Travel Reports
Nova Scotia
Nothing quite prepares you for how British Nova Scotia is.
The Queen is still the head of state – despite 130 years of independence – and her head is still on all the coins, while Union flags, Scottish flags and the Nova Scotia flag (based on the Royal Flag of Scotland) fly more prominently and with more regularity than the Canadian maple leaf.
Along with New Brunswick and Prince Edward Islands, Nova Scotia forms the Maritime Provinces – the smallest three in Canada. Modern NS is a product of many influences over the centuries with three official languages – English, French and Gaelic. It has been home to Paleo-Indians (11,000 years ago) and Archaic Indians (1000 to 5000 years ago) and today is home to descendants of the Archaics, the Mi’kmaq.
The Vikings are believed to have settled there. The French arrived in 1604, establishing the first European settlement, and the Scottish – sent by James I – arrived in 1620 with instructions to set up the colony of Nova Scotia, or “New Scotland”. The French returned and established themselves in today’s Annapolis Royal region, then the French colony of Acadie. But the Acadians were brutally expelled after the British defeated them in 1759.
A huge influx of settlers from Britain, Ireland and Germany subsequently arrived and the country prospered through agriculture, fishing and ship-building, until the collapse of the ship-building industry in the 1870s brought a great depression. Mining helped reverse the bad fortune, but that ended in the 1950s. Nowadays, Nova Scotia’s economy and its 950,000 population – mostly found along the coast – depends on fishing, logging and tourism to make a living.
Dubbed Canada’s Playground, there’s something here to suit almost every taste and my tour started in the capital, Halifax. Established by the British in 1749 to take on the French fortress of Louisbourg on the Cape Breton Islands, today it’s a thriving city offering some excellent shopping, well-maintained museums and a surprisingly vibrant nightlife.
I stayed at the Pepperberry, a beautiful heritage home built in 1915 and run by a charming British couple, Mike and Karen Kinley, who, in 2005, swapped London life for a guesthouse in Canada. The rooms, complete with hardwood floors, are impeccably decorated and there’s a gorgeous sunroom where breakfast is served. Opt for the Garret Loft, a private annex off the main house, complete with stunning bathroom and jet spa bath big enough for two - which makes it very popular with honeymooners.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to go whale watching, so I could barely contain my excitement as I got on the boat at Halifax harbour. At last, I was going to realise one of my life’s ambitions. Wrong! You’ll be lucky to spot a whale here, so it’s best to save your cash and head for the Bay of Fundy, opting instead to spend time in Halifax at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. Alongside artefacts celebrating Canada’s naval and oceanic prowess, there’s a section of artefacts from the Titantic, including a deckchair retrieved after it sank off the NS coast in 1912. Three Halifax ships recovered bodies, and many of the dead – still unclaimed – lie buried in the city’s cemeteries.
Five years later, Halifax found itself scarred by another tragedy. On December 6th 1917 a Norwegian ship was heading from Halifax harbour to open seas, just as a small, decrepit French vessel, the Mont Blanc, packed full of explosive ammunition and half a million pounds of TNT, chugged into harbour straight into it. Over 2000 people in the city were killed instantly by the explosion, while 300 acres of north Halifax was engulfed in flames. Windows 90kms away in Truro were blown out and the shockwave was felt in New Brunswick. The next day, an abnormally heavy snowfall prevented the rescue operation and many of the dead weren’t recovered until the following spring. The museum conveys well the impact of this Armageddon.
Another port of call is the farmer’s market, north America’s oldest, on Saturdays in The Brewery, where local produce can be found, including that homemade Canadian favourite, Maple Syrup. However, Nova Scotia is most famous for its lobster. For a really good food experience, try McKelvie’s (1680 Lower Water St), which specialises in lobster and fish. You may pay a bit extra, but it’s worth it. Nova Scotian restaurants do excellent fish, but invariably don’t do much in the vegetable department – scoops of powdered mash potato, frozen carrots in a nasty sweet-brown glaze and some sloppy peas – but McKelvie’s is different. Not only is the fish superb, but it also comes with a selection of fresh vegetables.
From Halifax, I hit The Lighthouse Trail towards Lunenburg and en route discovered one of Nova Scotia’s most famous landmarks – Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse. Painted red and white, it’s the most-photographed in North America and contains a working Post Office. However, with a population of only 60, its tourist customers far outstrip the locals. Make time, too, for Mahone Bay, a delightfully picturesque village where three church towers dominate the skyline and create one of the most famous views in the region. Lunenburg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and exactly how you imagine NS to be; brightly coloured wooden houses, wooden churches, streets sloping down to the harbour. Its distinctive European feel comes from its German and Swiss Protestant ancestry.
You should pay a visit to the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic, where you’ll find an excellent aquarium and a good section devoted to whales and a sad section on whaling. The star attraction, however, is Bluenose II, a full-size replica of the famous fishing schooner, the fastest vessel in Canada in its time. (Nova Scotians are historically known as “Bluenoses” because of their ability to withstand the cold.) Now the schooner’s image can be found on the back of the ten cents coin. Incidentally, Canadians call their $1 coins “loonies” and their $2 coins “toonies”, so if someone asks for a “loonie” you’ll know what they mean.
In Lunenburg, I stayed at Kaulback House Historic Inn, a tastefully restored heritage house, which serves an opulent breakfast in the morning.
