Partridge Island - Hiking in Nova Scotia

Quick hike with fellow you tuber dragonfly_hiker along the trail in Parrsboro Nova Scotia.

We grabbed a quick bite to eat at Bare Bones Bistro in Parrsboro and drove out the 3km to the Ottawa House Museum.

From there there are a few parking lots, to park and start to walk to the Island. The area is known for rock hounds, so time your visit at low tide.

The area was used by the Mik'maw as a junction from Amherst, from here they could cross the Minas Bay to Cape Blomindon, or down Cobequid Bay to Windsor and even as far as Halifax.

Bring sturdy hiking shoes or boots, and a snack. Cell phone reception is ok if you have bell or telus.

View the GPS track file for this hike:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/121823922

Background Info:
-----------------------
As early as 1776, Parrsboro, then known as Partridge Island, was a relatively important settlement. In 1784, the present name was given in honor of Lieut. Col. John Parr, then Governor of Nova Scotia.

Ottawa House By-The-Sea Museum, located just 3 miles from downtown Parrsboro, was once owned by Sir Charles Tupper, MD, a distinguished Nova Scotian Politician who was Prime Minister of Canada for 16 days in 1896. Ottawa House is open as a Museum and has displays on shipbuilding, early education and the Victorian era. From the veranda of Ottawa House you see Partridge Island, which is now joined to the mainland. In 1869, during a ferocious storm known as the Saxby Gale, storm waters drove the beach inland, creating a large bar that connected the island to the mainland.

Prince Henry Sinclair believed to have visited here in 1397.

Samuel De Champlain was first officially recognized European visitor in 1607. He found an iron cross covered in moss, thus proving he was not the first Christian here.

Acadian settlement occurred in the 1670's.

An 1869 hurricane known as the Saxby Gale created a barrier beach between the island and the mainland.

GENERAL INFORMATION Name: Partridge Island Trail County: Cumberland County Ownership: Private Trail Length: 2.7 km Season:




DIRECTIONS

From the Tourist Information Centre at the corner of Main St. and highway 2 in
Parrsboro, follow Main St. through the downtown toward West Bay. The road will "V",
make sure you stay left. Travel on Main St (which turns into Whitehall Rd.) for
~3.5km. At the bend in the road you will see a sign for Ottawa House on your left.
Turn left here and follow the driveway down to Ottawa House. Take a few minutes if the house is open to go in for a visit. There are three interpretive panels on the
beach to the south of the house. You can either park here and walk the gravel bar
to the trail head, or drive along the gravel bar and park on the right hand side of
it closer to the trail head.

DESCRIPTION

The trail begins at the southern end of the beach, and is impossible to miss. Here
you will find a large interpretive panel describing the geology of the island, as
well as trail etiquette signs. I encourage you to take a few minutes and read these
informative signs.

The first 100 feet (30.5m) are the hardest of the trail. This section is single - track
with natural dirt and litter as its surface. There are stairs built into the side of
the hill to ease your climbing. The "Second Wind" bench is located at the end of this major climb, so take a minute to rest here, take in your surroundings,and learn which animals and birds live on the island.

Please stay on the trail! The cliffs are very unstable.

As you hike on through a primarily spruce and birch forest, your next point of interest will be a lookoff of the Upper Minas Bay coastline out to the east at 200 feet (61m).

From here you'll walk around the top of the island through many old fallen trees and new young ones shading you from the sun. The trail will go down the south western side of the island and split into two paths that meet in a circle. To the right is a man madetower with 16 steps up to a wonderful look-off. Below the tower is a nautical chart of the area explaining where you are and what you can see from the lookoff. A picnic table is here as well as an outhouse and fire pit. Please follow the posted regulations for fires at the trail head. Walk around the loop and you will be on the trail back to the beach were you started.

Music by
Pitx » "Black Rainbow"
http://ccmixter.org/files/Pitx/19513

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[theronniecat]

Very nice hike. I "liked" it!

[thecyr]

@theronniecat awesome :)

[Genwaworldwide]

greetings from California. My wife and I are avid hikes in Nor Cal. Love your videos.

Best Wishes

[thecyr]

@Genwaworldwide thanks for the support! enjoy winter season!

[bluenoserr]

Great video, but you forgot to mention Cape Chignecto! 

[thecyr]

@bluenoserr I got plans for Cape Chignecto next spring :)

[Foxr6]

I made a few trips out there when I lived in Amherst!

[dragonflyhiker]

@Ggreenvideos why yes I was :)

[Ggreenvideos]

Nice place Jim! You need some snow man :o)

[Ggreenvideos]

@dragonflyhiker Hey you were there :o)

[dragonflyhiker]

nice video Jim

[bluenoserr]

@thecyr What a place! I love it there so much. I've done the full loop three times.