Cape Split Revisited

The last time we visited Cape Split was in October 2012. What a thrill it was to hike this week-end and see the spring flowers.

The forest floor was white with these little white flowers. They had 5 petals and looked a bit like wood anemones. I think they are called Grass of Parnassus.

I love the vibrant pink of the Purple Trillium.  Cape Split must have the most specimens I have seen anywhere. There were hundreds of plants!

I photographed the old broken tree last time, but it has now lost one of its huge branches.

The white and yellow flower is called Dutchman’s Breeches. Seemingly, the flowers look like little pantaloons (upside down), hanging on a clothes line.

Of course the violets added colour everywhere.

At the end of the trail is Cape Split itself. The trail opens into a meadow and looks out over the Bay of Fundy. This is where we always sit to have our picnic and watch the seabirds.

The seagulls seemed to be happy that they were on an island.

There was more colour to be seen as we drove back through Scots Bay.

I remembered, too late, that I was going to look for Ami McKay’s house at Scots Bay. She is the author of ‘The Birth House’ and the book is set in this rural location. I reread this book after my last visit to Cape Split and could imagine the characters as she described them.

Cape Split Hiking Trail

A couple of week-ends ago we decided to head to Cape Split on the Bay of Fundy. We did drive to Scots Bay 2 or 3 years ago, but gave up because of the potholes in the road. They were worse than anywhere else in Nova Scotia.

Nothing had changed in the condition of the road, in fact it was worse, but we persevered to the end. There were diggers, machines and lots of workmen and we thought it was just our luck that the trail was closed. But no, they were just starting on work to make a new car park at the entrance to the park and seemingly there are to be 2 compostable toilets at a cost of $42,000!

We headed along the trail, enjoying the sculptures of the old trees.

There is no tree management and so trees are allowed to  grow as they like.

With trees growing horizontally and branches shooting up at odd angles.

 

The trail ends at Cape Split, well named.

There is no way across to the stack of rock.

So we just had to enjoy the view while we ate our picnic.

 

This little squirrel seemsed to be putting his tongue out at us.

There were more wild tree shapes on the return trip, a total hike of just 15 km.

We saw this abandoned church on our drive to the park and had to stop for photographs.

I can’t see anyone taking this on as a renovation project.

 

Five Islands Provincial Park

This is just the conclusion of our weekend at Joggins, when we stopped at Five Islands Provincial Park for a hike on the Sunday morning.

This park rises from the shores of the Bay of Fundy, with the highest tides in the world. Many campers had taken this last opportunity to camp, before the camping grounds closed for the season the next day.  There are group camping places, but mainly individual spots, each with its own picnic table and fire pit. These campers had made a covered dining area to keep off the mosquitoes.

We hiked through the park and down to the beach. The tide was out, way out, and people were arriving to collect the semi precious stones that can be found after every tide.

Clam digging is another big event here. These people are out on a spit of sand digging.

You can see how far out they are!

One couple seem to have some sort of  little trailer with them.

The split rock on the next photo is Cape Split! We were there when we walked at Blomidon Provincial Park last year. It doesn’t look too far in the photo, but it is 250 kms by road, because you have to drive around the Bay of Fundy!

You can see how the water drains out of the Bay at low tide, leaving a very red mud – a bit messy for paddling.But fantastic for beach combing.