Montreal to Halifax pt.2 Our Journey Continues...
Leaving an Airbnb can be hard work. We’d settled in nicely at Penny Lane and had plenty of packing to do. If you don’t leave it tidy, there’s always the risk of a bad review from the host. TW is very particular, but we managed to get out smoothly and before checkout. Our review turned out to be glowing.
The drive into New Brunswick was relaxed, crossing the long bridge with ease. We stopped in Amherst, a charming, Scottish-looking town with plenty of stone buildings. Lunch at Brittney’s was a treat—a hearty steak and eggs with potatoes in an old-fashioned spot full of locals. It felt like stepping back in time, in the best way.
On the way to Truro, we paused at a Provincial Park and admired a beautiful tree. Autumn was bursting into color across Nova Scotia.
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| TW likes her trees |
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| Clear water |
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Spot the ripple in Truro
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We set off for Truro where we were due to spend the night. The tides in the
Bay of Fundy are pretty extreme and we were excited to reach Truro and the
Fundy Discovery site in time for the natural phenomenon. The Lady in the tourist office was friendly and helpful but she had set our expectations a bit too high. When the
tidal bore arrived we were expecting a huge wave and rushing water. A flock of birds landed on a sandbank close to where the water was due to flood in and we were concerned for them. They were not worried in the least. They knew what what was coming. All we saw was barely a ripple making its way up river. We asked the lady at the Discovery site what had gone wrong, we had been worried about getting wet! Oh, the tides are quite low at the moment. Ah well, lets go for a walk.
We walked along the river and then a shared path before heading back to Sobeys to pick up Dinner. Berry's Motel on the outskirts of Truro was perfect for us and fully equipped to prepare a meal.
28th - 30th SeptemberWe seemed to be getting a much better balance between travelling and sight-seeing now. We were keen to have a look at the City of Truro before heading off in the direction of Wolfville. We are pleased to report that Truro is a nice place, a bit smaller than its namesake in Cornwall, and very quiet on a Sunday. We had a good look around before heading for morning coffee and cake at the Novel Tea Coffee House and Bakery. Lots of locals seemed to be popping in for refreshments. It was a nice place to be on a Sunday Morning in Canada.
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| Deer wandering in Truro |
Oh well, next stop Burntcoat Head Provincial Park. We chose a route that took us to the North of Nova Scotia via Burntcoat It's a great place to view the tides. It is alleged to have the highest recorded tides on earth. 160 Billion Tons of water flow in and out of the Bay of Fundy with each tide and the extreme range is 53ft. We had a walk on what they call the ocean floor and stayed for a picnic lunch. It’s an interesting place to visit but we were there at low tide. The tide did come in a bit but it would not have been high tide for another 4 hours or so. There is a webcam on top of the lighthouse to view it from home.
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| Bay of Fundy - Flower Pot Island and TW |
We took the very quiet road
Waltons Wood Road down to Windsor rather than following the coast and it was a great decision. The trees were wonderful and the road was deserted. To be honest we had assumed that a tree-lined road in Canada would have conifers either side. However, that is not the case at all. In September the trees were a riot of colour.
Our Motel was outside of Wolfville in an area known as New Minas. Exit 12 Rentals was a modern take on the Motel format. It had a separate bedroom rather than a single studio. It had a decent kitchen and a washer and dryer. It also had an Air Fryer, whatever that is? We were quite happy there for 3 nights. There was also a Sobeys just up the road.
The traffic was quite heavy in the area which sits between Wolfville and Kentville. Our first Canadian traffic queue.
29th September - Lucketts Vineyard
One of the waitresses at the Wheelhouse in Georgetown recommended we go to Lucketts. We had a late start as I was under the weather but after passing through some beautiful countryside we reached Lucketts Vineyard and it's Bistro for lunch. It was a really nice place, service was a bit slow on the day due to staff shortages but we were not worried. The owner, Pete Luckett was working in the restaurant on Front of House. He's a bit of a showman and was chatting to some of the guests, including us. He told us he had moved to Canada from Nottingham where he was a Market Trader. He built up a successful business that he sold to our favourite Supermarket Sobeys and bought the farm. Over time it developed into a vineyard and restaurant. It's now run by his daughter but he comes back to help out periodically. His new passion is a Hotel called Idonea in the Azores. Pete took the micky out of us, in a nice way, because we were not drinking his wine. We told him we were driving but would buy something to take home.
