NOVA SCOTIA

August 16 Amherst to Truro

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Amherst to Parrsboro about 30 miles; Parrsboro to Truro about 55 miles)

Depart PEI via Confederation Bridge.  Arrive Amherst area.  Welcome to Springhill, NS, a small place with a big heart.  Anne Murray Centre opens at 9am with special prices for Coasters. Miner’s Museum.  Dr. Carson and Marion Murray Community Centre will be the site of a farmer’s market and crafts from the area.  A light lunch compliments of the Cumberland Car Club will be held inside.  The Springhill Fire Department will have ice for those who need it.  Mike Kaye is full of stories of Springhill and its many sites.

 Follow hwy 2 to Parrsboro (47 km), passing through Southampton, West Brook.  In Parrsboro, follow the signs to the Fundy Geological Museum. 

 

Aug 17 –Truro to Grand Pre

Maitland, stop at the W.D. Lawrence Museum {*where the largest NS wooden sailing vessel was built.  Continue on, through Brooklyn, to Windsor *(approx. 125 km).  In Windsor (the Birthplace of Hockey), continue until road ends (just before Tim Horton’s); turn left onto Gerrish St. which is also Rte. 1.  There are two museums in Windsor – Haliburton House and Shand House.

Continuing on Rte. 1 will take you to Hantsport  through Hantsport.  If you wish you can visit Garth Scott’s Memories Museum.

Continue on rte. 1 to Avonport.  Quilters may wish to visit Avonport Discount Fabrics (6000 bolts of fabric, Briggs and Little yarn, Regia yarn, Marble Yarn, etc.).  On the same property is a store with items of interest to men…tools, etc.  A short distance away is Just Us! Coffee shop and museum.   Grand Pre Historic Site (on left).  Well worth a visit.  Their gift shop has many NS books, including books for children

 

 August 18 – Grand Pre – Digby

Today your lunch stop is at the Greenwood Aviation Museum.  Leave the motel or campground and continue on Hwy. 1 to the town of Wolfville, the home of Acadian University.  There is limited parking in the town of Wolfville especially with trailers.  Local attractions include Botanical Gardens at Acadia, The Gallery and the Foxhill Cheese House. There are also six wineries in the area as well as The Randall House Museum.  If it is a clear day when you leave Wolfville on Hwy. 1 towards New Minas you might want to view the beautiful Valley from the Lookoff which is about 10 miles off Hwy. 1 on Rte. 341 through Canning.  On return to Hwy. 1 pass through New Minas and on to Kentville.  This is the home of the Nova Scotia Agricultural Centre.  After passing through Kentville you will go through Coldbrook where there is an excellent book store (Books Galore) on the right.  It is another 10 miles to Berwick.  In another 5 miles is Aylesford, home to the Aylesford Zoo.  After passing through Aylesford proceed to Kingston and onto Greenwood for lunch.

At the only light in Kingston, turn left, go straight to the next set of lights and turn left, this is Greenwood.  Drive straight down past the Post Office on the left and continue on down a slight hill.  The Greenwood Aviation Museum (1 Ward Rd.) is on your left.  Here you will be offered a free tour of the Museum with many vintage airplanes on display and have the opportunity to take pictures of your car among this impressive display of vintage aircraft.  Arrive early if you wish as the free tour of the museum will not disappoint you.  This is also your lunch stop, a BBQ sausage, chips and pop prepared for you between 11 and 1 by the volunteers of the Greenwood Military Museum.

After lunch and tour you are on your way to Digby.  Exit right out of the Museum, at second light turn right and return to the light on Hwy. 1 in Kingston.  Turn left to Middleton about 8 miles down the road.  Located here is a Railway Museum at 6 School St.  Next, Lawrencetown is about 6 miles, then Bridgetown is about 6 – 8 miles.  Then 18 miles further is Annapolis Royal.  The Tidal Power Generating Station will be on the left.  There is a parking lot for sightseers.  Proceeding into the town, Fort Anne is on the right (Canada’s oldest National Historic Site)There are craft shops, book stores and the Botanical Gardens (which includes a cafe)   Annapolis Royal’s streets are narrow (and mostly one-way) and there is very limited parking.  You can follow the signs to Port Royal, home of the Habitation – where Samuel de Champlain landed in 1604.  This is a reconstructed fortress with plenty of free parking.  You will go past Upper Clements Theme Park as well as the former Naval training base Cornwallis where there is the Museum Acadian Military.

