[ Days 18-19 ] Saturday-Sunday, July 4-5, Chester to & around Lunenberg (64km)

Origin: Windjammer Motel

Destination:House at the Head of the Harbor 

Route Description: Chester Connection rail trail, Rt. 3 to Mahone Bay, coastal road along the bay, and back on Rt. 3 to Lunenburg.

Two beautiful, sunny summer days with pleasant breezes off the water

On Saturday, we biked down the hill in Chester for breakfast at the Kiwi Cafe.  

Heading to Lunenburg, the rail trail, with three trestles over rivers, was generally a good ride, especially the section from Chester Basin to Martins Bay.  

We left the trail for lunch at Kedy's Inlet Restaurant, with nice views across the harbor to the town. 

Meghan Williams,  our lodging host in Lunenburg, welcomed us warmly with cool mint tea and watermelon, the perfect treat for 4th of July.

During our two days, by bike and on foot...

... we enjoyed this UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Docked in the harbor is Bluenose II, a working replica of the legendary fishing and racing schooner (Bluenose: Queen of the North Atlantic ..1921-1946)  has become the symbol of Nova Scotia. For 80 years, her image has adorned the Canadian dime. 

Along the waterfront are current fishery buildings and their trawlers, pleasure boats and dories as well as an elegant Fishermen's Memorial. Lunenburg preserves the rectangular layout of the planned 1753 town. Interpretive signs throughout the 48-block Old Town tell the histories of Mi'kmac original peoples, Acadians, and later colonization by German, Swiss, and French farmers as "foreign protestants" recruited by the English. Colorful heritage buildings tier up from the harbor. We enjoyed walking around and admiring the fun architecture of historic houses--many with the "Lunenburg bump," a front dormer similar in function to a "widow's walk." 

Tourism is ubiquitous but tasteful.

Sunday morning Meghan generously and enthusiastically guided us for a pleasant bicycle ride to Blue Rocks, a peaceful cluster of cottages and docks on

the "blue rock" shoreline of the spit at the harbor opening (about 9km each way).

Back in Lunenburg we three had a light lunch and informative conversation at the Savy Sailor.

We also had a delightful evening.  Andy Harvey and Marg Bayer, new friends met in Digby, picked us up and hosted us for dinner at their home above Mahone Bay. 

Mussels, shrimp, and many more delights were enjoyed on both a deck down near water's edge, and another deck off their living room overlooking both the bay and beautiful gardens. 

We end with many thumbnail images of the historic homes of Lunenburg.