Crispin’s Guide to Stirling Cycling - Overseas

 

Nova Scotia 2000

A cycle tour of Nova Scotia, Canada. Organised by Brian Curtis and led by Derek Watts, a resident of Wolfville, NS.

The tour took place in September 2000, thereby avoiding summer heat and winter snow. The group of four flew from Glasgow, Scotland to Halifax, NS via Iceland.

 

Derek Watts - the tour leader.

Note his immaculate attire. Every morning, Derek would impress us by turning up in an ironed shirt and pressed shorts.

You have to listen to someone that well turned out.

 

The rest of the group - small but perfectly formed - Sarah, Laurence and Alastair

 

Day 2 - Tuesday 5th September - Halifax Airport to Maitland.

Distance: 50 miles

On the main highway to leave the airport, we soon picked up quieter roads through Shubenacadia.

Typical scenery on the first day

 

Looking towards the tidal bore on the Shubenacadie River

 

Captain Douglas’ Guest House in Maitland.

 

Day 3 - Wednesday 6th September - Maitland to Windsor.

Distance: 63 miles

 

Sarah and Derek ride the north coast road.

 

Day 4 - Thursday 7th September - Windsor to Wolfville.

Milegage: 36 miles

Crossing the Avon River

 

Whiteboard church -Hantsport

 

Day 5 - Friday 8th September - Rest day

Distance: 40 miles

Derek led us on a ride via Grand Pre, Look-Off and Hall’s Harbour, returning to Wolfville with enough time for us to eat large quantities of ice cream, check out the bike shop and meet the locals (Hi George!).

 

Sarah at Look-Out

 

Descending over the “mountain”

 

Hall’s Harbour

 

Day 6 - Saturday 9th September - Wolfville - Middleton

Distance: 50 miles

Quiet undulating roads down the valley, past orchards and fertile farm land.

 

Day 7 - Sunday 10th September -Middleton - Annapolis Royal

Distance: 42 miles

View from the bridge in Bridgetown.

 

Deluded near Delusion

 

Day 8 - Monday 11th September -Rest Day

Distance: 36 miles

Derek led us on a ride to Port Royal and Victoria Beach. The afternoon was spent exploring Annapolis Royal.

 

 

Port Royal – Reconstructed Habitation of 1605

 

Day 9 - Tuesday 12th September -Annapolis Royal - Kempt

Distance: 46 miles

Following Route 6 south, we climbed and undulated all morning.

The afternoon was spent canoeing in Keji’ National Park.

 

“The hotel that turned cyclists away.

The previous year this hotel had made the tour unwelcome. The day before we passed, it burnt down.

This is a lesson for all hotel owners !

 

Leaving Jake’s Landing - Kejimkujik

 

Day 10 - Wednesday 13th September - Kempt - Lunenberg

Distance: 74 miles

A day of unremitting toil and a late lunch.

 

Cable ferry across LeHave River

 

Day 11 - Thurday 14th September - Rest Day

Distance: 10 miles

Laurence, Sarah and I cycled to the bike shop at Blue Rocks before spending the afternoon exploring the Maritime museum in Lunenburg.

Sarah learnt everything there is to know about lobster fishing (“, eh”) and we poked around in the innards of lots of boats. Brilliant fun.

 

Blue Rocks

 

Blue Rocks again

 

and again

 

Day 12 - Friday 15th September - Lunenberg to Hubbards

Distance: 58 miles

The day the weather broke. It was dry, if overcast during the morning and then, after lunch, it started to rain. This developed into some of most torrential rainfall I have ever experienced.

 

Coastal village

 

Fishing harbour, just before Hubbards

 

Sarah on the coast road

 

Day 13 - Saturday 16th September -Hubbards to Dartmouth, Halifax

Distance: 40 miles

If we had thought that yesterday’s rain was bad, were we in for a shock. This really was the most torrential rain I had ever experienced

At Upper Tantallon we stopped for coffee. I poured a pint of water out of my Goretex socks, Sarah attempted to ring out her Porelle Dry’s waterproof socks, while Alastair had accumulated several gallons of water in the sleeves of his jacket. Heading straight into Halifax, we gave Peggys Cove a miss.

 

Day 14 - Sunday 17th September - Rest Day

Sightseeing in Halifax in glorious sunshine.

 

The webmaster relaxes on the deck of the Titanic – Maritime museum, Halifax

 

Day 15 - Monday 18th September - Time to go home

More sightseeing and ice cream before cycling to the airport and flying home.

Bye Derek, thanks for a fantastic tour!

 

 

© Crispin Bennett, 2001

 

Crispin’s Guide to Stirling Cycling - Overseas