Westies Do Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

 

The human finally decided to take us to one of the most popular spots on the south shore of Nova Scotia. Crowds line the street during the summer months, which make some of the locals joke that the municipality only spends money on the town during three months of the year. Where is this tourist destination? It is the world heritage site of Lunenburg.

 

The human drove us up and down the one way streets until he found the right spot to park. There are a lot of one ones streets there and you will, almost daily, see people going the wrong way up a street. That is mostly in the busy season though.That red building in the distance is The Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic. We're told by the human that it is a nice museum.

 

 

We had no time for that though and jumped out of the car. We headed for the water to see if we could bark at any gulls. Nope. Just a boat. Maybe some fish, but we can't see those under the water.

 

 

We looked back to see this nice and colorful view of the town of Lunenburg from the wharf. We can agree that it is pretty, but we were more interested in sniffing.

 

Someone left their jacket hanging on a fence. It sure smelled good. A second was behind there, but we couldn't get at that. It's a safe bet that they have a dog.

 

This route had a big closed sign on it. We found it rather rude, but then safety is a good thing the human says. 

 

We took a look at another area of the dock as we strolled by. It seemed prime for gull action, so we decided to go further.

 

A nice little walkway heads out toward the dock and you have great views of the wharf, the harbor, and the golf course across the water. Many a human goes to Lunenburg to play golf too. Also, just to the left of the walkway is a washroom area in case humans need it.

 

Of course we never needed to stop there.

 

Some mighty big vessels are docked at the wharf many a time when you go to Lunenburg. Sometimes the Bluenose II is docked there too. The human has seen it there on occasion, but it wasn't there during our stroll.

 

We were sure to take a good look to make sure it wasn't the Bluenose II. I think I spotted a gull too. Time to bark.

 

Where did it go? Bird must have went under this wharf? Now that is just rude. If only the human would let us swim.

 

 Time to find another spot in Lunenburg. This place has so many sections of wharf. No wonder people like it. Plenty of gulls to bark at.

 

Another area blocked off to the water. That safety thing was really cramping our style. 

 

There is a nice little tribute section along the waterfront to those who have gone down in ships and never returned. We sniffed a bit before carrying on.

 

Colorful homes and buildings sure pack the street. There is very little room between most of them too. At least it makes for an easy lawn to mow. 

 

Another angle of a boardwalk along the Lunenburg waterfront. There are ways to go this way and that down there. Lots of benches for humans to sit on too if you need a break.

 

Some businesses are along the waterfront section as well. There are lots of signs and gates for those. We steered clear. Being fenced in is never fun, even if it is for our own safety.

 

We finally moved up a street. And by up, we literally mean up. Lunenburg is filled with hills. Going down is easy, going up can get rather tiring for many. Not us though.

 

We tried to get in one of the colorful doors, but they never came to let us inside. I guess we didn't have the magic password or something. Their lose.

 

After each hill a section of street runs horizontal with plenty of shops and homes and businesses along them. About three streets have this and then you are more into a residential section. We made sure to take in them all.

 

They even have a few antique phones along the sidewalk. The human cringed. I guess he'd rather pick up our droppings than put that to his ear.

 

We also went by the Smuggler's Cove Inn where the human has had great friends stay and they all said it was a wonderful place to stay. The owners even gave up their parking spot to them. That is a big thing in the summer when parking is slim to none in town. Or so we are told.

 

Plenty of more colorful buildings line the street as you go up further. A few banks can be seen here and there too. 

 

There is a little stairway section between businesses here that allows you to access the upper streets from the waterfront. We went up them and sniffed all along. We also sniffed near the green building to the left, which is the Grand Baker Seafood Bar & Grill. The human's friends have eaten there and said it was very good.

 

Then there was these weird sights down by the waterfront as we took another stroll through. A buoy on land. Who knew?

 

This old guy just sat there the whole time we barked at him. How rude was that? The human wouldn't let his lift our legs on him.

 

And then we returned near where we parked by the The Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic.

Murphy and Milo's Final Verdict on Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

We enjoyed this stroll through the town and along the wharf much more than our Peggy's Cove one. There were many spots where we loved peeking off the side of the dock. The human had no idea what we were hoping to find, but he can be a bit slow at times.

We aren't sure what the big fuss is about. It is a pretty town with lots to smell there and lots of views. You could easily spend a day there, but some of that would be relaxing and watching the water. If that's not your thing, you still could stretch the day out depending on what's going on.

There are other things there like a whale watching tour to add to your itinerary. If you just went to walk and look though, you can do that in under an hour. The whole town, even with the hills.

We recommend taking your human to Lunenburg, Nova Scotia though. It is a pretty spot with plenty of places to eat, gift shops, and lots of nice water views. Just don't expect parking to come easily, watch for drivers going the wrong way, and watch for human tourists jumping in the road to take pictures.

A Winter Walk Along Cherry Hill Beach Nova Scotia

 

 

On a not so cold winter day I had the kiddos and we decided to go explore Cherry Hill beach like we've done in the warmer months. I figured at that time of year at least there would be parking. There was too. Keep in mind that if you go during the warmer and tourist months that parking may be hard to find because there barely is any. The one drawback to this Nova Scotia beach.

 

 

It is a very long and sandy beach with plenty of waves for surfing. You'll often see surfers at the beach no matter the time of year.

 

Case and point above. A surfing they will go no matter the season.

 

But if the sand isn't for you, all you have to do is cross over a rocky hill and you are in a more fresh water area. There is a small fall area that is a ways down. About a ten minute walk if by yourself with no little legs following along.

