Where We Be
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| Ceilidh Coast |
| As we started driving along the lake's western shore in the early morning, grassy areas were covered in frost and the lake wreathed in rising mist |
| The fall foliage was spectacular on Cape Breton Island in mid-October |
| The lake's shoreline is highly indented, making for many small bays like this one |
| Just for kicks we took the Little Narrows Ferry -- a shortcut one-minute ferry crossing -- to Washabuck Peninsula |
| This almost-island offers good water views in nearly every direction |
| This spiral spit of land in the middle of the lake would be fun to visit by kayak |
| In the town of Iona, we came across picturesque Plaster Cove with its pine-covered islets and cute model church |
| Sculpted bays and fall colors made for a good outing even on a dreary day |
| On another day we drove to the Ceilidh Coast on the northwestern shore of Nova Scotia. Glenora Distillery was the highlight of our touring day -- and not just because of their fine aged whiskey. |
| For our four-day visit, we stayed at Aberdeen Motel near Whycocomagh, 30 minutes south of Baddeck |
| Bright fall colors and a babbling brook make for a pretty setting |
| The ivy-covered building itself is quite attractive |
| And then there's the wine... |
| Baddeck Lighthouse stands sentinel over Canada's Inland Sea |
| Inside there is fiddle and piano music. A ceilidh (pronounced "kay-lee") is like a Celtic hoedown, and the Ceilidh Coast is particularly famous on Cape Breton for its Celtic musical roots. |
| Bras d'Or Lake -- Nova Scotia, Canada |
If you look on a map, you'll see that Bras d'Or
Lake is a huge, sprawling octopus of a lake that
spans more than 1,000 square kilometers. It
dominates the center of Cape Breton Island
and is definitely an attraction in its own right.
"Canada's Inland Sea" is a mix of fresh and salt
water. Washabuck Peninsula sits at its center
and more or less divides the lake into three
parts. The result is two long arms known as St.
Patricks Channel and St. Andrews Channel. It's
no small feat to drive around this lake, and we
didn’t even try. Instead we settled for a loop
around the almost-island of Washabuck. Even
that took us most of an afternoon. I'll say it
again, Nova Scotia (and Cape Breton Island) is
bigger than you might think. Approach it piece-
meal: for instance, we did Washabuck one day
and the lake's western shore on another; that
let us enjoy it without wearing ourselves out.
Lake is a huge, sprawling octopus of a lake that
spans more than 1,000 square kilometers. It
dominates the center of Cape Breton Island
and is definitely an attraction in its own right.
"Canada's Inland Sea" is a mix of fresh and salt
water. Washabuck Peninsula sits at its center
and more or less divides the lake into three
parts. The result is two long arms known as St.
Patricks Channel and St. Andrews Channel. It's
no small feat to drive around this lake, and we
didn’t even try. Instead we settled for a loop
around the almost-island of Washabuck. Even
that took us most of an afternoon. I'll say it
again, Nova Scotia (and Cape Breton Island) is
bigger than you might think. Approach it piece-
meal: for instance, we did Washabuck one day
and the lake's western shore on another; that
let us enjoy it without wearing ourselves out.
| The town of Baddeck is a popular base for exploring the region |
| One of many scenic pauses along the shores of Bras d'Or Lake |
| Washabuck Peninsula |
| ...And the 10-year aged whiskey... |
| No wonder Robin's so happy! |
| Pubs and live music everywhere |