28 / Canada’s islands
Islands made for
EXPLORING Framed by Newfoundland in the east, Vancouver Island in the west and Baffin in the north, Canada is home to a diverse collection of islands, says Rupert Parker
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start my journey on Prince Edward Island, which lies off the east coast of New Brunswick and wasn’t accessible by road until the eight-mile Confederation Bridge was completed in 1997. In its tiny capital, Charlottetown, I explore Victoria Row, a pedestrianised street whose red brick buildings house several bars and restaurants. Fresh seafood is on the menu as the waters around here are stacked with lobster, mussel, oysters and tuna. The island is picture-postcard beautiful and its lush green gentle hills are surrounded by some of the best beaches in the world. Author Lucy Maud Montgomery set her forever-famous 1908 children’s book Anne of Green Gables here and not much has changed since. You can still see her typewriter in the restored 19th century farmhouse, Green Gables Heritage Place. I follow the East Coastal Drive, which is light on traffic, and stop at Greenwich National Park to see the largest sand dunes in PEI as well as rare plants and animals. Greenwich has a long history with connections to Mi’kmaq and Acadian culture, and an ever-evolving tale of the shaping and
re-shaping of its landscapes through wind and waves. I carry on to the beaches on the far side of the island. Red Point Provincial Park has the winning combination of red cliffs, emerald green forest and cobalt ocean. Nearby are the ‘Singing Sands’, which squeak as you walk along the beach. My final stop is the charming Victoria-bythe-Sea. Once a busy port but now a sleepy but fishing village with colourful clapboard houses, it has plenty to offer visitors who can stroll the tree-lined streets that were laid out in the 1860s, dine in a sea captain’s house, sample handmade chocolates in one of the former general stores, attend a play in the historic community hall (now home of the Victoria Playhouse Festival) or watch the lobster fishers land their catch on the wharf. Here are some other Canadian ‘islands’ to recommend to clients
Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia On Canada’s Atlantic coast, Cape Breton is crammed with meandering rivers, rolling hills, waterfalls and lakes. It’s the ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq people and home
to bald eagles and migrating whales. In the 19th century, Scottish migrants arrived with their Gaelic traditions and today Celtic music remains the island’s soundtrack. Don’t miss the 300-kilometre Cabot Trail, which winds and climbs around the northern coast.
Newfoundland & Labrador Newfoundland is the most easterly point of North America, blocking the mouth of the Saint Lawrence River, creating the world’s largest estuary. The island has miles of untouched coastline, where the stars are often breaching whales and majestic icebergs. St. John’s, the oldest city in Canada, has plenty of lively restaurants and bars that hop to the chords of folk music. From here, head out to explore tiny fishing villages – some only accessible by boat – and try hiking, kayaking, camping, fishing or even hunting. Across the Strait of Belle Isle, Labrador has a strong sense of ancient Inuit and Innu traditions.
Baffin Island, Nunavut The largest island in Canada, Baffin is the homeland of the Inuit – and all steep fjords,
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