 

A good thing too in the summer is that you can find crabs in the water near the falls and beyond. The kids love to see them and see if they can reach.

 

You may also come across a hunter or two in the winter. Not sure if it is legal or not to hunt there, but he was there. Could have been going farther down as well, as you can walk a very long way at Cherry Hill beach. By the time we decided to pick a spot to rest and I teased the kids with the leeches found near a little island, we were a good hour walk from the parking lot.

 

People enjoy walking on either side of the beach. Be careful though in some of the grassy areas as that is where piping plover nest. Or so I'm told. I have never actually seen any there like at other beaches in Nova Scotia.

 

The water stretches along either side as far as it can go. At least as far as we went. You can often see a few homes on the other side of the water as well when walking along in the distance.

 

Here is the giant rock wall you might have to climb if you are looking to get to the other side. Be careful going along it and even more so with little ones with you as it is easy to trip and fall. It has happened and done some damage to people who have fallen.

 

And should you just want to stay on the beach side there are plenty of waves to surf. There is some seaweed along the beach, but there isn't a lot.

 

Thoughts on Cherry Hill Beach in The Winter

With no snow or ice around it is only colder and has less wildlife along it than in the other seasons. You can still surf and go for a long walk in nature. I've heard from a few surfers that the undertow can be rather dangerous, so watch yourself, the kids, and animals.

 

I've seen nicer beaches that Cherry Hill, but none that go on as far as this one does. Every other beach I've walked from beginning to end that I've visited, whether with the kids or the dogs, but not this one. The opposite side may go on farther than the sandy, ocean side. I tend to veer more towards that side.

 

Downfalls of this Nova Scotia beach is that there is pretty much no parking, it is a rocky path that gets you to the beach, the rocky path is not setup for an easy walk, you must watch your footing and be careful when exiting and leaving the beach due to the rocks, and there is no bathroom in the winter. I've never seen one there in the summer either. You'll have to make due with going in the water or doing what one parent did and use the ocean water and an old shirt to wash her daughter's backside. Not pleasant. Pro Tip: Always have a stash of toilet paper in your vehicle.

A Journey Through Port Medway, Nova Scotia

 

The human stated that W word and our ears perked up. Finally we would get to go on another adventure. We let him leash us up, hopped in the car, and away we went.

 

We soon ended up in a place called Port Medway, Nova Scotia. We weren't sure what was here, but it sure smelled good. We also heard of a few humans talking great things about a gift shop there while we barked, sniffed, and peed.

 

There were a few boats attached to a dock. A sight not uncommon in many places in Nova Scotia. 

  

It didn't really catch our interest so we kept going down the road a bit and off to the side.

 

 

Of course our path was blocked due to the ocean being around. A great big rock wall had been situated along a Port Medway park area.

 

A little further down we noticed a staircase with a nice view and a few benches atop it. It was a good place to rest, but we weren't tired so we carried on.

 

 

A small cemetery is housed on the other side of the park area, which you can see on your way toward the dock. That got a few sniffs while something else stole our focus.

 

 

Another lighthouse. A small lighthouse sits at the edge of the water along the rock wall and park area. It is a pretty spot and far less traffic than Peggy's Cove.

 

 

You can see the boat launch area up close and personal too if you wish.

 

 

Or get closer to the lighthouse. It is a tiny one in the park, but the human told us to hang on because we might see something a bit bigger soon.

 

 

We figured we'd try one of the colorful doors. The humans were supposed to be friendly, but they never came out to see us. Another human talked to us while walking by though. We enjoyed barking at him.

 

 

The human wanted to drive a bit farther through Port Medway, but we had to bark at the seagulls atop this roof first.

 

 

And we had to get a good sniff of something near these chairs. We were sure a human dropped food somewhere. We couldn't find it though because the human placed us back in the car and away we went.

 

 

A few minutes down the road through Port Medway we found what he was referring too. It was the Port Medway, Nova Scotia Lighthouse.

 

 

And you could take it from many angles. Just watch the ticks if you go around back. You don't want those on you or your pets. Sometimes it is open for viewing as well. We didn't get to go inside this time, but the human has seen it open and the lady running it was very nice.

 

 

A bit farther down we weren't sure the human would make it. That or he was trespassing. Something we never mind as we pee on things. Anyway, the road narrows to the width of a small driveway and you come to a dead end.

 

 

It is a pretty dead end with lots of picture taking opportunities of the water and shore. 

 

But once this caught our attention our adventure in Port Medway had come to an end. We knew we were off to Paris. The sign makes it seem so easy to get to Paris from Nova Scotia. Here's hoping we don't get lost at sea. See you in Paris.

 

Murphy and Milo's Overall Verdict of Port Medway

 

Port Medway, Nova Scotia is a pretty little spot. The traffic is low and it's like it is off in its own little world. The sights are common to Nova Scotia like fishing vessels, gulls, water, and lighthouses. The smells are fun as we go from here to there. The people were all nice even with our yapping. And there is a gift shop that humans go there specifically for from all over the south shore area of Nova Scotia and beyond.

If you are looking to spend an hour or two in a small town and take in the sights at a slow pace, Port Medway, Nova Scotia is a good place to visit. May not be a lot of sidewalks for dogs to walk on, but the traffic is low so safety isn't bad at all. Be aware of the narrowing road if you explore farther than the Port Medway Lighthouse though. Some vehicles may end up being too big and there are private homes down there.

Also there are plenty of water views to take in along cliffs. Those you can take in while the dogs take plenty of nature whiffs. A fine little spot for a walk and to maybe do a little gift shopping for yourself or others too.