Peggy’s Cove is a very popular place to visit so parking the RV would have been a bit tricky, so Philomena graciously offered to drive us there early on the Friday morning and then do a coastal tour. We were shocked how bad the traffic line up was trying to get into Halifax during the morning rush hour, it was likely a 5 km traffic backup! We were glad we were heading the opposite way. We arrived early enough to get a great parking place, and we had phenomenal breakfast in the Sou’Wester restaurant, which was still almost empty, I had the Fishermen’s breakfast with excellent baked beans and Green Tomato chow, and Sharon had the French Toast with a side of fish cakes.

After our breakfast we started our walk around the rocks and lighthouse area. Peggy’s Cove is a tiny, windswept fishing village on Nova Scotia’s South Shore, famous for its granite rocks, pounding surf, and iconic 1915 lighthouse perched on a smooth, wave‑sculpted outcrop. The landscape is stark and dramatic—glacial boulders, crashing waves, and colourful fishing sheds that reflect its working‑harbour roots. It’s one of the most photographed places in Atlantic Canada, offering a mix of rugged coastal scenery, maritime history, and that classic postcard lighthouse standing guard over the North Atlantic. The lighthouse was great to see but honestly, we enjoyed the walk around the fishing village and to see the granite sculpture art even more. William DeGarthe spent years carving the sculpture out of the granite wall and it’s now called the Fishermen’s Monument which he worked on until his death in 1983. The sculpture is broken into 3 sections, to the left is Grace with the guardian angel watching over the fishermen, in the middle is Bounty celebrating the riches of the sea, and lastly to the right is Work which shows local fishermen hard at work catching local fish.

When we left Peggy’s Cove there were already 6 tour buses there, so it was starting to get busy, and the overflow parking was starting to get filled up. We back tracked a little so we could do a walk to Polly’s cove. It was so relaxing after the hustle and bustle of Peggy’s Cove and the coastline was gorgeous. We did a 3.5 km loop with some scrambling along the rocks.

As we headed north from Peggy’s Cove, we had a sombre reflective stop at the Swissair Flight 111 memorial where 229 men, women, and children lost their lives in September 1998.

Our drive carried on along the coastal towns until we eventually reached Lunenburg. I had forgotten to mention earlier that we had picked up another passport called the Good Cheer passport where you could get stamps for each Brewery, Winery, or Distillery that was in the list of 79 locations in Nova Scotia so of course now we were on a mission. We discovered that there were several Breweries on this driving day so we stopped at Lightship Brewery in Lunenburg and it had a patio with an absolutely gorgeous view of the harbour and town of Lunenburg from across the water. I had a beer flight, and we shared a Pizza for a snack.

Lunenburg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Nova Scotia’s South Shore, celebrated for its perfectly preserved 18th‑century British colonial grid, colourful wooden buildings, and deep maritime roots. Founded in 1753, it became a major centre for shipbuilding and fishing, home to the famed racing schooner Bluenose. Today, it blends working waterfront charm with museums, artisan shops, and vibrant coastal scenery, making it one of the most picturesque towns in Atlantic Canada.

Our first stop in Lunenburg proper was the Bluenose II where we saw the exhibits and spoke with the volunteer about how the Bluenose was used with the dory’s for catching fish and, it’s racing heritage. Then we walked around the harbour to see the various ships on display. Further up the street was the Ironworks distillery (which was in our passport) so we stopped to try their whiskies and rums. Then we walked down the main shopping street where there was Shipwright Brewing for another taste and a stamp. Lastly, we stopped and had ice cream cones by the harbour. Lots of places serve Chapman’s Ice Cream from our home area but this one had a few local Farmer’s brand Ice Cream flavours to try. As we headed out of town, we stopped to see the historical Lunenburg Academy building which was undergoing a major renovation.

Our last stop for the day was Mahone Bay where of course there was another Brewery Saltbox where I picked up a rum cask barrel aged stout. Then we walked around the harbour and downtown areas and learned about the shipbuilding that used to take place here. What a phenomenal day of touring around with Philomena and seeing the coastal communities.

Unfortunately, Paul couldn’t join us for the day, but we sat around sampling the beer when we returned to Halifax.

One advantage of social media is that friends learn where you are and if you’re coming to their area they try to connect with you. One of our friend’s daughters Rachael and her husband Daniel live in Middle Sackville so we took the opportunity to stop and have lunch with them and tour their house, and they toured ours😉 We had a great lunch and a good chance to catch up and hear about their plans for their new baby arriving July. Unfortunately, we forgot to take a selfie at lunch so no picture to post (Send us a photo of you two Rachael and I can add it to the blog).

