Evangeline Trail A Grand Pré Winery vineyard Visitor Information Centres Experience the Annapolis Royal K3, 532-5454 Bear River K3, 467-3200 Belliveau Cove L1, 837-7100 Phenomenal Bay of Fundy Berwick J5, 538-9229 Bridgetown J3, 665-5150 From the seaport of Yarmouth, the tides of Fundy rise until they reach a high of Digby K2, 245-5714 ≈ Digby K2, 245-2201 up to 16.5 metres (54 feet) at the headwaters of the Bay of Fundy’s Minas Basin. Hantsport J6, 684-9302 The Evangeline Trail parallels the Fundy coast, passing through some of North Kentville J5, 678-7170 America’s earliest European history and the delightful villages and orchards of the Kingston/Greenwood J4,765-6678 Annapolis Valley. It’s a journey that spans 400 years of settlement, a journey Middleton J4, 825-4100 Tiverton L1, 839-2853 that will take you past forts, farms and fishing villages, a journey rich in culture, Weymouth L2, 837-4715 diversity, charm and natural beauty. Windsor J6, 798-2690 Phenomenal Fundy is also rich in natural history, particularly migrating shore Wolfville H5/6, 542-7000 birds, whales, shad and other marine life. In late July and early August, before Yarmouth N1, 742-6639 ≈ Yarmouth N1, 742-5033 flying non-stop to South America, over two million semipalmated sandpipers Most Visitor Information Centres refuel on the mud shrimp exposed by the receding Fundy tides. The power of are open mid-May to mid-October (subject to change). Call the above nature is evident all along the magnificent Fundy coast, with its world-famous numbers or 1-800-565-0000. tides and ever-changing landscape of rocky shores, fertile farmlands, salt marshes ≈ Provincial Visitor Information Centre and broad sandy beaches. It’s a naturalist’s dream! www.evangelinetrail.com www.aboutyarmouth.com 49 Travel through the picturesque Acadian The town’s waterfront park is a great place fishing villages that dot the coast of St. to enjoy views of the harbour. Nearby, the Mary’s Bay. Visit Digby, home port to the Killam Bros. Shipping Office Museum offers l i a world’s largest scallop fleet. Take a side trip a look at coastal shipping businesses of the r on Digby Neck for some of Nova Scotia’s type that were prevalent along this coast in T e best birding and whale watching. the 1800s and the Sweeney Museum gives n i At Port Royal, explore the reconstructed visitors the feeling of a working fishing dock l e French Habitation, site of the first perma- (see p. 99). Yarmouth is also home to the g n nent European settlement in Canada. Be Yarmouth Arts Centre (Th’ YARC), which a v sure to visit Fort Anne at nearby Annapolis offers a variety of entertainment in its 350- E Royal, and walk among the heritage plant- seat theatre on Parade Street (see p. 102). y a ings of the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens. Yarmouth has been a major point of w l At the Tidal Power project, see the world’s arrival for visitors to Nova Scotia since its e v highest tides harnessed for electricity. early days when the docks bustled with traf- a r Journey on through the patchwork quilt fic from “the Boston States.” Today this tra- T c of fields, dykes, orchards and vineyards of dition continues with two marinas and a car i n the Annapolis Valley, Atlantic Canada’s rich- ferry: a high-speed catamaran, The Cat, to e c est agricultural region, with its magnificent and from Bar Harbor. S Victorian homes of 19th-century merchants ¥Stop at the Nova Scotia Visitor Infor- and sea captains. Visit Grand Pré National mation Centre, 228 Main Street (up the hill Historic Site of Canada, which commemo- from the ferry terminal), for information rates Acadian history and culture. And for and travel literature about Nova Scotia. An The stately Cape Forchu lighthouse stirring vistas of the Annapolis Valley, Minas excellent brochure describes a self-guided Basin and Fundy’s record tides, hike the trails walking tour of 26 historic buildings and welcomes visitors from the U.S. of Blomidon. This is the land immortalized heritage sites, including the Collins Heritage arriving by ferry. in Longfellow’s epic poem Evangeline: A Conservation District. Tale of Acadie. Follow Route 1, the Evangeline Trail, cross- 304 One of Yarmouth’s most scenic drives province through historic Hantsport and Wind- leads to the magnificent lighthouse at Cape sor, on to Mount Uniacke, site of Uniacke Forchu; turn onto Vancouver Street, Route House Museum. Discover the soothing, pas- 304, to Overton and