Leaving the beauty, colour and bright sunshine of Lunenburg, the skies turned grey and large spots of rain blotted the windscreen, so there was no incentive to stop off on the Blue Rocks Seaside Road – Liverpool is another stop that lost its charm – but after such beauty, Shelburne’s bleakness left me breathless. At one time it was the fourth-biggest town in North America, but, today the place was deserted on a Sunday.
Cooper’s Inn looked like the house on the hill in Psycho, but it’s nearly 300 years old, a registered Heritage Site, and the warm welcome from owners Pat and Paul Dewar soon alleviated any fears.
Shelburne looked much better when the sun came out the next day, and a visit to the Shelburne County Museum revealed some local curiosities – Canada’s oldest fire pumps – and left me wondering if any of my pox-ridden ancestors were among those from Carmarthenshire who were denied access and quarantined when they first arrived.
Departing from Shelburne, I connected with Highway 103 at Barrington Passage and drove onto Cape Sable Island, the most southerly point in Atlantic Canada. Here you can call into Shag Harbour – supposedly the site of a 1967 UFO landing – and send a postcard with the only Canada Post UFO stamp.
Although there’s not much to write home about in Yarmouth, there is a spectacular guesthouse, the MacKinnon-Cann Inn for stop-offs. Run by American couple Michael Tavares and Neil Hisgen, well-known hoteliers in the area, who bought the building in 2000 when it was derelict, it has been completely renovated from top to bottom. Each room is dedicated to one of eight decades, and downstairs there’s a dining room/ ballroom with hardwood floors. The house is named after the two former owners, Hazel Cann and F Jean Mackinnon, who cut it in half – each half reflected their individual characters. Every room comes with a spa bath and is inspired by something from the decade from which it takes its name – the 1940s room, for example, is dedicated to Joan Crawford.
From there it was on to Digby, and the highlight of the trip – whale watching in the Bay of Fundy. Fundy is rich with fish and attracts many Hump-Backed whales, dolphins and seals. Trips are held from early June to early October. Petite Passage Whale Watch is a family business run by Dianne and Harold Theriault, with the boat skippered by their son Craig. The rest of the team have training in marine biology and are knowledgeable about the marine life. Dianne speaks passionately about the subject of whale watching in the area and is scornful of the trips running in Halifax, which take people’s money knowing the chances of seeing a whale are slim. Did she think we’d see one today? No reason why not. The weather was right and whales had been sighted by an earlier party.
And to see one is a truly humbling, thing. Sadly, ours didn’t want to come too close, although they often come near the boats. We were told to look for the air spout before the boat heads in its direction. Whales can stay underwater for a while, so where one goes down might not necessarily be where it comes back up. Returning to the shore, the boat detours to where the seals sunbathe, and you’re left with the feeling you’ve seen some amazing aspects of nature. A word of warning, however; the weather is changeable, so to avoid disappointment ring ahead of your planned trip to find out if it’s still on.
Digby itself has a very active harbour and is famous for its scallops. But next I went to Annapolis Royal, a beautifully picturesque coastal town, rich in history. Ask at the museum for details of the candle-lit graveyard tours, led by a historically dressed guide.
After a supper of Canadian salmon (and real vegetables) at the Garrison House Inn I retired to the King George Inn, which can’t be missed with its large wooden statue of a king and rainbow flag outside. Recommended by the New York Times, the King George is wooden-floored and each room has a handmade quilt and period antiques.
The last leg of my journey took me along the Bay of Fundy Road with a stop off for lunch and wine tasting at Domain de Grande Pré. Canadian wine has come a long way over the last few decades, and there are few better places to sample it than here. The staff are knowledgeable and tours of the vineyard and winery can be organised.
Nova Scotia may lie somewhat in the shadow of its neighbour New Brunswick when it comes to tourism, but it’s definitely worth visiting and offers an interesting and largely comfortable trip for the gay traveller, either travelling alone or sharing the experience of this lovely province.
Getting There
Canadian Affair flies weekly (May-October) from London Gatwick to Halifax every Thursday (regional connections available). For tickets, a range of accommodation, self-drive tours, excursions, car and motorhome hire and train tours call 020 7616 9999 or log on to www.canadianaffair.com
Accommodation
Pepperberry Inn: 2688, Joseph Howe Drive, Halifax. Tel 00 1 877 246 3244 or log onto www.pepperberryinn.com.
Kaulback House Historic Inn: 75 Pelham Street, Lunenburg. Tel 00 1 902 634 8818.
Cooper’s Inn: 36, Dock Street, Shelburne. Tel 00 1 902 875 4656 or log onto www.thecoopersinn.com.
MacKinnon-Cann Inn: 27 Willow Street, Yarmouth. Tel 00 1 902 742 9900 or log onto www.mackinnoncanninn.com. Rooms at the
King George Inn: 548 St. George St. Annapolis Royal. Log onto www.kinggeorgeinn.20m.com.
Play On
For further details on travel to and within Nova Scotia, advice on accommodation, festivals and tips on getting around (including eleven scenic travelways), log onto www.novascotia.com. To take a trip on a whale watching tour (booking essential) with Petite Passage Whale Watch, call 00 1 902 834 2226, e-mail ppww@tartannet.ns.ca or log onto www.ppww.ca
Vicky Powell