We carried on towards Blomidon PP, our destination for 2 nights, with a stop for groceries. Before getting to the park, we stopped at Grand-Pré National Historic Site which is a commemorative landscape in Nova Scotia that honours the Acadian people, their 17th–18th century settlement, and the tragedy of the 1755 Deportation. It sits within a UNESCO World Heritage Site and features a memorial church, interpretive centre, and gardens that tell the story of Acadian life, culture, and displacement. It was the centre of an Acadian settlement from 1682–1755. The Grand-Pré area was a major Acadian farming community built on reclaimed marshlands. Approximately 2,200 Acadians were forcibly removed during the British expulsion. The site symbolizes Acadian resilience and cultural heritage.

When we arrived, the site was closing within an hour, so the ranger recommended we go visit the memorial church first and then return to watch the movie of the deportation, and finish in the museum.

After we left the historic site, we went to the Grand Pre Look Off and could see one of the farmers tending to his fields. The climb up to Blomidon PP was quite tricky in the RV as the road was narrow, steep, and had 180 degree switch backs. When we checked in, we found our site was in the forested area instead of in the open field and the black flies were hungry for our arrival.

The next day Philomena drove from Halifax to the campground to pick us up for a day of adventure. First on the agenda was the Cape Split hike.  We took the more challenging route out while our legs were rested, stopping at all the look offs – not look out, look off into the distance. Just in time for lunch, we were rewarded with the spectacular views at Cape Split.  We enjoyed a break but not too long so that our legs wouldn’t refuse to continue the journey. The hike back was a bit less challenging. In total we did just over 16 kms, what a fantastic hike!

Our reward was stopping for ice cream on the way back.  Not ready to call it a day, we headed to a brewery, but the one Philomena picked was closed for a wedding. We headed to another that had a good view, but the beer was pretty light, not a favourite.  More touring around the farmland with the dykes, stopping at cheese shop (which was in the cheese trail passport) where naturally purchases were made.  After a fantastic day Philomena dropped us off at the campground before she headed 1.5 hours back home to Halifax.

Sunday, we traveled in the Annapolis Valley passing all the beautiful farmland along the way. When we were in Halifax, we picked up a Good Cheer Passport. It promotes visits to breweries, cideries and wineries where you can get a passport stamp. When you get 15, you can enter to win prizes, and you might get a “free t-shirt”.  I say “free” because we certainly contributed to the local economy doing this tour 😀.  We found it takes you to places you normally wouldn’t go. Enroute, we stopped at Spurr Brothers that made very good cider and had a market with lots of great local products. The RV is definitely getting heavier with all our purchases!  Next was Lunn’s Mills Beer Company where a sampling took place (4 out of 5 were really good). 

Fort Anne is Canada’s first administered National Historic Site and the long‑time military and political centre of early Acadia and Nova Scotia. It sits in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, on a strategic point where the Annapolis and Allain rivers meet. The site preserves a 1700’s star‑shaped Vauban‑style fort, the last in a series of French and British forts that stood here during more than a century of conflict among the Mi’kmaq, Acadians, French, and British. It was a hub where treaties were signed, battles were fought, and colonial governments were based, making it one of the most contested pieces of land in North America. Key surviving features include the 1708 powder magazine, extensive earthworks, British officers’ quarters, and both Acadian and British cemeteries, all set within a landscape that reflects centuries of settlement and struggle.

We started off in the Museum, using our National Park pass to get in, and then wandered around the grounds. It’s amazing how thick the walls are for the star shape but also for the stone powder magazine.

The rain was staring so we needed to seek cover at the Annapolis Brewery, another Passport stamp and great beers with more purchases.  We then headed to Kejimkujik National Park for a 3-night stay.

We only spent two full days (3 nights) in Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site, the only National Park in Canada also designated a National Historic Site. Not only is the landscape protected but the culture of the Mi’kmaq people is protected as well. The Mi’kmaq cultural experiences weren’t available yet, including a big canoe trip to see some petroglyphs (they start in July). However, the hiking/biking trails we did were fabulous. The first day we rode along the Slapfoot trail by the water to Jake’s Landing. Our friend’s family had just installed a bench there, so we had to get a picture on it.  We then did the Mersey River trail which takes you along the river, a beautiful ride.  On the way back we checked out the Oasis, a cool rental cabin in the park. A total ride of about 14 km.

The next day we did the Ukme’k trail that was designed for mountain biking with some technical features along the trail.  We had to take the road to get to the trail head and got a close-up view of a snapping turtle who was looking for a nesting location. The trail was through the forest, by the river, not at all busy except for the deer. The trail finished at Mills Falls where we had lunch and then looked through the visitor centre. It was a great ride, but our legs were feeling it, so we took the road back to our campsite stopping at a few viewpoints enroute (total 22 kms). 

Our next blog will continue along the coast to Digby and beyond.