Cape Breton – Now And Then

Eager to visit another Canadian National Park, we had reservations for a 3-night stay at Cape Breton Highlands National Park. After we ferried from Prince Edward Island the drive was a long one, made longer by the unexpected mountain road.
Originally, we had thought the semi-circular drive through the park might be something fun to do. That idea was scratched from our list after arriving at our campsite exhausted. Reg was in no mood to tackle the handful of steep up and down grades (12%) the remainder of the park road required.

We lowered our sights and settled for several nearby walks and a quick wander through the tiny Neil’s Harbor community.
The next leg of our journey would take us on a 6-hour ferry ride, delivering us to the island of Newfoundland. But before leaving Cape Breton, we had a two-night stay in North Sydney where we had a spectacular bridge view from a very marginal campsite and a night of torrential rain.

With a day to fill we decided to check out the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site. Founded in 1713 as a French fishing port, it soon became a center of trade for France as well as a major fortress. With growth came the inevitable battles with Britain.

The Canadian Government began a 20-year reconstruction project in the 1960s with the goal of rebuilding one-quarter of the original town and fortress. Armed with historical documents and the location of original foundations, a team of volunteers and craftsmen practiced their 18th-century building techniques, recreating this glimpse into history we can all enjoy.