Dingwall, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia

I stopped in the tiny fishing village of Dingwall on my way south from Meat Cove, arriving in late afternoon. Initially I walked along the shore on the south side of the harbor, exploring the pockets of sand nestled between the piles of boulders, but then I spotted a car parked across the mouth of the harbor, beyond which were grassy dunes, beach, and mountains shrouded in clouds. And so after I had walked for awhile more I set off to drive around the harbor.

The sandy road on the north side of the harbor passed wharves and fish houses overflowing with lobster traps before dead-ending near the mouth of the harbor. It was early evening by this time and the one other car there soon left, leaving me with the entire beach and another secluded, ideal place to spend the night. After exploring for awhile I stretched out on the sand and then cooked dinner on the beach before settling in to watch the stars come out. It was another perfect night listening to the waves crash against the breakwater, watching as the pale pinks on the horizon faded to purples and blues and then finally give way to inky black. Morning at Dingwall was just as spectacular, with the warmth of the yellow sun breaking up the cloudy blue sky at first light. I couldn’t have asked for a better day.

Continuing down the coast after leaving Dingwall was also pretty spectacular as the road provided multiple glimpses of the headlands and turquoise waters.