Over the last decade, and more specifically in the last few years, a multi-day hiking route in the Northern Cape Breton Highlands has been gaining a lot of popularity. The 40-50km route between Red River and Meat Cove, most referred to as the Seawall Trail, is slowly creeping into the top of the list for those hikers looking for more of a challenge in Atlantic Canada. It’s really no surprise either…
If you’re anything like me, January is usually when I take a moment to plan out things I want to do over the next 12 months. One question I always come back to is “What hike/adventure am I going to go for this year?'‘. I know that there are many others that think the same so I asked some of my friends, local guides, and businesses for hikes they would recommend.
In everybody’s journey into hiking, the backcountry is an inventible progression to going further and seeing more. Backcountry hiking doesn’t have to be anything crazy; some stay away from it because they simply don’t know where to start or think it’s beyond their current experience level. We’re here to tell you that heading backcountry can be accessible for all experience levels and have a simple 4 step plan to help you get there.
It’s 6 AM at our campsite. The sun is starting to peek over the rolling backdrop of the Margaree Valley as I carry a pot of coffee over the hill to fuel my group of anglers, now more-so friends after a night of chatting by the fire and overthinking fly choices. Our view is pristine, waking up at Live Life In Tents in the heart of the Margaree, I like to think we have the best view of the valley. We’ve come from different provinces, skill levels, ages, and backgrounds all to bond over a common interest: fly fishing.
Any backcountry camping trip can be a humbling experience but, winter backcountry camping is a whole other beast. It teaches you the need for efficiency in everything you do. Wasted time means wasted energy and that means you get cold… fast. You need to take care of the small things so they don’t compound into major issues. So as much as you think you’ve mastered your kit and preparation, mother nature will literally throw that upside down and make you start again until you are a well-oiled, efficient, machine… I mean it’s either that or you freeze. That is the true beauty of it all.
Over the last decade, and more specifically in the last few years, a multi-day hiking route in the Northern Cape Breton Highlands has been gaining a lot of popularity. The 40-50km route between Red River and Meat Cove, most referred to as the Seawall Trail, is slowly creeping into the top of the list for those hikers looking for more of a challenge in Atlantic Canada. It’s really no surprise either…
If you’re anything like me, January is usually when I take a moment to plan out things I want to do over the next 12 months. One question I always come back to is “What hike/adventure am I going to go for this year?'‘. I know that there are many others that think the same so I asked some of my friends, local guides, and businesses for hikes they would recommend.
A guiding service has many different layers to it (keep in mind that I am a guide, writing a blog on why guides are worth paying for). I will attempt to portray the information in which you see the value added by having a guide, both for yourself and for the environment.
A first aid kit is one of the essential items you should always take on a hike, and it is especially important on an overnight or backcountry trip. Some of the stuff inside your kit, you will use fairly regularly and should be replaced often, while others are rarely used but may be critical in an emergency. Here we will discuss some additional items you will want to supplement or include in your first aid kit!
Why come to Live Life InTents? For the same reason I came here and stayed here, I guess. Because there’s no place like it. Because you can pitch your tent and stare out at the vast sky until dawn. Because the river is a stones throw away and you can glide down it on a tube. Because there are towering trees and rolling mountains and ocean waves that will capture your heart and make you never want to leave.
Like the tourism slogan goes: Cape Breton Island; your heart will never leave. As you can tell, mine sure didn’t. I know the world has opened up, but I’m pretty stoked to continue to explore my home.
In February my friend and I did a four day trek through the Rwenzori mountains that border Uganda and the Congo. For four days we did nothing but hike, laugh, eat, splash in icy rivers, stand wide eyed at the sleeping beasts of mountains around us. We were sweaty and muddy, miles away from cell service. We squatted over holes in the ground for the bathroom and warmed water over a fire for bucket showers. We stood under a sky blanketed by the brightest stars I have ever seen and we fell asleep at 9pm, laughing until we couldn’t stay awake anymore.
As a company, we love to show people the great outdoors and offer the opportunity to explore locally. The outdoors, as we know it, is a place to learn and grow, to go on wild adventures, meet new people and push outside of your comfort zone. While it’s great to talk about our side of it, we want to invite others to share their stories; why they go outside, what it has taught them, tall tales from mountaintops and riverbanks. We want to create a space for people to be raw and honest, a spot right here to share and learn. Today’s post comes from Cheryl MacLennan, someone who was raised exploring Cape Breton and carries that spirit of exploration all over the United Kingdom, where she has lived for the last 16 years.
We are probably all familiar with Google Maps and Google Earth. These platforms are useful when sharing general location data however the downside is their off-line versions are not always reliable. There is nothing worse than being in the middle of the words without any service when your map refreshes and you have no idea where you are. Below we have created a list of some of our favourite apps for planning backcountry and off-line excursions so that you don’t get lost on your next adventure!
In everybody’s journey into hiking, the backcountry is an inventible progression to going further and seeing more. Backcountry hiking doesn’t have to be anything crazy; some stay away from it because they simply don’t know where to start or think it’s beyond their current experience level. We’re here to tell you that heading backcountry can be accessible for all experience levels and have a simple 4 step plan to help you get there.
