I've always thought that it would be interesting to see a written series on outdoor points-of-interest in Cape Breton, especially the lesser known. It's a sad state that some of us may go our whole lives without knowing much of the majesty in our back yards. I was already twenty five before I had even heard that Margaree boasts one of the tallest waterfalls in the province (and no, it's not Egypt Falls, and yes, it's a great big pain in the arse to get to). While most outdoorsy Capers own the Michael Haynes'
Hiking Trails of Cape Breton, it doesn't list quite everything (many non-developed trails, geocaches, etc.) I wanted to begin writing about trails close to my home. The Cap Auguet Trail is not in my home of Inverness County, but Isle Madame isn't too far off the beaten path. It's the last hiking trail I've done, so I'll begin there.
It's a true shame that many visitors to Cape Breton completely skip one of our prettiest spots--Isle Madame. Located at the southeast bottom of the Cape Breton collective, it is separated from the rest of the island by the Lennox Passage, a narrow strait. Isle Madame may not be
on the way to the Cabot Trail...or Sydney...or Louisbourg...Nope, it's not really
on the way to anywhere. But it's a very pretty spot and a treat to visit. Depending on where you're coming from, you can make several trips to Isle Madame and see different sights each time. I like coming from Orangedale and sticking to Marble Mountain Rd., visiting Dundee, and keeping along the shore of the Bras d'Or. In this instance, however, we were pressed for time and stuck to the quicker route.
There are plenty of signs to direct to the trailhead of the developed "ecotrail" Cap Auguet, but we didn't follow them exactly. Or follow them at all for that matter. We went with Haynes' instruction.
Hiking Trails of Cape Breton follows the trail from its opposite, undeveloped end at the property of the Clearwater fish plant. Haynes warns that this end can be difficult to follow, but we thought with his book in hand we should manage. We were a bit more disheartened by the total length--22 kilometres--but with the snow having taken a huge beating in the last couple of weeks, it was time to get off the couch and do some exploring.
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| Some remains of a stone foundation, with the Clearwater fish plant still within sight. |
It being the tenth of March, we were travelling with snowshoes in the trunk just in case. The initial field we crossed was empty of snow, so we left these behind and continued on foot.
After crossing up a meadow, we did enter a woodsy section where snow both remained and was rather deep. While we were slowed by this remaining bit of winter, the presence of our tracks helped us to figure out where we had been when we meandered around, either taking pictures, scouting animal tracks, or just trying to find the trail. This trail was not always neat and easy to follow--Haynes was right.
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| Russell after entering the woodsy section of trail. Here, we found a lot of deer tracks. |
Heading back to the water again, I'd definitely recommend marking your spot with rocks or sticks so that you can find your way back up to the marked trail again.
The navigation through salt marshes, hardwood forests, rocky shores, and sandy beaches makes the length of this trail negligible. With some new type of territory to explore every kilometre, the time flew by and we were on our return route before we knew it. Had we not left our jackets hanging from trees halfway through our journey, I might have taken the paved road to get back to the car. I rarely find myself in Isle Madame, so it's nice to have a look at everything I can. I do hope to make it back in the summer.
Geocaches in area:
"Spectacular view/La vue abondante" N 45° 30.333' W 060° 57.483' Status: Good (3/10/13)
"Hill of Sampson's Cove" N 45° 30.103 W 060° 56.210 Status: Good (3/10/13)
