Warm Offerings At Amherst Shore Provincial Park

NATURAL RESOURCES--Warm Offerings At Amherst Shore Provincial Park

Did you know that Nova Scotia offers some of the warmest saltwater swimming north of the Carolinas? A prime place to dip your toes is Amherst Shore Provincial Park in Cumberland County.

Swimming isn't the only interesting activity you can find at this park. Located on the Northumberland Strait, Amherst Shore is also an attractive setting for walking and camping.

"Amherst Shore has the most wonderful summertime weather in the province," says camper Carol Smith of Dartmouth. "In my mind, it is the most peaceful spot on earth."

Ms. Smith is not alone in thinking the park is a treasure. In 2002, campers from every Canadian province and U.S. state, as well as visitors from other countries, came to the park.

To ensure the best camping experience possible, Amherst Shore offers the campground host program. Campground hosts are volunteers who greet visitors at provincial camping parks, providing visitors with information about the campground and surrounding community. The volunteers help make visits more pleasant, while supplementing the services of park attendants and other staff.

Campground hosts at Amherst Shore would be sure to point out the history of the park. The Amherst Shore area was a seasonal home of the Mi'kmaq and was later settled by both the French and the English. Many of these early European settlers farmed, while others fished, for their livelihood.

The park was originally part of an early farm, and old orchards and cellars still remain within the park boundaries to be explored. Travellers who are seeking more information on the region's history can visit the Cumberland County Museum in Amherst. The museum includes displays on the industrial, natural and human history of the county.

While that kind of information is helpful, Ms. Smith and her family like the park because it brings them closer to nature. "Our favourite part of the park is the trail system along Annabelle's Brook," she said. "We watch the beavers work on their dam, which is built immediately beside the trail. Once a baby beaver even crawled up the bank onto our campsite before hightailing it back into the water."

Amherst Shore is near several other provincial parks. Tidnish Dock Provincial Park is also a Provincial Heritage Site and a National Historic Civil Engineering Site because of its links to the Chignecto Marine Transport Railway. "We often spend an entire day at Northport, Heather or Cameron Beach," says Ms. Smith. "These beaches are all sand as far out as you can see." Nearby Shimacas Provincial Park is also a good place for picnicking.

To reach Amherst Shore Provincial Park, travel on the Route 366 portion of the Sunrise Trail. The park is 36 kilometres east of Amherst and 26 kilometres west of Pugwash.

For more information and to make a reservation, phone the park at 902-661-6002 during its open season, from June 20 to Oct. 13.