada Highway. I stopped for some photos of Kidston Island just north of the turn-off for the new windmill and then drove up the road leading there, which I had explored in the summer. Today, no one was there, the windmill was still not operational, and the views were better, though the earlier blue sky patches had mostly disappeared, leaving too many clouds interfering with the lighting; I took a number of shots anyway.

From the windmill, I drove on to Baddeck and turned off onto the Old Margaree Road at Exit 9. I drove to the Big Farm Road and turned down it, as it usually has good fall colours and also offers great views of the highlands to the north. I drove it to the end, admiring the lovely terrain through which it passes and stopping along the way for photos of the foliage, mostly yellows and oranges, and the highlands across the Baddeck River. If you don’t know this road, you should definitely explore it! A fine red tree I have photographed in other years was brilliant in the sun and I stopped to take its picture again this year. I drove back out to the Old Margaree Road and continued on into Baddeck Bridge, where I turned left towards the Cabot Trail. More beautiful colours required stops for photos, though the reds I found there in previous years were in very short supply. Once at the Cabot Trail, I turned towards Buckwheat Corner and stopped there for some photos of the highlands above Wagmatcook, whose trees, in spite of having lost many leaves in the higher elevations were still quite bright. I also stopped on the outskirts of Wagmatcook for a shot of St Patricks Channel and the terrain across the peninsula on which Portage Road runs and beyond it to North Mountain in the far distance, a shot I’ve had on my to-do list for a long time—with the minimal traffic this time of year, it was a good time to get one.

At Exit 6, I turned down Highway 223 and drove to the ferry, not because I intended to cross, but just to look at the foliage, which I remembered from previous years. It did not disappoint! The whole road was lined with brilliant red maples, quenching somewhat my so far mostly unslaked thirst for reds. What a beautiful drive on a now gorgeous day! I drove back to the Trans-Canada Highway and on to Whycocomagh and then across Highway 252 to Mabou, for an afternoon visit with a friend in Mabou Harbour. Colours there were in Skye Glen and Centreville, though much more towards the yellows and oranges, and even along the Mabou River, they lacked the brilliance of other years. Cape Mabou was glorious basking in the sun, but again mostly clad in yellows, oranges, and greens, with a few red trees visible at the base of the Cape; most of the trees even at the summits, still had their leaves.

My friend and I passed much of the afternoon visiting, catching up on each other’s news and doings. When I left after wishing him a good winter, I drove to Mabou, took care of an errand, and continued on to Scotsville and from there to East Lake Ainslie, where I had been invited to dinner with friends. I was the first of their guests to arrive and got a tour of their fine new digs as we chatted about their future plans until the others had arrived; as the sun was setting, I took a photo of the scene from their home, which overlooks the lake. The new arrivals joined in our colloquy and it was soon time to sit down to a lovely dinner featuring a delicious, chewy shrimp risotto with a great salad and other fine accompaniments. More lively conversation followed during and after dinner, continuing late into the evening. After thanking my hosts for the great dinner and evening, I drove back to the motel in Whycocomagh and was in bed by 23h.