Cape Mabou and Mabou Mountain from Hunters Road

Another glorious panorama yielding fine views of Cape Mabou is to be had from Hunters Road in Glengarry. That panorama is very extensive, with beautiful views around most of the compass rose. On this page, only the small portion of that panorama offering views of Cape Mabou and of Mabou Mountain are presented. They were taken in the afternoon of the festival’s first day, long before any peak colours were showing, though it’s clear that they were a-changin’; alas, some haze was also in the air, rendering these photos less than crisp at long distances.

Photo #1 looks across the Mabou River at Northeast Cove, where the outflow of the Northeast Mabou River enters the Mabou River. The southern portion of the eastern flanks of Cape Mabou occupy the left and centre of the photo; at the far right, the descending slope of Mabou Mountain can be seen as it reaches Northeast Mabou. At magnification, many bare trees can be seen along the upper portion of the slopes of Cape Mabou; below, the leaves have an orangish tint from mixed green and orange/yellow leaves, similar to those seen in the foreground.

Photo #2 looks to the right of the previous view, with which there is some overlap, at Mabou Mountain, arising above the Mabou River, seen at the left and, if one looks very closely, at the far right to the left of and below St Mary’s. The buildings across the width of the photo are along Mabou Harbour Road; Mabou village is to the right and outside the scope of this photo. The blue building just left of centre is the Mabou Athletic Centre (ice rink), where, from June to October, the Mabou Farmers Market is held on Sundays from 11h-14h, filling all of the large building. Fewer bare trees are visible on Mabou Mountain, though there are a fair number at the left, and the colours are still very much in their incipient stages.

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Photo #3 is a telephoto view of Northeast Cove; the bridge on Mabou Harbour Road over the Northeast Mabou River is right of centre. That bridge is normally a great spot from which to view the fall foliage reflecting in the mouth of the Northeast Mabou River (see, e.g., this photo from last year), but was pretty much a dud this year, though some fine resplendent trees from further down the road will appear later in this essay. According to Google Earth, the house in the centre of the photo at the right edge of the green field is at the end of the John D Beaton Road, which I drove for the first time this year; I judged it a driveway rather than a road and turned around when I saw it ended at the house. The houses at the left, not including the house at the far left, are along MacDonalds Glen Road, which is driveable on both ends for a distance, but not all the way through; it is, however, hikeable: see this description for information and summer photos of this fine hike through the southern Cape Mabou Highlands. Can you spot the moored sailboat? I don’t know if this is the same one that is usually moored on the far side of the point at the right, which I don’t recall seeing this fall, or if it is a different one.

Photo #4 looks down the Northeast Mabou River valley between Cape Mabou on the left and Mabou Mountain on the right. I was surprised to discover through Google Earth that the long horizontal line of mountains in the far distance are on the north side of Loch Ban (the northwestern extension of Lake Ainslie); Shaws Mountain is hidden behind Mabou Mountain, but, from here, would have much the same profile. The lower ridge in the middle ground is at the end of the Glenora Falls Road; the Cèilidh Trail (Highway 19) makes a left turn around its southern end at the web cam below Hawleys Hill.

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The gleaming white steeple of St Mary’s makes it a landmark from all over the area, from Mabou Harbour Mouth to Southwest Ridge. The convent, now the St Joseph Renewal Centre, is the brick building to the left of the church. Some of Mabou village is visible at the far right of the photo. The long slope descending left to right across the photo is Mabou Mountain. Many bare trees are found on the far ridges northeast of Smithville towards Mount Young, whereas the trees lower down are mostly unchanged or exhibit some oranges, as those in the right foreground do. Very early days yet for the fall colours here, indeed!