Nova Scotia - Cape Breton 1

After a day of touring Antigonish and environs, we did a jaunt up the west coast of Cape Breton.  I've heard so much about Cape Breton over the years, the beauty of the coastline, the Highlands National Park, the little lobster fishing villages, the Cabot Trail, the music, and it did not disappoint.  

 The sleepy, green (and mowed) countryside

 This is a mountain of gravel that is being excavated and shipped to PEI across from the causeway to Cape Breton.  A strange sight amidst the otherwise bucolic scenery.

 Looking across to Port Hood Island and its pastoral landscape 

We drove up into the south end of the Highlands Park and did a short hike there,

then explored the fishing village of Cheticamp nearby.  

Lobster traps

Crab pots     

Lobster season was over, crab season not begun so things were pretty quiet but scenic nonetheless.  Unfortunately, our timing didn't work for seeing any music on that trip necessitating a return trip.  

One feature of the landscape that struck me was the elaborately mowed spaces around many of the houses.  It's not lawn exactly, just the natural growth  mowed to putting green standards and sometimes covering acres.

You don't see a lot of decorative plantings, or trees or decks around the houses; just a huge swath of lawn.  
  
And, of course, every town has at least one church such as these.

Some typical Nova Scotia style homes

See you down the trail