Need Peace? Go East!

  • About
  • Beside the Trail B&B
  • Granny
  • Our Other Sites

Tag Archives: Beach

Plan Your Visit to PEI

Posted on 2013/02/08 by Guy Posted in Experiences .

plan your trip

If you have been following Cindy’s blog, we have been on the road since November. While we have visited many interesting places, it seems that finding out where to go was the biggest challenge.

We visited many information centres, state run and private. We picked up several pamphlets and tour guides. We also did considerable research on the Internet. While these are good resources, we found we were often overwhelmed by the huge number of choices.  How do you pick the best one?

We found that talking to people was often more informative. Sometimes we would strike up a conversation with a store owner and ask where they would go to visit.  This is one of the reason Cindy blogs about our trip.  We highlight the favourite places along our trip; if your interests are similar, you will likely enjoy them also.

This trip has also given me the idea of helping plan trips to PEI. Over the next few weeks, I will compile some of my favourite things to do in PEI.

Nature Lovers Trip

Here are may Favourite Spots in PEI to admire Nature:

north cape windmillsNorth Cape

North Cape is the windiest part of PEI.  It was the first experimental windmill site.  This is where PEI experimented with several designs.  Unfortunately, many of the older models have been dismantled. It is still a great place to learn about wind energy.  There is also an Irish Moss Interpretation Centre. At low tide, you can walk out a great distance between “the two tides”. There, you can often spot seals basking in the sun.

west point lighthouse and beachWest Point Lighthouse

 West Point Lighthouse is steeped in history.  Visit the lighthouse and attached motel to find out more. There is also a beach where you can walk for miles.  On a good day, you might be able to come back with a handful of seaglass.

Brackley BeachBrakley Beach

While Cavendish Beach is very popular, I enjoy Brackley beach. It features the same great sand and unspoiled nature. Now, there is also a bicycle path that runs alongside the roadway so you can pedal your way through nature’s sights.


greenwich national parkGreenwich National Park

Like Brackley, Greenwich is part of the National Park system. So if you get a park pass at Brackley, make sure you also use it at Greenwich before it expires. There is a swimming beach in Greenwich. My reason for going there is the nature trails. Go past the welcome centre all the way to the end of the road. There are several hiking trails. The longest takes you through an open area, a short walk through a wooded area, a boardwalk through a marsh, and ends up on one of the nicest beaches on Prince Edward Island. Turn left and go down a couple of hundred yards. There is a place to climb back over the dunes to learn about their formation.  Be sure to bring suitable sun protection and water. You might be out for a long time.

singin sands beach at basin head parkSinging Sands

Basin Head Provincial Park is the site of Singing Sands Beach. Children of all ages love this beach as they like to make the sand sing.  So come and take your shoes off.  Find a dry patch of sand and walk kicking your feet in the sand. On your way out to Basin Head, you will pass by the town of Souris. As you approach via the causeway, you will see a parking area on your right and a long stretch of beach.  This is also a popular area for beachcombing.

 

victoria park downtown charlottetownVictoria Park

My nature lovers tour ends in Victoria Park. Donated to the city of Charlottetown almost 150 years ago, the park remains a 35 acre park close to downtown Charlottetown. There is a boardwalk all around the outside perimeter. There is also a bicycle lane during the summer. The inner court of the park has tennis courts, a playground, a pool, and trails through wooded areas.  It is a great place to spend the day or to unwind after a busy day of exploring Prince Edward Island.

 

 

 

Leave a comment .
Tags: Beach, nature, Travel PEI .

PEI Beaches

Posted on 2013/01/02 by Guy Posted in Beachcombing .

Cindy and I are Beachcombers.  Currently we are going down the East Coast looking for seaglass.  One of the issues we have encountered is public access to beaches.  I was fortunate to find a map of North Carolina that shows were there is public beach access.

Public Beach Access SignageIn several places, there is also clear signage that says “public beach access.” If you are planning a beachcombing trip to Prince Edward Island, rest assured you will not have any trouble getting to the beach.

