Sunday 4 August 2013

Heading North

After leaving the Gaelic College in the early afternoon, I'm heading north on the 'Cabot Trail'.  It's a circle around the north end of the island, for tourism purposes Cape Breton Island tends to be divided into several trails with various themes, but on my trip I wasn't actually following any of them.

When I left the motel and drove the short distance to the Gaelic College there wasn't anywhere to stop for breakfast, early afternoon and I still haven't found anywhere! Just as well I have a cool bag in the back with bananas & apples, as well as a large water container to top up my bottle.  Over the coming miles I spotted two places, but first the chef was away for 3 hours, so nothing there, the next stop would be open tomorrow !

The road north is quite sparsely populated, mostly woodland to the sides of the road with occasional glances to the sea on my right.  In the middle of nowhere on this road you find a clearing in the trees and an 'Artisan', as they are referred to in these parts.  First was here on Google map street view which was mainly metalwork and some photographs, their website  'Iron Art & Photographs'

A bit further north there's a pewter workshop & shop at Piper Pewter ,  and not far away Colouratura Art Gallery featuring a variety of local artists with a wide range of media and styles.  It was there that owner Ian Green, originally from Yorkshire, as usual asked me where I was from and came to that usual query, "How far is that from Assynt?"

As usual my part of the conversation went into what had happened there 20 years ago with the Assynt Crofters eventually buying their land, with me following it for TV news and then as a year long documentary. At that point Ian says there's to be the premiere of a new play on the folks leaving Assynt and how they settled in Cape Breton.  It's to be at the Gaelic College on Tuesday 2nd July and the following night too, and I should come to it.  Unfortunately, as I pointed out, I was intending to leave Cape Breton the next day and would be making my way to the opposite end of Nova Scotia, maybe Yarmouth 400 miles away.

Then Ian turned and picked up a folder, "This is the script of the play, could you read this page, tell me if it's a good description of Assynt because none of have been there".  I read through the script and it seemed a good description of the area and apologised for not being able to attend.  However, I did ask him as I left if I could photograph the poster for the play in the entrance of his gallery.  That would be at least a memory, but I did not realise what news I would get on the evening of the next day.....




Ian Green & his partner Penny Steele run a very well recommended B&B English Country Garden but I had already booked a B&B that night further north.

I'm not someone that regularly has pizza, but when it's 2pm and you haven't had even had breakfast I was glad I spotted this log cabin!
Just a lady by herself, it would be 20 minutes because she starts from scratch, and it was well worth the wait, I sat on the veranda to eat it.  When I asked if it was seasonal she said it was in the past when she worked there, but they had bought it off the previous owner, and rebuilt it.  Now she was getting locals from 45 minutes drive in one direction and 90 minutes drive the other way !  Because of such local support she reckons it may be viable to stay open all year, I do hope it's a success.


Along the road not too far away is Leather Works from where I bought a leather belt and several other items.  Further north came 'The Clucking Hen' cafe & bakery, so although not long after my pizza I thought it time for at least a cup of tea.  They had free wi-fi which was another attraction to catch up on emails, but happened to coincide with a friend being online from Los Angeles Airport on Skype, so we had a quick chat !
To the side of the cafe by the trees is the block of post boxes for Post Canada, unlike ones in the US these are a tidy unit for people in this remote area to collect their post.  In the US there tends to be a line of different types of  boxes on poles with their addresses scrawled in them. Very individual and quite quaint, but this version will certainly be easier for the postman.



Onwards to the north, not far from my B&B for the nights and as I come around the bend in a misty drizzle there's 'Tartans & Treasures' shop


Once I go inside what do I spot but 'Lochcarron Weavers' signs again !  The owner kindly permitted me to take these interior pictures. (click to enlarge)

























As I leave Tartans & Treasures my B&B is only a mile down the road up a track on the right.

It's at Country Haven B&B , in Cape North.  Owners Alfred & Kathleen designed and built the house, both their families originated from the Outer Hebrides.





















The end of a long day, called at so many places, met great people and seen some interesting things too.  Tomorrow will be rather strange, I'll be driving from Dingwall to Inverness, via Dunvegan !  But that's for the next update....

This is the route on Google maps

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