Tag Canada

PEI Footpaths Float and Climb

Reg Spittle 2 Comments

Our RV “camping” journey continued on Canada’s Prince Edward Island, where we walked on a floating boardwalk that led to the beach dunes at Greenwich National Park. It bobbed like a pedestrian suspension bridge and may be too much for people prone to seasickness.

About the size of Rhode Island, PEI is relatively flat, but the Bonshaw and Strathgartney loop climbed 800 feet during eight miles, traveling over a bridge, down stairs, and along boardwalks. If you like forested walks, this one is for you.

If you are looking for a biking or hiking challenge, the Confederation Trail across PEI will take you 170 miles. You can add many more miles by walking or riding various offshoots. Divert for a break on one of the island’s sandy beaches and take a dip in Atlantic Ocean waters that can reach the 70s. However, while we visited, water temperatures never topped 60.

Suspension Bridge Kicks Off Canadian Adventure

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Can you spare four days? Do steep climbs, stunning coastal scenery, and Canadian wilderness sound like your cup of tea?

New Brunswick, Canada offers the 27-mile Fundy Footpath that begins on a suspension bridge over the Big Salmon River and ends at Fundy National Park after traveling through 12 ravines. You’ll need to pack everything you need, including a tidal chart for getting by two tidal rivers.

Sue and I walked the bridge, which swayed with each step. While we visited the nearby Fundy Trail Parkway interpretive center, four young backpackers listened to trail tips from a woman who worked at the center. Then they were off under a cloud layer that turned to rain that afternoon.

They faced more than 10,000 feet of ascents, no developed campsites, and the world’s highest tides.

More on the last part later.