Hike the Highlands

Fri 21 Aug 2009 Tom Wilson 2009 Hike the Highlands Festival / Acadien Hiking Trail / Bog Hiking Trail / Broad Cove Mountain / Cape Breton Highlands National Park / Cape Breton Island / CBHNP / Fishing Cove Hiking Trail / Franey Hiking Trail / Hike the Highlands / Hike the Highlands Festival / Hiking / Hiking Boots / Hiking Cape Breton / Hiking Festival / Hiking Tips / Middlehead Hiking Trail / Salmon Pool Hiking Trail / Skyline Hiking Trail Comments Off on Cape Breton Highlands National Park – Staff picks: Trails / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

Cape Breton Highlands National Park – Staff picks: Trails

Hiking is one of the most popular activities of visitors to Cape Breton Highlands National Park.  Staff have been asked for their picks of hiking trails to help visitors enjoy the National Park experience.  Ten were selected and they are 1) L’Acadien, 2) Franey, 3) Bog,  4) Jack Pine, 5)...Read more

Thu 20 Aug 2009 Tom Wilson 2009 Hike the Highlands Festival / Broad Cove Mountain / Cape Breton Highlands National Park / Cape Breton Island / Cape St. Lawrence Hike / CBHNP / Fishing Cove Hiking Trail / Franey Hiking Trail / Geocaching / Guided Wilderness Hiking Adventures / Hike the Highlands / Hike the Highlands Festival / Hike the Highlands Guides / Hiking / Hiking Boots / Hiking Festival / Hiking Tips / Middlehead Hiking Trail / Nordic Walking / Nordic Walking Poles / North River Big Falls / Outdoor Gear / Photography / Red Island Guided Walk / Red ISland Hiking Trail / Salmon Pool Hiking Trail / Skyline Hiking Trail / Sugarloaf Mountain Trail / Trekking Poles Comments Off on Checklist for Hike the Highlands Festival / / / / / / / / / /

Checklist for Hike the Highlands Festival

With just 3-4 weeks away before the 6th Annual Hike the Highlands festival – Sept. 11-20, it is time to get out the checklist and start getting ready for the hiking festival.   1) review the hiking schedule and trail info and decide what hikes you will be going on as well workshops. 2)...Read more

Sun 16 Aug 2009 Tom Wilson 2009 Hike the Highlands Festival / Backpacker Magazine / Cape Breton Highlands National Park / CBHNP / Geocaching / Hike the Highlands / Hike the Highlands Festival / Hike the Highlands Guides / Hiking / Hiking Boots / Hiking Cape Breton / Hiking Festival / Hiking Tips / MEC / Mountain Equipment Co-op / Outdoor Gear Comments Off on Dressing in Layers for Hiking / / / / / / / / / / / /

Dressing in Layers for Hiking

You have probably heard this phrase before – dress in layers for hiking. Does it work, yes and proven by thousands of hikers around the world.  I have been testing my equipment lately getting ready for a busy fall hiking season with Hike the Highlands Festival and hiking the West Highland...Read more

Wed 12 Aug 2009 Tom Wilson 2009 Hike the Highlands Festival / Cape Breton Highlands National Park / Cape Breton Island / Franey Hiking Trail / Hike the Highlands / Hike the Highlands Festival / Hiking / Nordic Walking Poles / Trekking Poles Comments Off on Franey & Wide Angle Lens / / / / /

Franey & Wide Angle Lens

Recently, I hiked Franey trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park on a nice summer day with a breeze.  I met a graduate student, doing her Masters in Biology  from St. John, NB and a chap with FAA in Boston, Mass while on top of Franey taking pictures with a 10-20 mm Sigma wide angle...Read more

Mon 10 Aug 2009 Tom Wilson 2009 Hike the Highlands Festival / Cape Breton Highlands National Park / CBHNP / Hike the Highlands / Hike the Highlands Festival / Hiking / Hiking Boots / Hiking Festival / Hiking Tips / Nordic Walking Poles / Outdoor Gear / Trekking Poles Comments Off on Getting in Shape for Hike the Highlands / / / / / / /

