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Week of November 16-23, 1995
Nova Scotia in midwinter
Q: I am planning a trip to Nova Scotia in mid-January. Would you please recommend interesting attractions catering to children ages 7-12?
Dave Sagrigi
Andover, MA
DJS@FTP.COM
A: For family-oriented activities, consider heading up to Kejimkujik National Park, a gently rolling landscape of inland lakes and forests in the heart of southern Nova Scotia. Bring your snowshoes, ice skates, cross-country skis, and sleds and spend a few days exploring the backcountry and introducing your kids to the delights of winter
sports. Choose from one of three beginner-level snowshoeing trails: the Grafton Lake Loop, an easy, one-mile round-trip route; the Slapfoot Trail, a two and a half-mile loop; or the Farmlands Trail, a short one-mile trek. If you want to practice your figure eights or shoot the puck around with your kids, the best places for skating are the cove at Jim Charles Point and the
Merrymakedge area. A word of warning, though: Ice on streams, rivers, and other areas where running water enters the lakes is unsafe, and it’s always a good idea to check at the Visitor Center on ice conditions before you go. While you’re at Jim Charles Point, wax those runners on your kids’ Flexible Flyers and take a few exhilarating runs down the snow-covered slopes.
Kejimkujik also has more than 50 miles of groomed and ungroomed cross-country ski trails. For beginner loops, try the unplowed roads of Jeremy’s Bay Campground in the northeastern part of the park or head over to Merrymakedge Beach for three miles of easy, groomed routes. During the winter months, the park offers cross-country ski instruction clinics for all ability levels, as
well as the annual Kejimkujik Loppet, a day of skiing fun for the whole family–usually held in late January or early February. Kejimkujik is located off Route 8, which runs across southwestern Nova Scotia between Liverpool and Annapolis Royal. For more information and still-to-be-determined special events dates, contact the Park Visitor Center at 902-682-2772, or for other
Nova Scotia travel ideas, call Tourism Nova Scotia at 800-565-0000.
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