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Village Squire, 1978-09, Page 29TRAVEL Cape Breton the beautiful [BY G.P.] Imagine yourself sitting in the gracious diningroom of the Highland Inn at Iona. There you are by one of the big picture windows looking out across the Bras d'Or Lakes. It's evening and the setting sun has just begun to tint the surface of the water with a subtle pink that can be found nowhere in art save in a Turner canvas. You've carried a bit of the fragrant, smell of October into the room when you entered. The gracious host, who not so long ago lived in Huron County has just taken your order for rainbow trout fresh from the lake below the window. The forecast is for fair weather and tomorrow you are going to drive from Badeck to Margaree Forks after spending the morning at the Alexander Graham Bell Museum. From there at The Forks you will cut south-west to pick up the famed Cabot Trail at Donvegan and relax before starting another glorious day in Cape Breton. You've driven a thousand miles for the chance to take one of the most beautiful roads in Canada, and picked your time for the fall colours. Now as you sit, mouth watering for the trout that is soon to be served, you check the map again and determine to take your time so you will savour every moment of daylight on The Trail. Could you have planned a more perfect fall trip? I doubt it. Tomorrow at Badeck you will be, possibly for the first time able to feel the full scope of the imagination of Bell, a Canadian born genius. The small museum in its lovely park is a gem in its own right, and in October with the summer crowds gone you will be able to take your time and enjoy each exhibit to the full. The well paved road through the rolling hills to Donvegan will whet your appetite for the moment when you head out on The Trail itself. Let's hope you have brought spare film. You'll want it. Don't plan to make it a marathon race, but rather be prepared to stop at every turn out along the way,' not just to stretch your legs, and give yourself the chance to get the feel of The Trail in all its autumn glory, with the sea on one side and the hills on the other. Don't waste any time indoors eating in a restaurant. Spend every waking moment to collect visual images. You'll return with a favourite spot and 1 have mine. Yours may be Margaree Harbour or the view farther on from the top of Cape Smokey. Don't dare hurry by St. Ann with its museum and stand there wondering at the PG. 28. VILLAGE SQUIRE/SEPTEMBER 1978. strength of that mighty man, Giant McCaskell. While America's Paul Bunion was pure myth, Giant was the real thing. Perhaps too you will want to bring home some fine woven souvenirs from the gift shop. Now on to North Sydney skirting St. Ann's Bay and across the bridge over Great Bras d'Or on the way to North Sydney. If you enjoy picnicing, there is a lovely little park between town and the great fortress at Louisburg. Again at Louisburg give yourself lots of time to look not only at the Fortress but at the part of the village that has been so faithfully reconstructed. This great French fortress was unique in North American history and there is nothing to compare with it save the great Spanish fortress at Cartegena in Columbia. Let's hope one day you will be able to make that comparison first hand. Now back to Highway 4 and your car headed for St. Peters. Again you will be following close to the Bras d'Or Lake and viewing it from a fresh angle. Take time out at St. Peters to look at the canal that never paid off as a short cut. Back to the Causeway and you must bid a sad good-bye to a still unspoiled corner of Canada. One last suggestion, if you do not have to hurry home at once via the Trans -Canada, you have another interesting possibility. Cut south at Amherst through Springhill and visit Five Islands park on the Minas Basin. It's a pretty camp ground with a lovely beach to stroll on at low tide. From there you can head west to the famous Hopewell Rocks, another wonder- ful place to leave the car and scramble about at low tide with your cameras. Then as you move on to Highway 114 in New Brunswick and cut north through Fundy Park to join the Trans -Canada again, if you have raced right through non-stop to get to your target of Cape Breton it would be pleasant to break the trip at the Mactaquac Dam to visit one of the most attractive Canadian craft groups in the land, and again a stop over at Grand Falls to enjoy the gorge. And of course south of the Falls you will wish to turn off and drive across the celebrated covered Bridge at Hartland. And finally off for home with a hundred happy memories highlighted without doubt by the Cabot Trail and Louisburg. 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