 

August 19 –  Digby

On your own to tour around Digby.  Brier Island in the Bay of Fundy is at the end of Digby Neck and is reached by two short ferries (no charge).  Joshua Slocum (first man to circumnavigate the world alone, in the 1800s).  At Marshalltown is the Maud Lewis Memorial Site.  Maud Lewis was a famous folk artist, in spite of being badly crippled, painted literally every surface of her home with brightly-coloured pictures.

Bear River is an interesting town.  Home of a winery, many artists (including a shoemaker who hand-makes shoes for movies and the wealthy).  The Flight of Fancy is a shop selling work by artists nearly all Canadian and many from NS, some of whom have designed works for Cirque de Soleil.

 

 August 20 – Digby to Bridgewater

Return to highway 101 (at exit 25) and get off at exit 22. This takes you to highway 8 which crosses the province; you will go through wilderness and many small villages.  The distance is about 70 miles.  Kejimikujik National Park is along this road. 

At the end of highway 8 is Liverpool, Turning right at the T and going perhaps 100 yards, on the left is the former railway station, now the Hank Snow Museum.  The third week-end of August is the Hank Snow Festival. We might just be there..

Take highway 3 from Liverpool, through Brooklyn (birthplace of Hank Snow)  SONG  to highway 103 toward Bridgewater. 

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August 21 – BRIDGEWATER TO HALIFAX

Hwy. 3 and takes you to Mahone Bay – a unique town with its three famous churches along the waterfront, famous Suttles and Seawinds shop and other craft shops.

Because of the narrow, hilly streets and very limited parking in Lunenburg, you may prefer to take the bus tour from Halifax to Peggy’s Cove and Lunenburg.  Lunenburg is where the original schooner Bluenose and the replica, Bluenose II, were built – the ship that is still on the Canadian dime.  The Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic on the waterfront is fascinating.  Lunenburg has many art galleries, restaurants and craft shops.

From Mahone Bay, follow highway 3 through Western Shore (site of the Oak Island Treasure Hunt mystery), Chester Basin, East River, Hubbards, Head of St. Margaret’s Bay, to Tantallon, about 40 miles. Left onto Hammonds Plains Road.  Hatfield Farms is about 7 miles on the right .Camping is on the left at Woodhaven Camp ground.

Great stop for a meal will be Vernon Kynock’s Diner on Hammond Plains Road for dinner, lunch or a great breakfast, it's just down the road from the campground. Vernon is a great supporter of the tour and has a new cafe with automobile decor. I'm going, see you there

 

August 22 –  

Halifax area, banquet Tuesday night at Dinner is at Brewsters, 961 Bedford Hwy. Full details will be given on arrival in Nova Scotia 

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August 23 –Truro to Antigonish

To Truro. Take exit 15E, route 104 toward Cape Breton.  You may stay on 104 to Antigonish, or you may wish to try the alternate coastal scenic route between New Glasgow and Antigonish. The main route (via the TCH 104) is 58km (36 miles) or the more scenic coastal route is 109 km (68 miles). Travelling on TC104 east, take exit 27, go on rotary towards Sunrise Trail/ Merigomish (route 245), drive 1.4 km and turn left toward Egerton/Merigomish on Hwy 245.  Follow 245 for 33.2 km. The water on your left is the Northumberland Strait separating NS from PEI.  You come to Arisaig Beach, Dockside Cafe and Lighthouse Canteen on Arisaig Point Road, if you wish to visit.  Continue on Route 245, Cape George, where there is a lighthouse and a beautiful view.  The Lighthouse Road is a short gravel road (0.7 km), vehicles can turn at the lighthouse.  Continue driving to Ballantyne's Cove and wharf with an Interpretive Centre and Fish n' Ships takeout. Travel on to Cape George, then Cribbon's Point. Continuing toward Antigonish.

 

 August 24

Antigonish to North Sydney (Newfoundland Ferry)– Two choices: (Distance 185 km/115 mi).  Leaving Antigonish take Hwy 104 East towards Cape Breton, cross Canso Causeway at Port Hastings take Hwy 105.Travel to exit 8 to Baddeck, a village along the shores of the Bras d'Or Lakes. There are interesting shops, boutiques, restaurants and the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site if you wish to stop.  Alternate route: (Distance 225 km/140 mi)  After crossing the Canso Causeway keep right and take Hwy 104 towards Port Hawkesbury and St. Peter's. At St. Peter's there is an operating locks and canal to allow ships to travel from Chedabucto Bay to Bras d'Or Lakes.  At St. Peter's take Hwy 4 towards Sydney River.  Rita MacNeil’s Tea House is on the way, at Big Pond. Take exit 6 to Hwy 125 towards North Sydney.