January 2nd was beautiful in CBRM. It was the perfect day for a hike with family and friends and that is just what I did. Bailey, Marcie and I went on a short hike at Gooseberry Cove with two of our friends. Gooseberry Cove is one of those rarely visited, magical places on the island. There are a few places like this but Gooseberry Cove has a special feeling all its own. It is the perfect place to take your family and explore. There are beaches in protected coves, impressive rock formations and cliffs, amazing views of the Atlantic coast between Louisbourg and Little Lorraine, loads of seabirds and wetlands full of interesting “small life” – including the bug-eating pitcher plant. The landscape is stark and beautiful upon first glance but teeming with life upon closer inspection. It’s very easy to putter away hours exploring at Gooseberry Cove. It’s a relaxing place that soothes the soul. Time falls away unnoticed and distance has little meaning. It’s a place for slow exploration and filling up on the wonder of the world.
Bailey really loved Gooseberry Cove. It’s a great place for kids, although you have to keep a very close eye on them as there are dangerous cliffs and some tougher areas on the trail. She climbed rocks with our friends, Kathleen and Michelle. We played games with our shadows on the rocks and pretended to be wild animals. The light was coming in from a long winter angle. The shadows were long. The air was clear. The water had a Caribbean blue-green hue. It was the perfect, peaceful way to start 2011.
Gooseberry Cove is difficult to find but well worth the effort. Check out http://cbadventuretrails.blogspot.com/ for directions and further information about this and other hikes on Cape Breton.
Until next time, I’m off on another hiking adventure.
Lonnie L. Jones says
I love the view from the top! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JxvBi1vluk