Peggy's Cove Nova Scotia

 Located less than an hour's drive from downtown Nova Scotia is the iconic Atlantic coastal town of Peggy's Cove.  The cove here is a small inlet with docks and a boat ramp that would provide fishermen refuge from the sea and a place to call home.  The prominent rock outcropping that protects the entrance to the cove also served as an ideal spot to build a lighthouse for navigation along the rocky eastern coast of Nova Scotia.  The first light on this site was built in 1868.  The first light was atop a wooden house and stood until 1914 when it was replaced with the current octagonal lighthouse with it's classic red and white paint job.  The lighthouse stands 49 feet tall and can be seen from 10 nautical miles away.  The light is still an active light and is run by the Candian Coast Guard.

The location of Peggy's Cove makes it one of the most visited tourist attractions in the province of Nova Scotia.  While it is extremely busy it should be on your list of sites to visit while you are here.  The little village has built it's existence around handling the tour busses and all the people that come to this lighthouse because it is one of the lighthouses on the Lighthouse Trail scenic drive.  There are numerous gift shops, art dealers, and other services for all the guests that come to the village each day during peak travel months.  There are two parking lots, one on your left as you enter the town and one up by the lighthouse.  If you need to stretch your legs park in the first lot and enjoy a nice walk through the village

In this first parking lot there is a Provincial Visitors Center and public restrooms.  Always a good thing is you have been in the car for a while. As you walk you will get to see the boats that are docked in the cove and all the cool buildings along the dock.  This is a great place to take some pictures.  There are also a number of different gift shops to visit on this end of town and a food truck serving up lobster rolls and other treats for your pallet.  As you head up towards the light you will walk up a short hill.  Be sure to turn around an look back for a different perspective on the cove.

At the top of the hill on your right is a shop called Hags on the Hill.  If you enjoy art from local artisans that depicts the area, this is the store that you want to visit.  They had some amazing art, and if you start talking to the people running the store you are likely to find that it is one of the artisans who have pieces in the store.  The windows in this store are original glass and over one hundred years old.  It makes for a great way to see the lighthouse through a different lens.

When you go out to the lighthouse the area will be crawling with people, you will feel like you just became part of a giant anthill. Everyone is scurrying around the rocks, taking pictures or the lighthouse, shooting selfies with their selfie sticks.  You have to try and ignore all the people and find a way to block them out. There are signs all around that warn you about the waves and the rocky shore, be wise and head them as every year there are several people who get washed off the rocks and end up drowning from this site.   If you work really hard and use some of the rocks to your advantage you can get that moment in time where there is actually no one in the picture.

While you are in the area you can also visit the SR111 Memorial site for the victims of this air tragedy.

Peggy'cove is the first of the lighthouses of Nova Scotia that I will feature here on Super-fantastic Journeys.