Views in Dunakin

After my last stop, I continued on past the Dunakin Mountain Road and stopped next beside the road into the gravel pit. I have often stopped here in the past because it offers an open view to the northwest and west; I had not previously entered the gravel pit, but, given the extraördinary clarity of the day, I did so this day as it gained me a few metres/yards of elevation from which I took the first three photos on this page.

Photo #1 looks to the northwest; the views are effectively blocked by the “Miramichi Ridge”, which runs across the full width of the photo at the horizon. At the right of the photo, the communications tower appears to rise above “Miramichi Ridge”, but is actually quite some distance behind it on the Southwest Ridge, which is not visible in this view.

Photo #2 looks further to the right (north) than photo #1, with which it overlaps (the communications tower is at the far left of this photo). Here, the “Miramichi Ridge” descends enough one can see the Cape Mabou Highlands to the north. The hump in the centre of the photo is, I believe, the mountain that rises above the green barn on the Mabou Harbour Road; that further right is the top of Mabou Mountain and at the far right are the Cape Mabou Highlands to the north of Northeast Mabou.

Photo #3 again looks further to the right than photo #2, with which it overlaps; this is the end of the panorama from this vantage point, views further to the north being blocked by the knoll at the far right over which the MacLellan Road runs along the “Rosedale Ridge” to Rosedale. In the far distance, there are actually two ridges, the Cape Mabou Highlands in the far distance and another ridge which rises to the east of the Smithville Road and runs parallel to it. One has to look pretty closely to distinguish the two—they seem to blend one into the other at first glance.

If you wish to see this spot, by all means walk a few metres/yards up into the gravel pit; the small amount of added elevation is just enough to bring these summits into view! From the road below, they are mostly hidden by the “Miramichi Ridge”.

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Photo #4 was taken beside the road, where the stunning red leaves, a few still specked with yellow-green, gleaming in the sun on a small tree caught my eye.

Photo #5 was taken a few steps from where I stopped the car; this tree is very varied in colour, from greens and yellows and oranges and reds and dark reds. How much better things look in bright sun under a clear blue sky with no haze in the air! A day or two ago, I’d have passed this beautiful tree by without a second look.