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A Walking Guide to the Old St. Margarets Bay Road A Five Bridges Wilderness Her

A Walking Guide to the Old St. Margarets Bay Road A Five Bridges Wilderness Heritage Trust Publication This publication has been made available through the generous contributions of the following patrons: Under no circumstances, including, but not limited to, negligence, shall Five Bridges Wilderness Heritage Trust (FBWHT) be liable for any direct, indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages, including, but not limited to, personal injury or death, arising out of the use, or the inability to use, the materials or information provided, even if a FBWHT authorized representative has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia Councillor Reg Rankin, District 22 Councillor Peter Lund, District 23 1 A Walking Guide to the Old St. Margarets Bay Road is a publication of the Dedicated to conserving public land in its natural state for public use since 2001. 100% Recycled Cert no. SW-COC-003169 © 1996 FSC 2 Copyright (c) 2010 by Five Bridges Wilderness Heritage Trust Published by Five Bridges Wilderness Heritage Trust All rights reserved except for quoted and adapted material, used with permission Five Bridges Wilderness Heritage Trust www.fivebridgestrust.ca Printed and bound in Nova Scotia by Halcraft Printing Limited, Halifax. FSC Certified Printer since 2008. Rogers, Wayne 1944- A Walking Guide to the Old St. Margarets Bay Road ISBN 978-0-9865651-0-6 Cover & Layout design: Jeff Parks Cover photos: Geoff Regan The inside pages of this book are printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper and the cover on 25% mixed sources. 3 Dedication A Walking Guide to the Old St. Margarets Bay Road is dedicated to all those who have travelled these lands and waters over time, with special tribute to the Mi’kmaq and other pre-contact persons, and to the Europeans who settled here. Special care has been taken to honour the resting places of those who have gone before us. May each of us who travel this road take pleasure in the discovery of the beauty of the land, forests and waterways. 4 Acknowledgements The Trust wishes to acknowledge the contributions of those who generously provided information that assisted in the writing of this Walking Guide. Without their generosity this publication would not be as comprehensive. In particular we wish to acknowledge Iris Shea, Ralph Wheadon, George Newbury, and Wayne Shellenutt and thank them for sharing the history of the area with the present and future generations. Thanks to Shelley Webb of the St. Margaret's Bay Regional Tourism Development Association for her editing skills; to Jeff Parks for his layout, maps and refinements of text. The printing of this publication was made possible by the generous contributions from the Chebucto West Community Health Board, HRM Councillors Reg Rankin, District 22 and Peter Lund, District 23, Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia, NS Health Promotion and Protection, St. Margaret's Bay Regional Tourism Development Association, Nicom IT Solutions, and an Anonymous Donor. Photo Credits: Nova Scotia Environment: Pg 6 Catherine King: Pgs. 7, 18 Geoff Regan: Pgs. 14, 19, 21, 23, 28, Front & Back Covers Wayne N Rogers: Pgs. 11, 17, 25, 29, 30, 33, 35, 36, 37 Wayne Shellnutt: provided the photo on Pg. 24 Mainland South Heritage Society: provided photos on Pgs. 38 & 39 5 Welcome As Chair of the Five Bridges Wilderness Heritage Trust I am delighted to invite you to enjoy one of the many hikes available along portions of the Old St. Margarets Bay Road. The area is rich in natural history, and its history of settlement. Its mosaic of scenic landscapes and waterways provide habitat to a wide variety of mammals, birds, fish, plants, lichens, and insects. A plethora of waterways await your discovery by canoe or kayak. The area is home to a remnant herd of Mainland Moose, now listed as an endangered species. As you plan your hike please note, there is no potable water or food services available along this trail. Please pack out what you pack in - leave no trace. The Old St. Margarets Bay Road is rocky, uneven and water covered in places. Care must be exercised when using this trail; a sturdy walking stick is recommended. It is highly recommended that you pack sufficient food and water to sustain you over the planned duration of your trip. Sturdy water-resistant footwear, suitable seasonal clothing, a GPS, compass, map(s), and cell phone are now considered standard equipment for the hiker. Cell phone coverage is good in most sections of this road. Coyotes are becoming more prevalent on the Chebucto Peninsula. Please visit the Department of Natural Resources website to learn how to deal with them if you encounter one or more on a hike. It is recommended you do not hike alone. Enjoy your travels, stay curious and take delight in the beauty of your surroundings. Beth McGee, Chair March 2010 6 Endangered Mainland Moose 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Introduction............................................................ 