Sat 06 Mar 2010 Tom Wilson 2010 Hike the Highlands Festival / Acadien Hiking Trail / Bog Hiking Trail / Cape Breton Highlands National Park / Cape Breton Island / CBHNP / Hike the Highlands Festival / Hiking / Hiking Boots / Hiking Festival / Hiking Tips / NS Provincial Hiking Trails / Photography / Trekking Poles Comments Off on 2010 Hiking Schedule Announced / / / / / / / / / / / / /

2010 Hiking Schedule Announced

The 2010 schedule of hikes for the 7th Annual Hike the Highlands Festival is out now…There will be 24 guided hikes over ten days – Sept. 10-19.  Three new hikes will be offered this year – Polletts Cove (18km), Money Point Light (14 km) and Le vieux chemin du Cap-Rouge ( 6km). ...Read more

Sun 21 Feb 2010 Tom Wilson 2010 Hike the Highlands Festival / Acadien Hiking Trail / Cape Breton Highlands National Park / Cape Breton Island / Cape St. Lawrence Hike / CBHNP / Explore Magazine / Fishing Cove Hiking Trail / Franey Hiking Trail / Guided Wilderness Hiking Adventures / Hike the Highlands / Hike the Highlands Festival / Hiking / North River Big Falls / Photography / Sugarloaf Mountain Trail Comments Off on Hike the Highlands Festival Classics / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

Hike the Highlands Festival Classics

The recent Explore March/April magazine talked about the old and new Canadian classics including Cycling the Cabot Trail, hiking West Coast Trail and much more.  So it was fitting to chat about the Hike the Highlands Festival Classics, Cape Breton Island. To make my classics list – a...Read more

Sat 20 Feb 2010 Tom Wilson Cape Breton Highlands National Park / Explore Magazine / Hiking / Hiking Tips Comments Off on Explore -Adventure Special -March & April 2010 / / / / / / / / / /

Explore -Adventure Special -March & April 2010

The March/April issue of Explore, Canada’s Outdoor Magazine has arrived and features the Adventure special – the new Canadian Classics. These classics include Biking the Gaspe Penisula (900 kms – 14 days), Backpacking the Nootka Trail (40 kms – 5 plus days, Canoeing the Hood...Read more

Thu 11 Feb 2010 Tom Wilson Cape Breton Highlands National Park / Cape Breton Island / CBHNP / cross-country skiing / North Highlands Nordic / snowshoeing Comments Off on February 2010 Events in the Cape Breton Highlands / / / / / / /

February 2010 Events in the Cape Breton Highlands

Cape Breton Highlands National Park and its partner Hike Nova Scotia will be hosting a guided snowshoe 4 km event on Saturday, February 13th on Middle Head Trail beginning at 10:00 am. Meet at the trail head near Keltic Lodge, Ingonish Beach.  Contact 902-285-3009 or marie.stradeski@pc.gc.ca to...Read more

Thu 11 Feb 2010 Tom Wilson Birding / Cape Breton Highlands National Park / Cape Breton Island / CBHNP / Geocaching Comments Off on Mild Winter attracting Visitors & Possibly An Early Start for Hiking / / / / / /

Mild Winter attracting Visitors & Possibly An Early Start for Hiking

With the warm weather lately, our mild winter is getting alot of  hikers thinking this could be an early start for the 2010 Hiking season….  The warm weather attracted some visitors to our area that have not been seen in awhile – deer.. They look like about year old….  Other...Read more

Fri 05 Feb 2010 Tom Wilson Backpacker Magazine / Cape Breton Highlands National Park / Cape Breton Island / CBHNP / Hike the Highlands / Hike the Highlands Festival / Hiking Comments Off on Time to Start Planning for the 2010 Hiking Season / / / / /

Time to Start Planning for the 2010 Hiking Season

The March 2010 Issue of Backpacker Magazine is a great motivator for us to get ready for the 2010 hiking season.  The passion for hiking is rekindled with articles titled “Dream Big and Stay on Budget”,  “Take your Best Photos Ever”,  and “Hike Further and Feel...Read more

Fri 05 Feb 2010 Tom Wilson Cape Breton Highlands National Park / CBHNP / Middlehead Hiking Trail / Trekking Poles Comments Off on Snowshoe events in the Cape Breton Highlands / / / / / / / / / /

Snowshoe events in the Cape Breton Highlands

Snowshoeing is a very popular winter sport in Nova Scotia this winter along with guided excursions.  Hiking Trails tend to look different in the winter with snow…thus the need for guides. Snowshoeing is a great aerobic sport to keep you active during the winter. Don’t forget to use...Read more

Sat 02 Jan 2010 Tom Wilson Backpacker Magazine Comments Off on Start New Year Off with Backpacker Magazine / / / / /

Start New Year Off with Backpacker Magazine

 Backpacker’s January 2010 magazine starts off the new year with a great issue based on Readers’ Choice Awards.  2009’s best reader tips plus several real-life survival stories dealing with bears, wild goats, and much more. My favorite sections of the magazine have always...Read more

Mon 07 Dec 2009 Tom Wilson Cape Breton Highlands National Park / Cape Breton Island / CBHNP / Hike the Highlands / Hike the Highlands Festival / Hike the Highlands Guides / Hiking / Hiking Cape Breton / Hiking Festival / Hiking Tips / MEC / Mountain Equipment Co-op / Nordic Walking Poles / Outdoor Gear / Photography / Trekking Poles / Trekking Trips Comments Off on Christmas Gifts for Hikers / / / / / / / / / / /

Christmas Gifts for Hikers

Lots of great gifts for hikers out there that won’t hurt the pocketbook.  Here are some ideas for you :  1) a pair of smart wool socks, 2) a bear bell, 3) small mesh bag, 4) drybag, 5) a whistle, 6) a trail map, 7) a compass, 8) a watch with carabiner that hooks on […]Read more

Sun 06 Dec 2009 Tom Wilson Nordic Walking / Nordic Walking Poles / Trekking Poles Comments Off on West Highland Way & Trekking Poles / / / /

West Highland Way & Trekking Poles

Recently, I had the opportunity to hike the West Highland Way in Scotland with my wife and nephew on vacation.  The West Highland Way is 95 miles (152) kms and involved eight days of hiking with an average of 10-14 miles a day. The most important piece of equipment on this hike for all three...Read more