Hike the Highlands Festival http://www.hikethehighlands.com

Wow some amazing photographs were submitted at this year’s Hike the Highlands Festival 2012 Photo contest. The quality of the photos keeps getting better each year. There were two ties and several close votes. This year’s contest involved five categories – fauna, flora, humour,...Read more

It was so different seeing headlamps & flashlights with hikers at the Trail Head before the start of the festival’s first sunrise hike.  Everyone was early for this hike. Thirty – four hikers headed out in the dark on the  Middle Head trail at 6:00 am.  Our guide, Tim Reynolds,...Read more

  It has been a great year for hiking challenges on Cape Breton Island and it is not over yet.  It started with Hike Nova Scotia ‘s Distance award – 150, 250 & 500 km in snowshoeing, hiking and walking. Then Cape Breton Highlands National Park issue the Highlands Challenge...Read more

With the 2012 Hike the Highlands festival just weeks away, we have developed a checklist for hikers  to get ready: 1) Check out the festival website and get familiar with what the festival offers – guided hikes, maps, evening presentations & activities,  hikers distance award program,...Read more

Each year on International Trails Day, Hike the Highlands Festival Society gives back to the community with work on trails. Last year, 2011, volunteers hiked Cape Smokey trail, widen the trail and cleared the views at the end.  In 2012, the festival chose Sugar Loaf Mountain as it project. This...Read more

With eight look-offs, Cape Smokey hiking trail provides the visitor with some amazing coastal scenery of the North Shore, Atlantic Ocean, and Ingonish area. This 11 km in and out trail located in a provincial park along the Cabot Trail, takes approximately 3 -4 hours to complete depending on your...Read more

You will notice driving up to Franey Trailhead in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, things have changed. The road is  wider, the parking lot has expanded. The Trailhead has been open and cleaned up. And there is more on Franey hiking trail : a)  1st hill - As you begin the hike you will...Read more

It was a day when records fell and hikers were out in big numbers at Salmon Pools, Le Buttereau & le Chemin du Buttereau and Skyline hikes. The Skyline hike had the most hikers on any hike since the festival started 8 years ago with 75 plus. The total day of hikers was another record. ...Read more

Hikers continued their quest for the Hikers distance award (25, 50 or 100 km) during the 2011 Hike the Highlands Festival. Close to 80 hikers enjoyed Beulach Ban Falls/Aspy and Roberts Mountain hikes on another sunny day. Beulach Ban Falls /Aspy trail was a new hike this year and received good...Read more

It was a perfect day for hiking on Day 3 of the 2011 Hike the Highlands Festival- sunny and 18 degrees. Eight-one hikers enjoyed the day on the Meat Cove Mountain and Money Point Gulch hikes. At Meat Cove Mtn. hikers enjoyed outstanding views, zumba and picking blueberries. Guide Lori Taylor and...Read more