9 Glen Margaret to Big Five Bridge Lake .............. 11 Big Five Bridge Lake to Nine Mile River ............ 17 Otter Lake and Greenhead Road Area ............... 21 The Indian Lakes to Prospect Road .................... 27 Goodwood to Spryfield ......................................... 31 The End of the Road ............................................ 41 Points of Interest (Coordinates)............................ 42 Winter on the Old St. Margarets Bay Road 8 9 The Old St. Margarets Bay Road, also known as The Old Coach Road, was a vital transportation link between Halifax and St. Margarets Bay in the early years of the province. A map of the interior of Nova Scotia, drawn by Titus Smith in 1801- 02, clearly identifies the old road and also shows, what is now St. Margarets Bay as “Charlotte Bay or St. Margarets Bay”. The road was constructed prior to 1800. Currently the road is under the direction of Nova Scotia Transportation & Infrastructure Renewal (NSTIR) and is classified as a K Road. This designation means the road is not maintained by NSTIR and is not suitable for motorized vehicles. In Nova Scotia, by statute every road is 66 feet wide unless otherwise designated. The eastern end of the Old St. Margarets Bay Road, situated in Long Lake Provincial Park, is no longer under the direction of NSTIR and motorized vehicles are not permitted within the park boundaries. The administration of the park is the responsibility of the Department of Natural Resources. Today the old road plays another important role in that it forms one of the geographic boundaries of a number of communities, according to HRM Civic Addressing. From the Crown land post near Massey Hill in the west, the road forms the boundary between the communities of Hubley on the north side and Glen Margaret to the south. At Nine Mile River the road forms the boundary between the communities of Otter Lake (north) and Hatchet Lake (south). The road then crosses into Goodwood. INTRODUCTION 10 11 The western end of the Old St. Margarets Bay Road has its beginning from Westhaver Road in Glen Margaret, 12.5 km from the intersection of Highway 333 and Highway 3 in Upper Tantallon. The map shows details of the area. Limited parking is available on the Westhaver Road (Coordinate 1). The Road begins just past civic number 25. Originally, the land where the road begins was owned by Edward Hoosier; in fact, what is now known as Woodens River was originally known as Hoosier’s River. Another interesting fact is that in 1855, Woodens River was spelled Woodins River; named after the Woodin family that owned considerable Woodens River Glen Margaret to Big Five Bridge Lake 12 holdings immediately adjacent to the river and the land around Woodens Cove. The Woodens River is the first of three watersheds you will encounter during the first 22 km of your hike. The Woodens River Watershed Environmental Organization plays an active role in monitoring the health of this watershed. In the early days the main road, Highway 333, crossed Woodens River further east than its current location. If you walk up the Woodens River Road, you can still see the stone abutments that anchored the bridge on each side of the river. Roy Boutilier operated a saw mill in the area for many years and the concrete pillars can still be seen in the river. Logs were floated down the river and milled at this site. The waters of Woodens River provide good trout habitat. For a number of years a trout hatchery operated in the area of Dolly’s Pond. The river once sustained a salmon run; however, with clear-cutting and other environmental changes further up stream, the river no longer supports Atlantic salmon. During your walk, you will encounter the occasional abandoned car or truck off to the side of the road; many of these have been there for a considerable time. The Trust has made a concerted effort to clear the area of these unsightly distractions. As you begin your hike on the Old St. Margarets Bay Road from the entrance on Westhaver Road, the road rises steeply as you proceed east crossing land once owned by James uploads/Geographie/ walking-guide.pdf