Pick up a Prince Edward Island map.  You will see swimming beaches marked with a beach umbrella.  There are all easy access with free parking.  The three Beaches in the national park (Brackley, Cavendish, and Greenwich) are subject to a daily park usage fee.

You can read more about PEI beaches on the Government Website.

In a world where prime beach properties are being gobbled up by developers, it is refreshing to come to Prince Edward Island where hundreds of kilometres of beach are readily accessible.

Happy new year to all my followers

 

Guy

1 Comment .
Tags: Beach .

Nautical

Posted on 2011/04/17 by Guy Posted in PEI the Garden Province .

The Nautical Theme abounds in Prince Edward Island.  You can find pictures of lobster and fish on everything imaginable.  There are mussel shirts and all sorts of other puns on a nautical theme.

lobster trap mailbox

You can see lobster traps everywhere.  People decorate their lawns with them.  I have even seen lobster trap mailboxes. You can buy lobster traps on Prince Edward Island for anywhere from $10 to $40 depending on the condition.  They are bulky and will fill up your car or trailer.  If you are thinking of having one shipped, it will probably cost another $20.

deep sea fishing

If you like Deep Sea Fishing, you have plenty of choices.  Many ports feature 2-4 hour excursions for mackerel or cod. There are also places where you can go all day or for bigger game like tuna.  It is a good idea to make a reservation and to confirm the night before or in the morning.  You probably know it gets windy in PEI and when the seas are too choppy, the excursion may be cancelled.

Cape Bear Lighthouse

PEI has dozens of lighthouses.  There are many you can visit, but you are welcome to drive up to any of them for a closer look.  The government website has a list of the “real” lighthouses. There are also automated beacons and ornamental lighthouses.  From the website, you can also access an interactive map that shows you where the lighthouses are located.

lobster

Lobster is one of the main reasons sea enthusiasts come to Prince Edward Island.  They either want to fish for lobster or eat some fresh lobster.  Fortunately you can do both.  Check out information on lobster and a link to Authentic Experiences for a chance to catch your own dinner.  You can get fresh lobster pretty much year round at local restaurants.  However, the full experience comes with a traditional lobster supper.  Usually served galley style, the lobster suppers started by the churches as fundraisers (instead of bingo) are available June to September.  Some feature an all-you-can-eat component and most offer alternative menus for the land-lovers.

PEI Beach

What is more nautical than a beach? PEI is full of beaches.  On some beaches you can walk for hours just enjoying the sounds of the sea or looking for treasures like beach glass. Regardless of the time of year, be sure to have a sweater or windbreaker.  On a windy day the beaches can be cold. Especially on the north shore, you can see some spectacular sunsets – plan on a late evening at the beach.

nautical scrapbook

If you are into scrapbooking, there is a shop that features PEI themed and nautical page layouts, tags, borders, etc. All you need to do is supply your pictures. Check out the Island Made Scrapbooking Shop.  There you can also find beach glass jewellery.

Tomorrow “OLD Macdonald had a farm”.

Granny ~oo~

 

 

Leave a comment .
Tags: Beach, beach glass, lighthouses, lobster, nautical .

Beaches of PEI

Posted on 2011/04/04 by Guy Posted in Beachcombing .

Prince Edward Island is surrounded by many beaches just miles of sand. When I think of the word beach, bliss comes to mind. Looking for singing bliss? Try walking and scuffing your feet back and forth in the Singing Sands of Basin Head. Try a little clam digging bliss at a shallow beach like Pinette Beach or Tea Hill Beach.  Looking for long walks on the beach then you might be interested in Greenwich or Cabot Beach. Perhaps you want to join the many others who sun bathe at Cavendish Beach and Brackley Beach.

PEI Beaches

There are so many beaches all along the shores of PEI I just didn’t have time to get to them all today. I have mapped out a few of my favourites and will try and tell you a bit about each.

