This fifth day of KitchenFest!, I arose after 8h30 to a sunny bright day with a mostly blue sky bearing some white clouds. After breakfast at the Évangéline, I headed off on the Cabot Trail towards Pleasant Bay, stopping for photos at several points—the “Weather look-off”,¹ Rivière-à-Lazare (Corney Brook), Cap-Rouge, and at the “Belvédère la Beauté”. Before ascending French Mountain, I posted the following:
Cell service in the western Park is spotty to non-existent. I won’t be posting much until I’m on the east side of North Mountain late this afternoon. It’s a beautiful day and I’ll have a bunch to post then.
The road from top of French Mountain to French Lake is now much smoother than it was, but still gravel. I was stopped at French Lake for a follow-me truck and found more construction at the bottom of the dip for the Fishing Cove River past the French Mountain weather station and web cam. In Pleasant Bay, I stopped for a dish of maple walnut ice cream at the Cardinal Points store—Scotsburn, so, of course, it was superb; it was +18 (64) outdoors, but it felt cooler. I continued on into the Grande-Anse valley to the Lone Shieling, where I was to attend my first concert of the day, “Piper at The Lone Shieling”.
¹ I have given it this name because its interpretive panels relate to the weather in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. It is better known for its fantastic and very well known view of the coast below French Mountain to Cap-Rouge, seen in the third photo below.↩
seen from Le chemin de l’Anse des Bois Mariés.
By what name is the brook known in English?
Robert Deveaux correctly answered this as Corney Brook.
A beautiful trail, le vieux chemin du Cap-Rouge, crosses the brook and ascends the highlands
where residents used to live high above la Bloc and Presqu’Île. Foundations of their homes are still visible.
on French Mountain, which I think of as the “Belvédère La Beauté” for the first two French words of its inscription
as well as for the magnificent views. Lest we forget their service.
Tittle Point is peeking out at the far left. Can you imagine the views from the Seawall Trail,
which is proposed to run along the top of the coastal highlands!
The Lone Shieling sits on a gift of 40 ha (100 ac) of land bequeathed on his death in 1934 by Professor Donald S. MacIntosh to the Province of Nova Scotia with the request that the Government maintain a small park in which it would build there a small cabin in the same design as the lone shieling on the Island of Skye in Scotland. Incorporated into the Cape Breton Highlands National Park in 1936 and transferred to the federal government, his wish was carried out: the Lone Shieling, is a basic shelter known as a bothran, a rectangular structure featuring low, massive, random rubblestone walls, rough-hewn timbers and a thatched roof; it is a seasonal dwelling traditionally used by shepherds in Scotland during the time of year when sheep were moved to graze on the highlands, away from the village. Illustrating the traditional heritage of the local inhabitants from the crofter class of the Scottish Highlanders, it would be hard to find a better venue for an outdoor concert of piping.²
² This paragraph is based on, and incorporates portions of, the text in this web page and in this web page, both accessed on 2018 April 19.↩
Shortly after 13h, a kilted Rankin MacInnis strode up to the Lone Shieling and went out back to get his pipes ready. He then serenaded us with some very fine pipe sets, pausing between them to explain the pipes and the music to the twenty-five or so folks sitting on the grass and the stone wall beside the Cabot Trail listening to him play; he interacted superbly well with the audience, ideal for the rôle. Apparently, a similar KitchenFest! concert was held here last year and no one showed up; I somehow missed it being on the schedule. After about fifty minutes, a park range explained the history and meaning of the Lone Shieling. Rankin then played Hector the Hero and spoke briefly about Jerry Holland, after which he played several of his tunes. Lewis MacKinnon gave us a song in Gaelic and coöpted the audience members to song the choruses. A barefoot highland dancer whose name I didn’t get then danced to Rankin’s pipes. Mary-Louise Bernard, a First Nations lady from Wagmatcook, sang a song accompanying herself with a drum. Rankin came over and said hello and I had a chance to chat with his parents and some of the other attendees. This was a fine event and I heartily hope it is repeated next year.
It wasn’t a huge crowd, but Rankin MacInnis did a fine job playing, explaining the music and his style of playing,
and interacting with those present. He would make a fine teacher!
at the concert at the Lone Shieling this afternoon.
I am indebted to Adam Young for this lady’s name, which I did not know when I posted the photo: Mary-Louise Bernard.
