Two and one Half hours outside the city of Halifax where we live, and along the Minas Basin sits Advocate Harbour at the end of the road. It’s the community at the entrance to the large(for Nova Scotia) Cape Chignecto Provincial Park.

Our first stop was a short hike in the park on the Fundy Ridge Trail. A 2.3km trail way up a hill and back down through the woods, with some extra distance along the beach to get back to the parking area. The park has much nicer and more adventurous trails, but we don’t have the time or planning energy for more. 6/10 Recommend the hike we did, if you’re not feeling too energetic. Based on what I know 9/10 Recommend the rest of the park.

Cape d’Or Lighthouse

After the hike we went for a jaunt in the car to Cape d’Or Lighthouse. It was in a beautiful spot, but it was one ugly lighthouse. You can see the photo. A basic cube with a light on top. There is really nothing more to say about it. 5/10 Recommend mostly due to the surrounding views.

Between the Capes B&B

We returned, and checked into our accommodations, Between the Capes B&B very close to the park. A very kind couple let us in, and showed us our big, clean room with attached washroom.

We went for a short walk from the B&B, down the road, onto the beach, back up into the park and down the road to the B&B. Although the B&B is on the water side, and has a great water view, it’s a bit high above the beach for direct access. Not a real problem.

Wild Caraway

Now for what we really came down this way, the food! Wild Caraway is a very niche dining experience we had been hearing about for ages now. Friends at Tipsy Toad Grove Farm had been raving about this place for years, so we figured it was time for a visit. Wild Caraway offers a unique dining experience, but I’m not a food writer nor a good writer of anything at all. All I know is that this food was an absolutely delicious five course meal. It was a muted location, in an average looking house. not trying to be anything fancy or anything it wasn’t. What they excel at is the food, and not the decor. But, that not to say there is anything wrong with the place. It fits in well with the area. It’s just not trying to be an urban dining experience like Oxalis Restaurant, which was also a great place for some fancy grub, but at a steep price point, unlike Wild Caraway at a modest $80 per person. Yeah, it’s more than the pub food down the road for sure, but the food here is a special treat for diners.

Sorry, no photos of the food. We were on a dinner date.

George Fraser Slot Canyon

We woke to a delicious breakfast and many Ruby-throated Hummingbirds at the feeders in the window with a view of the Bay of Fundy. Today we had a scheduled tour at the Joggins Fossil Cliffs but before that we had a little woods adventure for which we had to watch the time to make Joggins on time. Many years prior I had been to the George Fraser Slot Canyon and wanted to show it to my wife. I couldn’t remember the details, but we went for it anyway.

Following the directions found online we drove way up a hill on a bumpy road in our little puddle jumper, the Versa Note. got out at a particular spot and started walking down a steep hill through the woods, carefully watching our footing. We got the a brook, that we followed up river. Lots of jumping on rocks, climbing under and over trees, and some holding onto very old rope as we ascend pas a small water fall to the spot. But, this spot was where I think we repelled many years prior and we didn’t have climbing gear this time. The internet seemed to make it seem that you didn’t need it, but would be helpful. We were looking down into the front of the canyon, but could not see in it and could go no further without climbing gear.

A bit of a bust, but still a fun little adventurous hike. With lots of time to spare, we climbed back up the steep hill to the car. Did some bird photos in a field, and continued on towards Joggins. With climbing gear, it’s a 8/10. Without, 4/10 Recommend.

Joggins Fossil Cliffs

After some stops for bird photos and what not we arrived at Joggins Fossil Cliffs. Shockingly, I had never been here that I remember anyway. There was a school trip to near here in 2000, but all I remember was the Fundy Geological Museum in Parrsboro, not too far from here.

We were guided along for 90 minutes by Kat, as she pointed out fossils in the cliffs, and explained the geological and cultural history in the area. The beach was covered in fossils of many types and it was easy to spot them with the expert assistance. 8/10 Recommend. As we began our drive towards home, one more stop was in order:

Tour a Mine, Springhill Miners’ Museum

A very subdued museum. No fancy displays, no fancy architectural buildings or cafes. Just average run down building just outside of town. While waiting for the tour, we observed rows of mining artifacts, and news paper clipping about the labour conditions and disaster that occurred here.

Check it out here and here for their facebook.

The meat of this place is the tour. All about how miners got paid, and how they tracked you, and what life was like inside the mine and out. It did not disappoint. I’m a tall fella, and going down into the mine for the tour was definitely awkward. At the bottom they even turned out the lights for us to experience the darkness. 9/10 Recommend.