 

 

Cavendish Beach has many visitors through the summer. This beach is great for sun bathing, walking, exploring and I have noticed a number of Goecaching going on here as well.  A park fee is collected at the gate when you go through and this is to improve the roads and such.  The park opens at 10 am and closes at 6pm, so to avoid the toll fee you could get in before 10 am.

North Rustico Harbour is a great beach to go to, great for walking, sunbathing and can be a little busy at times.  The nice thing about it is you are not far from anywhere being here.

Brackley Beach like Cavendish is a very popular beach with many visitors each day.  I asked Google the distance from Charlottetown and the response was 18 minutes.

Greenwich National Park has a rather uniqueness to it all on its own.  The long boardwalk over the dunes and marsh allow for an adventure to the beach area.  Put on your walking shoes for sure if you are heading out and bring plenty of water.  This Beach area has magnificent sand dunes.

Cable Head Beach

Cable Head Beach is one that I like to explore, I have found beach glass on the shores here but it is dwindling like most places. Another great walking beach and not as busy as most.

Singing Sands Beach

Singing Sands Beach is what it says, you can walk along and shuffle your feet and the sand will sing to you.  This is a beautiful spot to come to, the sand feels different here and is truly nice to walk on. I’d call this a relaxing beach, come bring a chair and read a book, it can get busy here also.

Sally’s Beach is very nice for a picnic beach I remember plenty of picnic tables around, then you can venture to the beach afterward. It opens June 13 and closes Sept 11 this is a Provincial Park.

Panmure Island is another Provincial Park and a nice place if you are camping.  Definitely a bird watching beach with many Piping Plovers running ahead of your step.

Pinette Beach is a shallow beach Provincial Park with open and close hours, nice picnic area great for clam digging.

Tea Hill Beach is a great shallow beach as well, you see clam diggers there all the time.  This strip of beach has a lot to explore including beach glass and hermit crabs that your little one will love chasing.

Argyle Shore has the red sand shores. Great beaches to explore the waters edge. I am not big on swimming on the South shore however the water is warmer. We have turned up beach glass on the south shore as well.

Chelton Beach always has a spot in my heart. Also on the South Shore and has a play ground, a little food concession set up in summer hours and just an overall nice relaxing beach.

Cabot Beach is among one of PEI’s beautiful beaches for sure. Plenty of Geocaching going on here, with a lot of relaxing. You can walk for miles, and take a thousand pictures.  A sunset on the north shore shining off the water can be captured here.

Well this is it for Grannies report on “B” beaches.  Do you visit the beach? What sorts of things do you do besides swimming at the beach do you do?  Thats it for today.

Granny ~00~

3 Comments .
Tags: Beach, beach glass, PEI .

Pages

  • About
  • Beside the Trail B&B
  • Granny
  • Our Other Sites

Archives

  • February 2017
  • November 2016
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • January 2014
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011

Categories

  • Anne of Green Gables (4)
  • Beachcombing (16)
  • Crafts (5)
  • Experiences (33)
  • First Timers (8)
  • Food (2)
  • Frugal (2)
  • Hospitality (11)
  • Moving to PEI (2)
  • PEI the Garden Province (43)
  • road trip (56)
  • The Confederation Trail (10)
  • Uncategorized (11)

WordPress

  • Log in
  • WordPress

Subscribe

  • Entries (RSS)
  • Comments (RSS)

Pages

  • About
  • Beside the Trail B&B
  • Granny
  • Our Other Sites

Archives

  • February 2017
  • November 2016
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • January 2014
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011

Categories

  • Anne of Green Gables (4)
  • Beachcombing (16)
  • Crafts (5)
  • Experiences (33)
  • First Timers (8)
  • Food (2)
  • Frugal (2)
  • Hospitality (11)
  • Moving to PEI (2)
  • PEI the Garden Province (43)
  • road trip (56)
  • The Confederation Trail (10)
  • Uncategorized (11)

WordPress

  • Log in
  • WordPress

CyberChimps WordPress Themes

© Need Peace? Go East!