Two waterfalls

We began the first of two days of our stay in the Cheticamp area of Cape Breton Highlands National Park with a visit to theVisitor Center and a discussion about which hikes to take. Our usual preference is to hike to a waterfall, so we discussed those possibilities. We also learned that the premier hike in Nova Scotia is the Skyline Trail and that during the week there is a program every evening in which an Interpreter leads a Skyline Trail hike at sunset. It is referred to as "a recognized Canadian signature experience."  How could we pass that up? We couldn't - we're all signed up for Monday evening.

But first there is today and we settled on the Corney Brook Waterfall trail, a hike through an Acadian hardwood forest, along a canyon stream, to a waterfall.

The weather forecast was for rain but this morning was lovely. Frederick traveling through the forest.

Two plus miles later we reached the falls.

Selfie at the Corney Brook Waterfall.

We had met this couple in the parking lot as we were both booting-up and again at the trailhead. They arrived at the falls about twenty minutes after we got there and we had a very nice conversation  with them. Jim just retired two months ago and Josephine retired from school teaching a while ago. Josephine is Acadian and she grew up just outside of Cheticamp. Jim is from the Louisbourg area. French is her native language and when she speaks she uses her whole body. We talked about the Acadian culture in Nova Scotia and the result of the expulsion of the Acadians in the mid 1700s. Some of them eventually returned and her family was one of these returnees.

After the hike and lunch, we continued retracing our steps along the Cabot Trail, this time without the Airstream so we were able to stop at all the overlooks. This is a view of the highlands that makes up the central part of the Park.

We took another short hike to the highest falls in the Park, the Beulach Ban Falls.

I don't mean to sound alarmist, but every once in a while we see a tree beginning to turn color. It must be spectacular here in the fall.

View of Pleasant Bay, a village that is located just outside of the Park.

The bump in the middle is the location of the Skyline Trail. We could just make out little figures on the top and with the binoculars we could see people walking around. Tomorrow evening should be great!