T6⎮TORONTO STAR THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016 ON ON1

>>TRAVEL

CAPE BRETON, N.S.—This island makesit easy to fall off the health bandwag-on.

Between eating your body weight inmussels, brewery and distillery visits,and partaking in impromptu kitchenparties, immersion can set you back.Thankfully by hiking the Cabot Trail,redemption is possible.

Road-trip enthusiasts set asidethree to five days to leisurely travelthe trail that circles the greater partof the island.

During the peak months of May toSeptember, scenic overlooks, beach-es, cultural heritage sites and diverseoutdoor activities are easily acces-sible.

Adam Young, native Cape Bretonerand island ambassador, led four of uson the trail, which runs a loop of 300kilometres.

Northward bound from Sydney,N.S., we follow lupine-littered ditch-es through quaint fishing villages toJack Pine Trail; a 2.3-kilometre loopin Cape Breton Highlands NationalPark.

We stretch our legs along the root-lined, moss- and lichen-covered for-est following a serene stream withintermittent boardwalk and inter-pretive panels.

Guided tours are great, but it’s nearimpossible to not get caught up in thegreenery’s beauty, acting as plantpaparazzi attempting to capturemoss and fern magnificence.

Katie Woods, our Parks Canadaguide, reveals how surprised she wasby the park’s diversity when she firststarted.

“I didn’t realize how much area itcovered,” she says, pointing out thatthree types of forests (Acadian SubArctic, Taiga and Boreal) are foundhere.

As we walk, she points out lovelypurple flora identifying them as wildrhododendrons.

“What’s this berry growing here?”someone asks.

Woods encourages us to taste itsleaves.

“It’s wintergreen,” she says. “Thisforested area is close to the water, soit’s cooler here, allowing a variety ofsub-Arctic flora such as wintergreen,blueberries and lichens to grow.”

She explains how the namesaketrail’s towering pines have a different

genetic makeup than Mainlandpines, and how being separated morethan 200 kilometres from theirrange makes them significant.

We learn how a man-caused fire in1921 wiped out this pocket of pines,filling the air with seeds freed fromscorched cones, renewing the de-stroyed forest. The cones on mature

trees are serotinus, so only when ful-ly matured or exposed to heat dothey repopulate.

We amble onward and spot an eeriegraveyard of pines overlooking theAtlantic coastline.

Standing atop slabs of rugged andstriped granite marked up by long-gone glaciers, we take in dramatic

cliffside views and aquamarinepools. Lobster traps bob in the dis-tance and scads of fiddleheads linethe trail as we head back.

The Cabot’s distinctive curvingroads and lush forests emerge as wetravel down North Mountain thenext day toward Pleasant Bay. Arriv-ing at MacIntosh Brooks Trail, we

plod along a softly packed, well-keptpathway for hike No. 2.

Again, an adjoining stream lulls usand a canopy of hardwood forest ofmostly birch and beech trees keep usshaded.

After a half-hour, we arrive at abeautiful waterfall marking the half-way point for an easy, peaceful 1.7-kilometre loop.

Our last hike is at WhycocomaghProvincial Park. After we arrive,Young announces, “It’s rated diffi-cult.” The steep hill has us all ner-vous, thanks to rain the night before.

The 3.8-kilometre trail, made up ofthree pathways, is worrisome tostart. It’s overgrown and muddy aswe start on the Highlander Trail.

Parkouring back and forth betweenslick rocks and roots, we avoid plung-ing into mud. It’s humid and sweatstings our eyes as we hit a steep as-cent, which though daunting, fortu-nately isn’t muddy.

Red faced and panting, we chug up-wards determined. Parched andsweating out what feels like days’worth of liquids, we remind eachother it’s good for us.

We switch over to the Salt Moun-tain Trail. Steeper and more phys-ically demanding, navigating slip-pery moss covered rocks is tricky.Keeping our weight forward until wereach a thin ledge offering reprieve,we rest for a minute to take in thesurroundings and catch our breath.

A dark-eyed junco flits overheadand small patches of dogwood sur-round our feet.

Looking downward, there’s only aslim edging separating us from asharp drop. Climbing over the natu-ral rock stairs, we are careful andcognizant of each step on the precar-ious ledge. Legs trembling, our fo-cuses shift when we catch a glimpseof light — the first of three vantagepoints.

Rolling fog and a sweet breeze meetus up top, as does a rewarding pan-oramic view of Whycocomagh Bay.Before ascending, we swap accom-plished glances and celebrate withwell-deserved high fives.Jenn Smith Nelson was a guest of Tour-ism Cape Breton who did not review ofapprove this story.

Hike off the lobster on Cabot TrailFind redemption from the kitchen parties whileenjoying greenery’s beautyJENN SMITH NELSONSPECIAL TO THE STAR

Colleen Nicholson and Adam Young, who is a Cape Breton Island ambassador, hike the Jack Pine Trail.JENN SMITH NELSON

When to go: Tourist season runsMay through September. Ask inadvance about specific activities.

