Views from Mason Point

Mason Point is the southern of the two points that define Loch Ban, the northwestern arm of Lake Ainslie. The point directly across is unnamed on the topographical map, which places Ainslie Point further to the northeast. From Mason Point, one has fine views of Lake Ainslie and the eastern shores of Lake Ainslie across the lake lying at the base of the Great Central Interior Plateau that runs from Whycocomagh to the Margarees. Other good vantage points are found along the West Lake Ainslie Road, but few can compete with Mason Point in their scope, though trees somewhat block the views to the south.

Photo #1 looks to the northeast from Mason Point. Ainslie Point is the point just left of the centre; Dunbars Point is on the other side of Doherty Cove right of centre; Scotsville lies behind Dunbars Point at the end of the northern arm of the lake, out of which the Southwest Margaree River begins its course to the Gulf. This photo provides a fine visualization of the Great Central Interior Plateau, which runs across the entire photo. The gash on the mountainside at the right of the photo is for a power transmission line; Highway 395 runs much closer to the shore line. What a wonderful view there must be from the house at the far right well up on the plateau!

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Photo #2, which overlaps with photo #1, looks further south towards East Lake Ainslie at the right of the photo. The foliage on the eastern shore shows rather more colour than on the western shore (in the foreground). The clouds above the lake fortunately let through enough blue sky to render the views of the lake scenic, though the greyish white makes the waters less azure than they are on a perfectly clear day.

Photo #3, taken with Big Bertha, looks beyond the right edge of photo #2, with which there is a little overlap, further south along the eastern shore. The forest here is mainly deciduous, though a large evergreen stand is seen at the right and smaller stands here and there; the trees are definitely mottled, including many of those close to the water, showing signs of change at this early point of the festival.

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Photo #4 looks north of northeast directly across the outlet of Loch Ban at Ainslie Point at the far right and the unnamed point at the centre left. The mountain rising at the left is Shaw Mountain; good views of the lake and its western shore are to be had from the Dunbar Road on Shaw Mountain, which ascends from the Strathlorne Scotsville Road behind Dunbars Point.

Photo #5 looks to the left of photo #4 at the foliage on the shore across the outlet of Loch Ban and at the slopes of Shaw Mountain further inland. Like the eastern shore , the trees here are definitely changing; there’s a nice red tree just above the water left of centre and evidence of oranges all over the inland slopes as well as next to the water.

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Across the road from where I took photo #5, this gorgeous red tree was beaming in the sunlight, a beautiful specimen I simply had to record. How gorgeous it is in its full glory!