Views from the Whycocomagh Day Park

On the way to Whycocomagh, I stopped for photos in Dunakin and then decided to detour around by the MacLellan and Rosedale Roads. The fine views from the MacLellan Road are fast disappearing, becoming obscured by new growth reclaiming the logged areas along the road; the views near the Dunakin end of the road can still be seen with some off-road bushwhacking, but won't be so easily accessible much longer. After lunch in Whycocomagh, I drove to the Day Park (across the road from Whycocomagh Provincial Park) for photos and to change into my hiking clothes; the views on this page were taken from below the stairs at the Day Park.

Photo #1 is a wide-angled view from the point on the west end of the narrow gravel beach, seen in the foreground, where a picnic table offers a fine place to have a lunch or evening supper. This view to the northwest across Whycocomagh Bay has Skye Mountain on the left, Campbells Mountain in the middle, and Whycocomagh Mountain at the far right (Salt Mountain, to the east of the provincial park, is not visible in this view). Whycocomagh Education Centre, site of the Whycocomagh Gathering Celtic Colours Concert each year, is right of centre. The Skye River, whose mouth is to the left of the Whycocomagh Education Centre, divides the village into two parts: to the left (southwest) is Waycobah First Nation and to the right (northeast) is the village of Whycocomagh. St Andrews Presbyterian Church sits on the waters’ edge at the far right.

Photo #2 looks across Whycocomagh Bay at Indian Island, which is part of Waycobah First Nation. Its triangular shape makes it an easily identifiable landmark when seen from above. Notice that the clouds here are considerably more tinged with grey than the fluffier clouds over the back country in photo #1.

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Photo #3 looks west across Whycocomagh Bay at Skye Mountain rising above Waycobah, mostly bereft of sunlight in this view. Just right of centre is Holy Trinity Church. The point of land extending from the left of the photo is part of Indian Island. The mouth of the Skye River is at the far right of the photo.

Photo #4 looks further to the northwest and shows the Whycocomagh Education Centre with Campbells Mountain as a backdrop across nearly the entire photo. A spectacular look-off from the edge of Campbells Mountain offers gorgeous views of the entire area, with Cape George visible on a clear day: it is to the left of the darkened area on the mountainside; see this web page for information about hiking up to this look-off and photos from the look-off. At the centre left of the photo, the mouth of the Skye River is bordered by marsh grass on each side. The red and green buoys mark the channel into the marina that is off the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 105) in Whycocomagh.

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Photo #5 looks down Whycocomagh Bay from the beach at the Day Park. This is the opposite direction from photo #1. The long, narrow, and low peninsula immediately across the bay separates Whycocomagh Bay from the Bras d’Or Lake on its far side; Portage Road runs along the length of this peninsula and is a lovely drive along the southern shores of Whycocomagh Bay, with beautiful views along much of its course. The small prominence in the centre of the photo is on the Washabuck Peninsula; the mountains in the far distance are the East Bay Hills on the far side of the Bras d’Or Lake.