Getting in Shape for Hike the Highlands

No matter how many days you plan to hike in this year’s Hike the Highlands Festival – Sept. 11-20, 2009, you must begin now to prepare and get in shape.  With five weeks to go before the festival starts, you have time to build your fitness level up to handle the longer hikes and or...Read more

Thu 23 Jul 2009 Tom Wilson 2009 Hike the Highlands Festival / Acadien Hiking Trail / Cape Breton Highlands National Park / Cape Breton Island / CBHNP / Geocaching / Hike the Highlands / Hike the Highlands Festival / Hiking / Hiking Boots / Hiking Cape Breton / Hiking Festival / Hiking Tips Comments Off on CBHNP Geocaching Weekend – A Success / / / / / / / / / / /

CBHNP Geocaching Weekend – A Success

Cape Breton Highlands National Park 1st Annual Geocaching weekend held July 17-19 was a great success attracting 50 plus geocachers to the National Park.  Friday evening featured a meet and greet along with a Geocaching presentations by Atlantic Canada Geocaching Association and Hiking safety by...Read more

Sun 28 Jun 2009 Tom Wilson 2009 Hike the Highlands Festival / Cape Breton Highlands National Park / Cape Breton Island / CBHNP / Franey Hiking Trail / Hike the Highlands / Hike the Highlands Festival / Hiking / Hiking Boots / Hiking Cape Breton / Hiking Festival / Hiking Tips / Nordic Walking / Nordic Walking Poles / Trekking / Trekking Poles / Victoria County Hiking Trails Comments Off on Franey – A Fitness Hike with Poles and Smart Wool Socks / / / / / / / /

Franey – A Fitness Hike with Poles and Smart Wool Socks

  It has been foggy this past weekend with drizzle so I decided to do a fitness hike and get some exercise in on one of my favorite trails – Franey in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park.  I took out my nordic walking poles,  put my smart wool socks on – a different type this...Read more

Mon 22 Jun 2009 Tom Wilson 2009 Hike the Highlands Festival / Cape Breton Highlands National Park / Cape Breton Island / CBHNP / Hike the Highlands / Hike the Highlands Festival / Hiking Boots / Hiking Festival / Hiking Tips / Photography / Trekking Poles / Victoria County Hiking Trails Comments Off on Coastal Hiking Trail – A new Hike in 2009 / / / / / / / /

Coastal Hiking Trail – A new Hike in 2009

The Coastal Hiking trail will be one of the new hikes featured  in the 2009 Hike the Highlands Festival.  This trail is located in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park and is approximately 5.6kms one way. It features Atlantic Coastline, coastal forest, sea birds and some difficult sections...Read more

Wed 03 Jun 2009 Tom Wilson Birding / Cape Breton Highlands National Park / Cape Breton Island / CBHNP / Hike the Highlands / Hike the Highlands Festival / Hiking / Hiking Cape Breton / Hiking Festival / Photography Comments Off on Come to Life – May in the Cape Breton Highlands / / / / / / / / / / /

Come to Life – May in the Cape Breton Highlands

I have been fascinated by the last two weeks in May and the change of flora and fauna in the Highlands of Cape Breton. It seems everything has come to life…hummingbirds are back, buds are out on trees and leaves are starting to grow. Moose are out eating,  loons are back, the birds are...Read more

Sun 10 May 2009 Tom Wilson 2009 Hike the Highlands Festival / Cape Breton Highlands National Park / Hike the Highlands / Hike the Highlands Festival / Hiking Cape Breton / Hiking Festival / Victoria County Hiking Trails Comments Off on Clyburn Valley Hike full of surprises / / / / /

Clyburn Valley Hike full of surprises

Every once in awhile you get lucky with some pictures – being in the right place at right time. That is how I can describe my hike recently on the Clyburn Valley Trail in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park.  It was full of surprises with flora and fauna and of course great scenery. I...Read more