Choose where to start: Manyvisitors choose to start their jour-ney along the trail in Baddeck,often called the start and endpoint to the route. It’s a 78-kilo-metre drive from Sydney.

Stay:á Markland’s Coastal Beach Cot-tages (themarkland.com) in Ding-wall feature a cosy Maritime feeland ocean views where guestscan take in the sunset from theircottages or stroll the beach. Thestellar on-site restaurant cele-brates local cuisine. á Mabou River Inn (mabou-riverinn.com) has 10 rooms on a

sprawling property. The inn is runby Dave and Donna Cameron,who treat visitors to a breakfastfeast including cinnamon bunsand biscuits. á Paul and Barbara Weinbergbegan building Cabot ShoresWilderness Resort & Retreat(cabotshores.com) 12 years agowith a lodge and four chalets.They’ve added six yurts, a tree-house village and geodesic domewhere guests can fall asleepunder the stars. There’s medita-tion, acupuncture/acupressureand morning Qi Gong yoga.

Eat: á The Rusty Anchor (rusty-anchorrestaurant.com), touted asone of the Cabot Trail’s “best keptsecrets,” is found just off the trail

in Pleasant Bay. With fresh caughtAtlantic bounty, the wooden cha-let-meets-fishing-boat featuresmega popular lobster rolls andRusty’s punch.á The Herring Choker Deli (her-ringchokerdeli.com) near Baddeckis known for its sandwiches. Runby Linda MacRae and her threedaughters, the welcoming delifocuses on serving great home-made food and organic coffee. á Cape Breton reportedly hasmore breweries per capita thananywhere else in Canada. Take in a tasting at Big SpruceBrewing (bigspruce.ca) on a 30-hectare farm overlooking Brasd’Or Lake. While in Sydney, stopby Breton Brewing (bretonbrew-ing.ca) for one of their four signa-ture brews.

> WHEN YOU GO

The Cabot’s distinctive curving roads and lush forestsemerge as we travel down North Mountain the next day toward Pleasant Bay

WHERE TO BIKE, KAYAK AND WHALE-WATCH ON THE ISLAND

Puffin watch: Though puffins arereportedly leaving earlier and earliereach year (plan to catch them beforeAugust) captain Vince Van Schaickof Bird Island Boat Tours say theircolourful beaks make them a draw formost, not just avid birdwatchers.Take an hour-and-a-half guidedcruise ($45) to Bird Island where youcan spot other species includingrazorbills, cormorants and black-legged Kittiwakes, along with greyseals. Details: birdisland.net.

Bike: Once a railway trail, the Celtic Shores Coastal Trail reclaimed pathwaynow boasts 92 kilometres of multi-use trail stretching from Port Hastings tothe Town of Inverness. An easy and flat path lined with buttercups and thesound of croaking frogs takes visitors through pristine wilderness with coast-line views. Plan pit stops along the way through communities such as Mabou.Bikes and helmets can be rented through Eagle Eye Outfitters for $50 for a fullday or $25 for half a day. Details: celticshores.ca, eagleeyeoutfitters.ca.

Kayak: Trade in the driving view for a cruise atop the clear waters and theunspoiled coastline of Cape Breton’s rim in St. Ann’s Bay with a guided sea-kayak tour with North River Kayak. Open now for more than 20 years, NorthRiver offers a variety of packages from half to multi-day adventures. Be sure tokeep your eyes peeled for bald eagles. Located 20 minutes from Baddeck.Open May 15 to Oct. 15. Details: northriverkayak.com.

Cruises for whales and seals: Locat-ed in Pleasant Bay, Captain Markmakes the bold promise of “guaran-teed whale sightings.” Hop aboardeither a 42-foot cabin cruiser or for acloser encounter, one of their zodiacvessels. The 2-2.5 hour tour willcruise the waters for pilot, hump-back, finback and minke whales,harbour and grey seals and more.Adult rates are $45 per cruiser and$55 per zodiac (July to September).Details: whaleandsealcruise.com.

Tour towns and beaches: En route to the Cape Breton Highlands, stop at In-gonish Beach and admire heaps of smooth, rounded rocks that wash in and outwith the Atlantic tide. Appreciate the stunning interior of St. Peter’s church inCheticamp, a French Acadian fishing community where you can also searchfor Mermaid’s Tears (sea glass) at Iverness Beach. Lastly, in Mabou, enjoylocal fare and spirits while you clap along to a ceilidh (a traditional Gaelicmusic gathering) at the Red Shoe Pub, run by members of the Rankin family.Details: redshoepub.com.

Jenn Smith Nelson was a guest of Tourism Cape Breton, which did not review or approve this story.

> OH CANADA

JENN SMITH NELSON PHOTOS

While driving and hiking are great ways to cover a lot of ground along the Cabot Trail, the island has other ways to take inforest, water and shoreside charms and appreciate the mix of Maritime, Celtic and Acadian culture. By Jenn Smith Nelson