Spectacular Views from MacKenzies Mountain

The four look-offs on the Cabot Trail descending MacKenzies Mountain each offer spectacular views of the beautiful area at and north of Pleasant Bay and the uppermost has great views of the MacKenzies River valley as well. I stopped at the third one on the way down this trip, from which the photos on this page were taken; I can never resist adding more photos of these fantastic views to my collection. Fortunately, the clouds were beginning to break up and the sun lit up much of the terrain, though very capriciously, leaving parts in the dark that would, seconds later, be lit up by the sun. For an indication of how these scenes will change as they take on their fall colouration, compare the photos on this page with those on this page—it is still very early days here yet.

Photo #1 is a fairly wide-angled view that captures the spectacular Northern Inverness County Coast (see this essay for a detailed up-close look at the incredible Highlands all along this coast). The water across much of the photo is Pleasant Bay, a sculpted indentation of the Gulf of St Lawrence running from the MacKenzies River to Kerrs Point (locally pronounced as Carrs Point), just left of centre in the photograph. The community of Red River lies behind Moores Hill, the lower prominence right of centre; the mouth of the Red River is at its foot at the centre of the photo. Baldy rises above Kerrs Point, where the Red River Road (the southern portion of which is also known as the Pleasant Bay Road) can be seen snaking around the mountain on its way to Gampo Abbey and the Polletts Cove Trail Head, both concealed here. The village of Pleasant Bay and its harbour at the mouth of the Grande-Anse River can be seen at the right.

Photo #2 is the best view I have from this day of the coast north of Kerrs Point, at the far right in the middle ground of this photo, though much of the Highlands is obscured by the clouds. If you look very carefully at the far left, you will see a faint headland sticking out beyond the High Capes: that is Tittle Point just north of Lowland Cove. If you are familiar with the sights in the aforementioned essay, you will be able to pick out Big Head, “Between-the-Delaneys Mountain”, Delaneys Point, “Wreck Brook Mountain”, and the “ramp” at Polletts Cove as your eye traverses this photo from left to right. A wintry view of this same coast in which the terrain, though covered with snow, is laid out crystal clear in all its glory can be found here. What a magnificent view!

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Photo #3 shows the continuation of the coast from Polletts Cove to north of the village of Pleasant Bay. The “ramp” at Polletts Cove is at the far left below Polletts Cove Mountain whose southern slopes are here mostly lit up by the sun. In the far distance, the Cape Breton Highlands Plateau can be seen behind and to the right of Polletts Cove Mountain. Near the centre of the photo, the escarpment on the mountain above the Blair River (seen here from offshore) apparently rises somewhat above the height of the Plateau (“apparently” because it’s closer). At and just right of centre is the rounded prominence of Black Brook Mountain, most of which is concealed by the contour of Baldy, which spans the rightmost two thirds of the photo. Kerrs Point is at the left in the sun; Moores Cove, where the Red River enters Pleasant Bay, is right of centre. The path of the Red River Road, which detours around the mouth of the Red River behind Moores Hill at the right, can be seen as it snakes across the lower slopes of Baldy and the nearer cliffs south of Moores Cove. The white dots along the road are houses. A fishing boat is making its way towards Kerrs Point. What a lovely scene, even if half obscured by shadows from the clouds above!

Photo #4 continues the panorama to the right of photo #3. The bulk of Baldy is at the far left; the smaller profile of Moores Hill is left of centre. The triangular shaped mountain and the ridge rising up from it right of centre is the vast bulk of Icy Mountain, delineated on the left by the valley of Eastern Brook; the Cape Breton Highlands Plateau continues inland past the summit seen here. Hinkley Glen, the valley of the Red River, lies in the cleft between Icy Mountain and the shadowed slopes to the right of Moores Hill, which continue on to Andrews Mountain. The breakwaters of Pleasant Bay Harbour channel the outflow the the Grande-Anse River into Pleasant Bay and the protected harbour can be seen west of the main channel right of centre in the nearer middle ground. The United Church sits on the cliffs above the expanse of blue water in the harbour, known as “The Pond”; the elementary school is the largest white building in the centre of the photo. The beach, much of which is hidden here, runs from the breakwaters to below the forested cliffs in the foreground.

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Photo #5 shows the huge bulk of Roberts Mountain, here blessed with good sun, rising above the Grande-Anse River as it makes its way to its mouth at Pleasant Bay Harbour. Andrews Mountain is the detached, shadowed ridge beyond Roberts Mountain. A goodly portion of the forest on the slopes of Roberts Mountain is deciduous, but, at least from this distance, the colours appear to be either unchanged or, on the lower slopes at the centre left, just beginning to change. However, on the slope in the foreground (part of the unnamed mountain which rises south of Pleasant Bay), beginning colour changes are visible—nothing very bright or even particularly noticeable unless one looks closely, but changes nonetheless.

Photo #6 continues the panorama to the right, showing the mountains along the Grande-Anse River Valley, with Roberts Mountain at the far left and Andrews Mountain in the centre and right. From the Cabot Trail in the valley far below, it is difficult to make out these peaks as one drives along towards North Mountain; from MacKenzies Mountain, they are easy to discern. For those with good imaginations, can you see the cat’s head (or possibly an owl’s head) in the centre of the photo? It’s staring right at you! What strange tricks lighting plays on this landscape!