Cape Chignecto

Allie and I are just back this week from a big hiking trip.  We did the Cape Chignecto trail (https://parks.novascotia.ca/content/cape-chignecto) trail.  Cape Chignecto is south of Amherst, right along the Bay of Fundy.  Most of the hike is along cliff tops, and is pretty breathtaking.  We went with Allie's cousin Lianna and her husband Mike.  They're moving to the Yukon for a year (at least) so this was a good way to get to see them before they left!

The hike itself was pretty tough.  In our usual fashion, Allie and I were pretty lax about training (the phrase "how hard could it be?" was heard from me more than once).  We hit the Y a could times, and walked more around Amherst.  The trouble is that a gentle walk around a flat town doesn't really prepare you for 1) carrying a heavy pack and 2) lots of up hill.  The first day of the hike was probably the toughest.  It was about 12 kilometers, including a 1.5 km stretch at a 45 degree angle.  Since it was the first day, we had the full weight of food as well!  

The other days were shorter and easier - and the campsites were all really lovely.  They were all near water, so we could go to sleep to the sound of the babbling creek, or the ocean waves.  There was an option to make the trail a loop.  To do that it's a 14 km hike through the forest to the parking lot.  When we decided that the trail along the cliffs would be enough, we were able to call the local general store, where a guy named Wayne comes to collect hikers for a small sum.  

The trail itself was a lot of ups and downs.  Every little creek or stream mean climbing down to the level of the water, and then climbing up again to the top of the cliff on the other side!  There were a few times when we climbed all the way down to sea level, only to have to climb the 100 meters or so back up on the other side.  The Nova Scotian forests are beautiful, and were really varied on this hike -all sorts of trees in all sorts of arrangements.  

We didn't see too much wildlife, which is not a bad thing in bear country like that.  We did see some signs of bears on the first day, but nothing after that.  We saw lots of squirrels, and once when we were on a cliff top, we saw a couple seals swimming in the ocean.  

All in all we were out for 4 days and 3 nights.  We got home on Sunday very foot sore (and knee sore,and ankle sore) but happy to be home.  Mike and Lianna headed back to Kingston on Monday, since Lianna was the valedictorian at her college grad this week.  I think sometime next week they'll head out in their van.  They're driving across the country and then up to the Yukon before winter!