Cape Forchu. The toral charms of this 18th-century estate while original Yarmouth Light, built in 1839, was strolling its extensive nature and hiking trails. replaced by the current towering structure in the early 1960s. The lighthouse features Yarmouth was settled in 1761, and picnic facilities, a gift shop, and an interest- 1 the town’s proximity to the ports of ing interpretive centre that highlights the New England and lucrative trade with the region’s colourful seafaring history, and the West Indies brought a prosperity that can park-like grounds offer impressive ocean still be seen in the town’s splendid architec- views in every direction (see p. 100). Walking ture. Yarmouth today has the salty romance trails around the cape provide superb photo- of a working seaport. graphic and bird-watching opportunities. Yarmouth’s great shipping heritage is A few kilometres beyond Yarmouth on reflected in the exhibits of the Evangeline Trail lies the tiny picturesque y e ll the Yarmouth County Muse- fishing village of Sandford, whose scenic To Digby via a 1 V Clare/Acadian Shore s y li o b um, which includes one of harbour is spanned by the world’s smallest p ig H a D ibe n rni a a St. n i Canada’s largest collections wooden lift-bridge. A v V a uver o nco St. T of ship paintings, as well as d oa R e 340 203 v exhibits on the early Acadian Near Deerfield, off Route o r Yarmouth G and English settlements of the 340, Ellenwood Lake Provincial Park is an 304 101 area (see p. 99). attractive oasis of green with camping and S 103 tar Another of Yarmouth’s picnic facilities and a supervised swimming rs R oad To Cape r To u delightful surprises is the Fire- area. Route 203 traverses a wilderness t Forchu o e South Shore e b Firefighters’ r r t via a Museum S Shelburne fighters’ Museum. Dedicated region of woods, lakes and rivers, passing H 1 P Th’YARC Exhibition 3 to the history of firefighting through Kemptville, East Kemptville, Upper arade St. Park T Art Gallery of N.S. o and firefighters in the province, Ohio, Middle Ohio, and Lower Ohio, and P Western Branch Yarmouth u b County n h ic the museum’s extensive col- joins the Lighthouse Route near Shelburne. t Museum d o u a o Forest o R lection includes several horse- m r e t n n a i t a a drawn pumpers, steam The Port Maitland Beach Provincial Park e Y y Park s M e e r a l 1 , t r e a o S l b P pumpers and historic firefight- has a picnic area by a lovely beach. r H a n i Argyle S Yarmouth H a treet r a M International ing equipment from the 19th The Municipality of Clare, often referred B o Airport t t t d n y e a and early 20th centuries (see to as the Acadian Shore, hugs Baie Ste- e e r o r r g t R e e F S R s i l p. 99). Marie midway between Yarmouth and Digby. l E 50 l i a r T e n i l e g n a v E y a w The Baie en Joie Dancers Waterways of Kejimkujik National Park The beautiful Annapolis Royal l e v performing in the region of Clare. and National Historic Site. Historic Gardens. a r T c i n e c S Cape Bay of Fundy Split Halls Evangeline Harbourville Harbour Blomidon Park Trail Cape Blomidon y Minas Basin r r North Hills Aylesford e Kingston 101 Berwick FerryF Museum Middleton Prescott House Museum rive Bridgetown ic D Fort Anne 1 cen Wolfville ds S Port-Royal Oaklawn Kentville Grand Pré slan & I Macdonald Greenwood Farm Zoo eck Digby Annapolis Military Acadia by N Museum Randall Dig Royal Historic Museum University ry Upper House er St. Bernard Clements Gardens Hantsport FFerry Bear River Museum Long Island Church Park Mickey Hill y Fort Edward err Windsor FFerry Church 12 Belliveau Point Cove 8 Brier Island 14 Shand 1 St. Mary’s Church 10 House St. Mary’s Bay Bangor Sawmill Museum Mount 1 New Uniacke 101 Kejimkujik Haliburton 101 Meteghan Scenic Drive Ross House Maitland Bridge Uniacke Mavillette Museum Estate Kejimkujik Museum Cape National Park and St. Mary Park National Historic Site Caledonia of Canada To Halifax Yarmouth FFerrye Firefighters’ Museum rry Ferry Yarmouth County Museum Don’t Miss! Approx. touring distances Port-Royal L’Acadie en Fête along scenic route: and Fort Anne Celebrate our French heritage Fall Harvest Festivals along the Acadian Shore. Yarmouth–Church Point 62 km Visit two National Historic Sites Cheer on the Pumpkin Church Point–Digby 37 km —celebrate 400 years of history. Regatta, sample a Ciderfest or Kejimkujik National Digby–Brier Island 75 km Winefest, celebrate the Bear River First Park and National bounty of the Valley.