We bought a bottle of red wine cheekily called Old Bill.
Tidal Bay, a white, is the Signature and very popular wine of the region.
Down amongst the vines there is an old
GPO phone box. You can phone anywhere in North America for free.
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| Lucky Luckett View |
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| Luckett Winery produce |
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| Fruit of the Vine |
After lunch we headed into Wolfville. Apparently it was originally called Mud Creek, we prefer its new name but there is still plenty of mud around. I thought it might be named after James Wolf but no, it takes its name from a prominent DeWolf family back in the 18th Century. It's quite an attractive place. It is home to a highly rated Acadia University. After a wander we had a coffee at Charts a cozy retreat in the town.
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| Wolfville - formerly Mud Creek |
30th September
We were on the Waterfront Trail in Wolfville today. It's mainly a long dyke that goes out in the estuary. It was a lovely warm day for a pleasant walk with good riverside views. Our loop took us back to Charts for a light lunch. It was quite busy with a mix of students and oldies. We thought we would have a look at a couple of wineries in the afternoon. It was a public holiday so the Lightfoot and Wolfville Winery Restaurant, close to town was quite busy. We had a walk amongst the vines and took in the great views over the estuary. We moved along to Benjamin Bridge winery. This was a lovely spot to walk around. They had a drinks licence so visitors were able to tour the estate with a glass of wine. We waited until after our walk and I enjoyed a very pleasant glass of their Tidal Bay, the signature white wine of Nova Scotia. The Benjamin Bridge winery slopes down to a small river and was in a very pretty country area. Definitely a nice place to cycle if based in New Minas.
1st October - Heading for White Point ResortWe took a very quiet road, Highway12 down to Chester. Beautiful and colourful trees lined our route. It was difficult to stop and take pictures as there were no verges or parking places on the route. We opted to turn off just past New Ross and stopped at Lake Lawson, one of the many lakes in the region.
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| Lake Lawson tourists |
Our next stop, Chester by the Sea was a revelation. On a sunny day in October there is probably no better spot on earth to spend a few hours. We loved it. We had always planned to stop at the Kiwi Cafe but had no idea the village was so lovely. We were very satisfie with the Kiwi Cafe, our lunch spot. Chester has has an interesting coastline giving lots of opportunities for seaside living as it winds in and out. It looked pretty prosperous so hopefully there is not a risk of it being taken over by holiday lets and thereby losing its sense of community.
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| Kiwi Cafe Hers |
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| Kiwi Cafe His |
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| Chester by the sea |
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| The Rope Loft in Chester |
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| Tancock Island Ferry |
There are many islands offshore, some with quaint names like
Big Gooseberry Island. This ferry goes to Tancock Island about an hour into the bay.
After a great visit we headed off towards White Point Resort. On the way, we turned off for on old fashioned General Store to pick up a few provisions. Mill Village on the River Mersey looked to have been by-passed when they built the new Highway 103. We only found it by chance.
White Point - 2nd to 4th October
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| Iconic Adirondack Outdoor Chairs at White Point |
White Point Resort is right on the beach. We saw it on Race Across the World and had the ambition to stay there. We were in a wooden building in the grounds. It was a very comfortable home for our 2 night stay just a short walk to the beach and the Restaurant. The sea view was limited by trees, more of a sea glimpse really and we had a nice wee balcony. Overall, it was a lovely resort, a little bit old-fashioned and rustic. It has a Golf Course and also lots of Summer activities.
After a first walk on the beach we had Dinner in Elliots Restaurant. Fortunately we had booked in advance as it was full to bursting. There was a gaggle of Healthcare people also staying, on some sort of conference or team building, plus a lot other residents so it was quite lively. Next door, in the bar, a guy on a guitar was entertaining a big crowd. He was pretty good and we sat and had a drink after our meal.
