Day 2 – White Point & Sugar Loaf hikes

White Point

Close to 100 hikers enjoyed the hikes on Day 2 of 2011  Hike the Highlands Festival at White Point and Sugar Loaf . It was a day to enjoy great coastal scenery,  a climb up a steep mountain and to prepare you with some wet weather.

White Point hike provided great coastal scenery, the history of the Unknown sailor and  Two Tittles. This trail is featured in many photos especially Wally Hayes, retired professional photographer with NS Tourism. He enjoyed this trail at sunrise, sunset and during the day.

Sugar Loaf Mountain

Sugar Loaf , one of the classic hikes on Cape Breton Island and also part of 3 Peaks Challenge, made for some quick pictures at the top as the skies opened up with rain.  There are some great pics of nearby mountains, North Harbour and 4 mile beach on the summit.

Day 3 hikes include Meat Cove Mountain and Money Point Gulch, both feature outstanding views at the top of each mountain. Don’t forget your camera on this sunny day.

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Great Start for 2011 Hike the Highlands

Middle Head Group Pic by Sam Schwartz

The 8th Annual Hike the Highlands Festival got off to a great start with forty -two hikers enjoying the first hike of the festival – Middle Head in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park.  There were lots of hugs as friends said hi again. Sunny conditions and a great sunset provided some nice backgrounds for pictures.

The hikers return after the hike to our new festival headquarters, St. John’s Hall, for a meet & greet and opening ceremonies.  They were treated to snacks and a slideshow of last year’s hikes.

Today’s hikes are White Point to Burnt Head and Sugar Loaf , both popular hikes with great views of seacoast scenery. It will be windy today but gives us the opportunity for some great pictures of the waves breaking on the coastline.

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Love at First Hike

Sophia & JF

In 2009, a young lassie, Sophia, from England came to Canada for a year to travel and work.  Her first stop was Hike the Highlands Festival…About midway thru the festival she met a lad from PEI who was studing at University of British Columbia. JF was working at Cape Breton Highlands National Park as a park interpreter and during the hiking festival was one of the guides. They met and got to know each other on several hikes during the festival including Lone Shieling, Skyline, and Broad Cove as well at Thirsty Hiker Pub. 

Their relationship continued and love blossomed over the next two years. JF was always proud to say he met Sophia at Hike the Highlands. Recently they were married at University of British Columbia. On behalf of Hike the Highlands team and fellow hikers, congratulations to both of you on your marriage and we wish you all the best.  Hopefully someday you will come back for a visit and see us again at our hiking festival.

Below are some pics of  Sophia and JF at Hike the Highlands Festival in 2009 when they met.  Photo credits to Wally Hayes & Tom Wilson. Thanks Marieve for the title of the Post.

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