We rolled out of bed in time to hit the road by eight-ish this morning in hopes of spending a quiet…read moremorning in the wilderness of Duncan's Cove, a coastal hike out past the Herring Cove region. It's only a short drive, it's not even remotely busy, and it's off-the-grid enough to feel the relaxation benefits! I'll get to all the reasons why it's easily one of my new favourite places around the city in a minute, but I do have to point out that it lost some serious points with me before we even got there. Duncan's Cove isn't easy to find without someone who knows where they're headed, there are few (if any) directional signs pointing you in the right direction and even when you're on the right track, there are 'Private Property' signs making you doubt yourself the entire time. Without noticing the path naturally paved with smooth, white rocks for easy passage, we ended up plowing through a trail reminiscent of the raptor fields in Jurassic Park 2 (Anyone? Just me?) with foliage up to our shoulders, rough and dangerous terrain, and plenty of opportunities for injury including ankle-high stone walls, foot-deep sinkholes, and roots ready for the tripping. Nonetheless, we still managed to make it down but much happier with the more user-friendly route on the way back. Even with the safer trail, there are some dangerous spots so pay attention, watch your kids, and give it some serious thought if arriving with a mobility challenge. Once you reach the rocky shore, you can hike for hours without really reaching anything. All the while, you get an unobstructed view of the Atlantic complete with fishing and sailboats, coastguard patrols, schools of herring visible at water level, families of seals on the hunt, incredible diving birds that nab fish right out of the water, and yes - we even saw a school of pilot whales diving off the coast. This was some National Geographic stuff, guys! Dog-friendly for medium to large-size breeds but know that they're going to get messy in the process. Leave the short-legged guys at home, the ground will be a little too dangerous for them. And for any dog brought out, please remember to keep them on-leash to avoid harming any of the wildlife including geese that all too often fall victim to inattentive dog owners.

We stayed in one of the houses at Duncan's Cove (There are 3 or 4 available on airbnb). There is…read moreparking by the trail head which is kind of hidden. There is a gravel drive across from the parking bay area that leads towards a massive white house in the distance. Follow the drive and disregard the sign that says private no vehicles. You will see a sign pointing the direction of the actual trail on the right of the path. The trail forks immediately. Take a left to head to head the fastest way down to the ocean. You will definitely want proper footwear, as the path is not paved and it will involve some rock climbing. The path exits out of the undergrowth to the rocky shore and follows along it some way where it eventually meets the other fork. If you had taken the straight ahead path at the fork you hike for some distance before coming across an abandoned WWII bunker (we used it for shelter for a storm that hit during our hike). We had the privilege of being the only ones there on our sunny return visit the following day. We sat and watched almost two dozen seals play in the surf. The stormy day was as rewarding, watching the waves crash against the rocks. I encourage any hikers to please take the threat of ticks very seriously. You will be walking on narrow trails between thick undergrowth. Tuck pants into socks, spray repellent, and conduct thorough checks afterwards.

By far the best hike I've ever done. Me and my girlfriend did the first loop out of four I think…read moreand it was fantastic. Took us about 4-5 hours and it was roughly 9 kms but we had a blast. Best way to bond with family or loved ones is to go on this trail, beautiful views from all angles and great trails. Highly recommend being somewhat physically fit to do this trail as there are a lot of steep climbs and rough terrain. The first km of the trail is not so bad if you are just trying to get a feel of the trail. Also would be a great place to camp but it frowned upon because of the dangers it can cause to the wildlife and plants. Also there are bear warnings and moose warnings so come prepared.

The perfect place to take a hike. This series of trails is…read moregreat for the new hiker to the experienced hiker. The trail is actually set up as four loops, the shortest being around 10km, from the parking lot and back ( with part of it on the Rails to Trails) Then the loops get longer, 17 kms, 23 kms, 30kms for the longest. http://www.wrweo.ca/BluffTrail/webMap.html This link is a topo map of the area. Wonderful views, wonderful trails, some areas boardwalked to keep your feet out of the wet bog. I would recommend sturdy footwear, carry some water, snacks, and extra clothes or a pack to remove clothes to when you warm up. The first loop is very popular and you will run into people almost anytime of day. I'm looking forward to my next hike.......hope to finally push for the long loop.....I'll let you know how that goes.

Love this trail! It's a favourite in foot and on my bicycle. It's beautiful and you can ride all…read morethe way to Lawrencetown Beach. Only complaint is dog owners who do not clean up after their dogs!

Went for a 4 mile run in the morning and loved the trail. Clean and beautiful. Nice folks greeted…read moreus along the way. Definitely would love to run again and more.

