Nova Scotia: a destination for all seasons

NOVA SCOTIA'S SPECTACULAR scenery, amazing wildlife and ecological diversity redefines the phrase 'abundance of riches. The most difficult decision is where to go first; an easier one is to come back again and again to discover the area's natural beauty and warm welcome.

The spectacle of the highest and swiftest tides in the world make Minas Basin, on the Eastern end of the Bay of Fundy, an essential stop. On the Parrsboro shore, boasting the biggest fossil find in North America, visitors discover semi-precious agates and sparkling amethysts for the picking at low tide. Not surprisingly, Parrsboro is a global rockhound favorite, hosting the Nova Scotia Gem and Mineral Show each August. Nearby Joggins Area Fossil Cliff, an internationally recognized palaeontological site, reveals 100-million-year-old fossilized plants and dinosaur bones.

Don your boots for a two-hour hike to Cape Split, a narrow grassland lined by jagged cliffs over-looking the Bay of Fundy. Exertions are rewarded when the turbulent tide rushes over the ocean ridges below, pauses, then ebbs in the opposite direction. For scenic picnicking, fishing and swimming, visit Christie Brook and Falls near Bible Hill in the East District, where a waterfall drops to a crystal-clear swimming hole surrounded by shallow caverns and looming cliffs.

Explore the rugged coastline of the CabotTrail for inspiring and diverse land and seascapes--watch for pods of whales swimming and bald eagles soaring. Along the Trail, Cape Breton Highlands National Park is one of Canada's most exceptional wilderness and hiking regions, with a backdrop of moose grazing in the quiet shallows of lakes and streams. For water sports, sail the gentle, fog-free Bras d'Or Lakes, an ever-changing panorama of woodlands, coves and islands. Scuba dive beneath the surface to discover unique sinkholes rich in ecological diversity.

For sports and nature lovers Kejimkujik National Park, a natural Historic Site of Canada, has 91 kilometers of trail through untouched forests, rivers and lakes. Hiking, camping, canoeing, kayaking, snowshoeing and backcountry skiing are popular pastimes. For inspiration, photographers and tranquility seekers are drawn to the rugged solitude of Peggy's Cove, a postcard-lovely town set amid glacial deposits of rock and granite boulders. This is one of the most-photographed places in the world, and for good reason.