Cape Breton Highlands - Nova Scotia

Canada's showcasing of diversity among its landscapes throughout the continent has always surprised me. Born on the East Coast of Canada, it was crazy to learn that

we have highlands that contain the oldest rocks in all the Maritime Provinces. This

extraordinary geological site is called Cape Breton and I was thrilled to be able to

explore it for a weekend in October. Cape Breton is made up of three volcanic terrains,

two of which are from tectonic plates that make up what we know as South America and

Africa.

When I was a young gymnastics enthusiast, I remember having to travel to Sydney,

Cape Breton. Of course being young I never cared for long drives and slept the majority of

the way not realizing the spectacular view on route. I was so grateful to be afforded the

chance as an adult to go back and create new memories during this perfect fall

excursion.

Driving into Cape Breton, I was marveled by the cascading assortment of colours. All the

inferno reds, bright yellows and deep burgundies completely decorated the highlands. I honestly had to blink a few times to adjust to how bright and vibrant it all really was.

When heading inland, you get to experience the rich reds and oranges of the maple

trees and as you continue along the coast you are greeted by the contrast of fur trees

and vibrant yellows of the birch.

My first stop on the trip was a place I discovered through an Instagram follower of mine

@jaronfelix who also runs the cutest AirBNB (you must check it out). I would always see

him posting images of this incredible view of a lake and later discovered it was a

Gypsum mine. I really need to visit in the summer because the lake water is an opulent

emerald green and looks so refreshing to swim in. I climbed to the top of the small cliffs

that outlined part of the beautiful lake and just stared out at its exquisite beauty. If you

collect crystals like I do, be sure to explore the surrounding area as you might stumble

upon little treasures within the terrain.

Surprisingly, in my 27 years living in Canada I have yet to actually see a moose with my

very own eyes. This led me to my next stop, The Skyline Trail which is notorious for

having moose inhabit the area. I was a bit nervous learning the trail had been closed the

week prior due to aggressive moose activity but with great luck, they reopened the day I

arrived. It was a beautiful hike that takes you out to the coastal cliff point but once you

get there, make sure you hold onto your hats as you might get blown away! I now

understand for myself why the view is one of the most photographed in Cape Breton.

I must say one day is really not long enough to venture and hike the highlands – I really

do not know what I was thinking. I really wish I had given myself more time so that I did

not have to rush through some of the stunning places. On my way around the Cabot

trail I stopped in at Beulach Ban Falls and shortly after that I explored the rich red

volcanic portion of the coast line.

The final stop in my adventure was Uisge Ban falls that towers 50 feet tall. “Uisge Ban”

translates to “white water” in Gaelic and if you ever happen to visit you will understand

why. I really could not resist shooting at both the top and bottom of the falls, as it was so

huge!