Beautiful and picturesque trail along the lake with couple of view points to enjoy. We also found…read moresome wild blueberry bushes on our way and stopped to take photos of them. There's also a canoe rental place that you can rent a canoe and paddle in the lake. Strongly recommended to anyone enjoying the nature.

A very well groomed beautiful trail suitable for baby strollers, walkers, and runners. Lots of…read morewildlife and beautiful scenes.

There is a great restaurant on the campground. Dinner Service and Breakfast. Music venue every…read morenight during season. Ocean view camping. Beach excess. The staff and chef are top. Great place to get away from the crowds. We camped in back of the playground. It was quite and more private. Full hookups. The road is a little rough coming in. Just take it slow. Deer come out at night to greet you. Check out it out and tryout gold mining You'll see what I mean when you get there. Say hello to Justine.

Bought two nights at the Ovens but left after one night because of the rude actions of the manager…read moreJane who was upset that we bought our firewood outside the camp at the local gas station and it was our mistake that we did not read the rules about fire and we had a fire going in the morning, her employee said nicely that he was going to get water to put it out and we apologized but five minutes after he left to get water she came speeding into our campsite yelling at us! Asking us if we had a bucket to put it out?! We explained that her employee was bringing water she proceeded to yell about fire wood and then speeded off. We packed up and left. I believe that there are better ways to talk to people without hostility especially in front of children!

I have to say I'm a fan, I loved to mountain bike here before all the lovely forrest got demolished…read morefor development. There were awesome trails and large granite slabs, lots of bike bridges. It was a great place for hiking and walking your dog as well. People still hike here often, but it's all barren land now, not as beautiful as it once was. I still see lots of paw prints out there, I'm sure the pups still love it as they always did. The top of the hill still offers panoramic views of Bayer's Lake. I don't enjoy myself here as much as I did when there were trees, but it's still worth a hike around. Bring the dog, they'll love it too.

While in Nova Scotia last month, hubs and I made the driver out to Cape Split Provincial Park after…read morevisiting the Lobster Pound for lunch at Hall's Harbour. While we didn't have on our hiking boots on or appropriate clothing for a 3 hour hike in 0 degree weather, we still thoroughly enjoyed the view and a brief walk. The full hike is about 14 km. And as this is an official Provincial Park, there is a pretty large parking lot with ample room for whatever vehicle and toys you have in tow. Cape Split is definitely going on my Nova Scotia bucket list to hike when we come back!

I really enjoyed my hike to Cape Split this past weekend. I should have paid closer attention to…read morethe signage and noticed how long it was going to take (total: 14km). I wore sneakers and active wear clothing, so at least I planned that part right. You're most likely going to get your shoes dirty and or wet, the beginning of the trail is pretty muddy and it had rained the night before so there was a small river running over path for a good distance. After a few kms the path gets less ATV-ish and nicer, still tons of roots though. I would suggest packing a lunch or snack for when you reach the end. The best part was sitting on the cliff, enjoying the view and eating something. I took my shih tzu and he was able to walk/run the whole thing. He was a mess when we finished, because he loved the mud holes, and was so tired he didn't care about walking straight through them. Don't forget snacks for the dog! That slipped my mind, but luckily someone at the look off point had a big bag of them. Pack lots of water, wear comfortable sneakers and you will be fine. We came across lots of dogs, kids and people of all ages. The view is beautiful, and worth every step!

Beautiful park with lots of history, every time we go we find trails we haven't seen before!read more

This park really has something for everyone on your list, including your dog if you have one. There…read moreare a few ways to get into this large park set along the Shubie Canal system. You can bike there from Downtown Dartmouth in about 15 minutes either going down Waverly Road or entering just past Mic Mac Mall. This is my usual route, but it is also very accessible by car with lots of parking at both main entrances. When you get there you are greeted by well-maintained trails, lovely lakes and paths that take you off into the woods and along the old Shubie Canal system. There are lots of animals in the park and they are very tame and well fed. They might just follow you around a bit which can be a bit strange but just go with it. There is also a great off-lease dog park that is very popular, maybe a bit too popular at times but if you have a dog that likes to go off lease you will enjoy it. The best part of this park is that it is big enough that even though it can get busy it is very easy to vanish into the wood and explore.

Sandy Lake Park is a great place to go even in the winter if you want to hike through some woods…read moreoff the beaten path. Even though the lake freezes over, there are some unfrozen spots which my dog enjoyed swimming in. In the summer, you can utilize some of the picnic tables overlooking the lake. There is a trail that is a circular loop but it's not exactly marked so I recommend coming early enough so you can find your way out. To get there, just take the 102 N to exit 3B - take a right on Smith Rd and drive to the end and there is a parking area.

Poorly marked trails in the off leash dog area, can't get to the beach as it suddenly became no…read moredogs allowed (even on a leash).