Broad Cove, Baby! (Or, Broad Cove with Babies)

Just as Hollywood is full of actress/waitresses, so, I imagine, is rural Cape Breton full of artist/EI recipients. Within that second umbrella may be included the unemployed-artist-turned-babysitter. And in THAT umbrella falls the unemployed-writer-babysitter. And at the very bottom of THAT umbrella, at the outside, getting soaked a bit, is the unemployed-wannabe-writer-turned-babysitter. See her? She's blogging while the kids in her care are putting screws they found on the floor in their mouths. Good god. Disaster averted.

Alright, so my current work situation is laid out on the table now. Since this blog is about outdoor adventures, and I currently have children on the mind, I thought I'd take the time to consider some of the safer places I've been to lately--places I might actually be able to take a child to (NOT, for example, Gypsum Arch Cave, or some place with a lot of bushwacking). A short trail in Broad Cove immediately comes to mind. I'd give it a difficulty of 2 for most adults, so...maybe an 8 or a 9 for people who are handicapped with children. One section involves walking across rocks at the beach, and this might be a piggy-back opportunity for them. Or bring band-aids. They've gotta learn sometime.

Where you'll want to end up is on a hill stretching out into the water. From there, look back, and wow! Here, you are out far enough that you have a really great panoramic view of several peaks of shore from Inverness towards the Margaree. The first time I was here, I came by way of walking through thorns from the Broad Cove wharf. As it turns out, there's a much easier trail--and this, of course, is where you'd want to go. In Dunvegan, take the dirt road that leads to MacLeod's Campground (to your left if you're coming from Inverness and heading towards Margaree). The trail is just past the campground, on the side of the water. It's easy to miss it while driving, so keep out a keen eye, or use your GPS to get to N 46 18 241, W 061 15 010. Park right on the road, and begin walking up the trail.

Follow the trail for a short time (or, with the kids, a medium-length of time) and you'll be led to a rocky beach. To the right are the rocky jagged peaks that you'll soon have a great view of. To the left is the grassy hill that juts out into the ocean. This is where you'll want to head. Once again, crossing these rocks is probably a task unmanageable for toddler-age children on their own. When you all get to the top of the hill, you'll be on a plateau overlooking what feels like the entire coast of Inverness County, from Inverness to Chéticamp. The view is all one needs, but if you did bring your GPS, there happens to be a geocache here as well.

I happen to enjoy walking at dusk, and right before the skies open up, so the pictures I have from my last time here are quite dark--possibly not the best time to take the little ones. This is the view towards Chéticamp. 

Geocache: "The Pinnacle of Cape Breton" N 46° 18.267 W 061° 15.290 Status: Good (21/3/13)