A bit past 15h, I took my leave and continued on the Cabot Trail. I didn’t have a lot of time, as I needed to be at the Gaelic College for the KitchenFest! concert there in the evening, but I did take the scenic route via the White Point Road around South Mountain instead of the Cabot Trail over it. Breathtaking beauty all along the way, over North Mountain, the Cape North Massif from the Sunrise look-off, the gorgeous views of Aspy Bay and White Point, the rocky coves and shores of the Atlantic from Black Brook to Ingonish, the fantastic scenery Ingonish, Cape Smokey, and the Cape Breton Highlands along St Anns Bay. It was a lovely day and no time to stop for many photos, though I did get a few! I arrived at the ferry ramp on Jersey Cove side of Highway 312 at 17h30 and had fifteen minutes before I was able to board, so I got some photos there; it was +17 (63) and the blue sky now displayed both thunderheads and whitish transparent sheets of clouds.
Margo Batherson correctly identified it as near the Englishtown Ferry;
it was taken from the Highway 312 just before the ferry on the Jersey Cove side.
This looks across the entrance to St Anns Harbour at the end of Kellys Mountain,
with Cowdy Point on Cape Dauphin at the left jutting into St Anns Bay.
Tonight’s KitchenFest! cèilidh at the Gaelic College, College Connections, opened with Dominique Dodge as emcee and an introduction after which she taught the Gaelic phrases in the KitchenFest! brochure. She then gave us on harp a set of jigs from Paul Cranford’s Cape Breton collection, played In Memory of Herbie MacLeod, and sang in Gaelic a song appearing on Kyle Kennedy MacDonald’s CD accompanying herself on harp. Margie Beaton on fiddle joined her and the two then played strathspeys and reels for Mac Morin to step dance. A considerable contingent of the Cape Breton Fiddlers’ Association, under the direction of Dara Smith-MacDonald and with Janet Cameron on keyboard, next gave us two group numbers, a set of jigs including Over the Cabot Trail and a set of reels including the Yetts of Muckart.³ Next up was Nuallan, tonight formed by Keith Kennedy MacDonald, Kevin Dugas, Mac Morin, and Patrick Gillis,⁴ who gave us a set of reels, a set including Mist Covered Mountains, and a set to which Fileanta, a dance troupe consisting this evening of Margie Beaton, Anna MacDonald, Dawn Beaton, and Jenny MacKenzie, danced for us.
³ I also found the spellings Muchart and Muckhart on other CD’s I own.↩
⁴ Kenneth MacKenzie, who is normally part of the group, was away teaching at Ceolas in Scotland.↩
at the KitchenFest! concert at the Gaelic College tonight.
with Janet Cameron on keyboard at the KitchenFest! concert at the Gaelic College tonight.
Keith MacDonald and Kevin Dugas on highland bagpipes accompanied by Mac Morin on keyboard and
Patrick Gillis on guitar. Absent: Kenneth MacKenzie who is teaching in Scotland. One powerful sounding group!
dancing to the music of Nuallan.
After the break, Nuallan returned and give us another set of tunes. Brianne MacDonald on highland bagpipes and Abigail MacDonald on keyboard then gave us a set of pipe tunes. Nuallan then came back on stage and watched as Fileanta danced a cappella for the first couple of minutes—lovely sound from their rhythmic feet!—after which Nuallan accompanied them for the rest of their set. The Cape Breton Fiddlers’ Association returned with Mac on keyboard this time and gave us three more fine sets, the first of jigs including Charlie Hunter, the second a set including Pigeon on the Gate, and the third a set of strathspeys and reels for step dancing, in which Nuallan and Fileanta joined. What a superb evening of music and dance!
with Mac Morin on keyboard at the KitchenFest! concert at the Gaelic College tonight: part one of four.
with Mac Morin on keyboard at the KitchenFest! concert at the Gaelic College tonight: part two of four.
with Mac Morin on keyboard at the KitchenFest! concert at the Gaelic College tonight: part three of four.
with Mac Morin on keyboard at the KitchenFest! concert at the Gaelic College tonight: part four of four.
I most contentedly drove back to the motel where I posted the remainder of the concert photos I had no time to do while at the Gaelic College, read, and relaxed. I was in bed by 0h45.