Suspending New Blog Entries

As of March 2012, I will be not adding any additional news items to the Trails of Halifax Regional Municipality blog. All future posts will be made to the Hiking Trails of Nova Scotia blog.

This is partly due to time constraints; I originally had hoped to maintain one blog for each book title, but have found that to require more thought and time than I had expected. More importantly, it is really because all three of my Nova Scotia hiking guide titles: Trails of Halifax Regional Municipality, Hiking Trails of Cape Breton, and Hiking Trails of Mainland Nova Scotia, are complimentary works. The first contains 30 routes of 10km or less found within the boundaries of Halifax; the second features 40 walking routes on Cape Breton Island; the third includes 60 hiking options spread throughout the mainland of Nova Scotia.

Combined, these three books offer detailed descriptions of 130 different hikes in every corner of the province of Nova Scotia. Accordingly, since they are, really, a set, I will make posting for each on a combined blog: Hiking Trails of Nova Scotia.

I will, however, post any corrections to the trail descriptions found in Trails of Halifax Regional Municipality on this site, although I will almost certainly post them on the other blog as well.

I hope you enjoy whichever of the books you happen to use to find hiking locations in Nova Scotia, and invite you to comment on anything you wish about Nova Scotia's trails. I also recommend that you check out Hike Nova Scotia for more information on how to join an organized walk.

Register for the NS Hiking & Snowshoeing Summit Jan. 28

Hike Nova Scotia invites individuals and groups with an interest in hiking, walking and snowshoeing to the first annual Nova Scotia Hiking & Snowshoeing Summit.

This one-day event will take place on Saturday, January 28, 2012 at Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site in Maitland Bridge.

The Summit is a celebration of Nova Scotia 's hiking culture, which includes sharing best practices, stories and networking opportunities. It will help us grow a hiking, walking and snowshoeing culture in the province. Space is limited, so register early to reserve your spot.

Check out the Summit flyer for a draft agenda, registration link, directions and more here: http://tiny.cc/pn05f.

Hiking Trails of Nova Scotia Videos

While I am hiking I take many pictures, sometimes more than 100 on a particularly scenic trail. And on most trails I also take a short video, usually of between 30 sec. to one minute. I have been fortunate to visit some exceptionally beautiful locations, and for many of the trails I worry it might be the final time I will be able to hike them.

I have decided to post some of my videos - or who knows, maybe eventually all of them - on You Tube. Each video will be titled, "Hiking Trails of Nova Scotia", which will be followed by the trail's name. I am posting these under the name "hikerhaynes".

Not every trail is exciting or especially scenic, so neither are their videos. You might wonder why I have posted some those less dramatic films, but what you see will in every case be a fair representation of what you will encounter along the trail. And sometimes that is just a quiet walk through the forest - but that is ok too. Hope you enjoy whatever you view, and that it might inspire you to chose to hike a little more often.

Fall around the corner - Great Hiking!

Although the end of summer can never be celebrated in a country like Canada, where the winters too often seem endless, nevertheless fall is the time of year that many hikers consider the best time to be exploring. True, the days are much shorter, but by the end of October there are still more than 10 hours of daylight - usually enough for any hike. And although temperatures at night may fall below freezing, during the day, especially in September, temperatures rise above 15 - very comfortable.

So I wish to make a few suggestions for some great fall hiking in the HRM.

Coastal hiking is always wonderful along the Atlantic coastline near Halifax, and I could suggest any number of options. However, for those who might only have time for an afternoon's outing, or wish for a short walk, I suggest you consider Polly's Cove on the St. Margaret's Bay peninsula. This 3 km informal footpath meanders along the shoreline in the coastal barrens near more well-known Peggy's Cove. If the ocean is calm you may walk along the exposed rocks at water level; if it is stormy, you can stay on the tops of the granite ridges. [pg. 147-149]

Those looking for an east stroll where they may view the changing colour of the leaves might consider a visit to Dollar Lake Provincial Park, nestled in the interior of the HRM near the Halifax Airport. With the end of summer the park's gates are closed where it connects with Highway 212. As a result, an 8 km walk may be had by following the park's access roads from the highway to the picnic grounds and the camping areas. Along the way, you will pass through hillsides covered predominantly by hardwoods, and have access to the lakeside. [pg. 129-131]

And for those who would prefer a more rugged trek, the Admiral Lake loop near Musquodoboit Harbour should both exercise your legs and please your eyes. Starting and ending with a gentle stroll along a former railbed, this trail provides a middle passage filled with steep hills, commanding views, and rugged footing. At 10 km in length, with more than 5 km of backcountry footpath, you will probably need at least three hours to complete it. However, you will probably be more than satisfied that whatever effort was required was worthwhile. [pg. 71-74]

But whatever type of outdoor experience you enjoy - except, maybe, sunbathing - this is the best time of year for it. Enjoy!

Error Found - Old Annapolis Road

Well folks, it looks as if the first confirmed error in Trails of Halifax Regional Municipality has been found and communicated to me through this blog. It looks as if I made a huge mistake in the GPS coordinates for the Old Annapolis Road. Somehow, instead of its own latitude and longitude, I repeated those of the Charles MacDonald Sportspark - a considerable distance away!

Please accept my apologies; the error was mine in the writing and proof-reading phase of the book preparation.

The correct coordinates for the start of the Old Annapolis Road route are: N44° 45” 08.4’ N63° 56” 01.5’.

My thanks go to Tim Peach, who sent me notice of this on August 7, 2011.