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| Elliots Restaurant |
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| Dining out at Elliots |
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| Guitar Man in the bar |
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| Sunsetting on our day at White Point |
White Point - 3rd October
We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast buffet at the restaurant before strolling along a local trail and paddling on the beach. Later, we drove along the coast and arrived at the Grill Restaurant at the Quarterdeck Resort in Somerville for lunch, where we were treated to a delightful view from our table. It was a beautiful sunny day, and the beach in front was empty except for one family. A friendly local looked after us, and we enjoyed a delicious meal. She suggested visiting Carters Beach, a hidden gem across the bay, and we happily took her advice—it was lovely.
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| The view from the Quarterdeck |
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Carters Beach
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Carters Beach
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We met a lovely couple from Nova Scotia on the beach. They had been at the restaurant and were heading down the coast to Yarmouth to scatter the ashes of a lost partner.
That evening, we returned to Elliots for another great meal. The guitar man was there again, but without a crowd, the atmosphere felt a bit flat.
To Lunenburg – 3rd October
We made our own breakfast and packed up the car before taking one last walk along the beach. We would have gladly stayed longer, but it was quite pricey and, when we booked, only a two-night stay was available. It seemed White Point gets plenty of repeat visitors—maybe we’ll be among them one day.
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| White Point on the Rocks |
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| Sea View from our balcony |
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| Waving goodbye to White Point |
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| The Church is the one on the right |
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| LaHave Bakery |
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| LaHave Bakery |
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| Bookshop under the Bakery |
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| At the Lunenberg wharf with Bluenose |
We followed the coastline back toward Lunenburg, passing through Liverpool and wishing we had time to explore. The Lighthouse Route was stunning and quiet, with charming communities along the way. We opted for the LaHave Ferry, which is free and only takes a few minutes to cross the river, saving a long drive to the bridge at Bridgewater. Just before the ferry, we stopped at the LaHave Bakery, a delightfully ramshackle old building full of character, for a tasty lunch and a chat with fellow travelers from Canada. We shared tips from our trip, though we’re not sure they paid much attention. I made the mistake of getting out of the car on the ferry for photos and was promptly told to get back in—apparently, we missed the signs.
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Illicit photo on the ferry leaving LaHave
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We continued along the coast to Lunenburg and the Homeport Motel, where we were booked for three nights. It was a nice motel, a bit outside of town but convenient for exploring. After unloading, we took a 20-minute walk into town. We expected it to be touristy, and it was busy by Canadian standards. We wandered to the wharf where the Bluenose II docks, then continued up the town’s steep streets.
Brightly painted wooden buildings lined the way, many home to small shops and galleries. White and black churches of various denominations were scattered throughout. Most of the restaurants seemed to be just above the wharf. The weary travelers enjoyed a sunny rest by the shore before heading to the supermarket and back to the Homeport.
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Up the hill - Lunenberg NS
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| Bluenose |
4th October - Mahone Bay
Mahone Bay, just a short drive from Lunenburg, was bustling on this sunny Saturday. Crowds were out enjoying the Scarecrow Festival, which runs for the three weeks leading up to Canadian Thanksgiving. The display was impressive, and we snapped a ridiculous number of photos. Mahone Bay is a charming little town, and we loved its beautiful wooden houses.
After coffee and cake at The Barn we popped home for lunch. It was too busy in the restaurants in Mahone Bay. We headed for Masons Beach and Corkums Island in the afternoon and took a few photos.  |
| Toilet Training |
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Is the tide coming in?
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| Lunenberg |
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| Across the bay from Lunenberg |
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Lunenberg
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| Corkums Island |
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Corkums Island
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5th October Lunenberg and the Ovens
In the Ovens - was once a sandy beach
We were told that the Ovens were worth a visit. It is a series of caves dug into the shore down the coast from Lunenberg. Have to say it was a bit underwhelming but they are probably unusual for Canada. Also they would probably be more impressive at higher tides when the water crashes in. The Ovens is also home to a large campsite. We continued on around the coast to the
Rose Bay Bistro for Sunday lunch. Bit of a German thing going on here. Manner bars for sale in the shop. They even had schnitzel on the menu. I had a Lobster Salad and TW had Pulled Pork. It was busy today but the Bistro is even more popular in Summer as its only a 5 minute walk to the beach. Quite a nice beach but not White Point standard.
We headed back to Lunenburg to explore more of the town, parking at the top of Gallows Hill by the impressive Lunenburg Academy, which was once a school. The town’s traditional colonial layout made easy to navigate as we strolled around. Later, we stopped for a drink at The Salt Shaker, a lively and popular pub by the waterfront, buzzing with activity on this October Sunday evening.
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| Taking a breather at the Salt Shaker |
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| Follow that horse |
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| Organ Donor |
6th October - Fall River - Heading for Halifax
On the final leg of our journey now. We left Homeport and continued in the direction of Halifax. We made sure our route took us through Chester so we could visit the Kiwi Cafe again and say goodbye to the beautiful town.
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| Filming in the Car Park |
Chester was very busy as they were filming a TV series in the Kiwi Cafe Car Park. We sat outside and watched the action as we enjoyed our coffee and cake. Brooke Shields was in mortal danger of getting blown up as her Jaguar had been booby trapped. Fortunately a blonde lady arrived in the nick of time and pulled her away with a Rugby tackle before she was able to open the door. Brooke did have a double on hand to get blown up in her place should she be needed. Happily we all survived.
Peggy's Cove was the scene of a real tragedy as a
Swissair plane caught fire in the air as it was flying from the USA to Switzerland and landed in the sea. All those on board perished. A very tasteful memorial site is just up the road from the Lighthouse.
We were a bit shocked when we arrived at Peggy's Cove as it was literally crawling with tourists. It is obviously on the Tour Bus itinerary. It is a lovely spot but we did not stay very long.
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| Tranquility at West Dover |
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| Our lakeside home |
We opted to stay at Fall River, about 20 minutes from Halifax Airport. Trailfinders originally recommended an Hotel in Halifax itself. We could have saved two days car-hire by dropping off in the City but we would have had to take a taxi to the airport. We decided to stay out in the sticks by a lovely lake and drop off the car at the airport. Our final stay at Fall River was in an apartment on on
Lake Thomas. It was picture perfect. Our host left us some lovely Danish Pastries so we sat by the water and watched the world go by for a while. Coffee and Cake by the Lake. Suitably refreshed, we took a trail through the trees to the lower part of Lake Thomas and revelled in the Autumn colours. Across the water we could see the
Inn on the Lake, our venue for Dinner. There was no boat so we had to drive around to the other side. I missed the turning but we arrived eventually. We ordered Steaks and they were very good.
7th October - Halifax
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| On the wharf |
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| Lock up your bike .. |
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| Halifax City Skyline |
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| The Old Clock Tower |
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| BOOM |
Instead of driving into Halifax, we took the recommended Park and Ride Ferry from Alderney. Driving there was a bit stressful as the sat nav directions were confusing, but we parked and hopped on a 15-minute ferry to the Halifax Waterfront. At first, I wasn’t too keen on the area, but it grew on me. We walked upriver, where things still need some refurbishment, then headed in the other direction and found restaurants and museums. Lunch was at the Bike Thief, a popular spot where we had a great table outside right on the waterfront. I enjoyed my final lobster roll, while TW had salmon. After exploring the Waterfront, we wandered through the city and up to the Citadel. Entry was paid, but it was interesting, especially watching the staff have fun firing the cannon. Back at the Waterfront, we visited the Maritime Museum, which has exhibits on Halifax’s role in rescuing Titanic survivors. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to visit the city graveyards where some victims are buried.
8th October – Homeward Bound
After nearly five weeks in Canada, we’d collected quite a bit of stuff! With limited space, we warned Jim, our host, that we’d be leaving a few items with him, which he was fine with. Packing still took a while, but we were out by 7:30 and dropped the car off by 8:00. Our Alamo Mazda had served us well. Though arriving at the airport three hours before our flight seemed excessive, the time flew by. We had breakfast at the Flyer and Firkin before boarding our small Air Canada 737 to Heathrow. Job done.
