Gull Cove Trail improvements meant to boost offbeat coastal hike in Cape Breton

A group in Gabarus, N.S.,is working to turn an old road that leads toa picturesquebut abandoned Cape Bretonvillage into an offbeathiking adventure.

The Gull Cove Trail Society is restoring a trail to the former fishing village of Gull Cove.

"Gull Cove is a community that is no more.It's somewhat of a ghost town,"society memberTimMenk says.

But people from as far away as Manitoba make the annual trek to Gull Cove, he said.

"Sisters, [who]are probably in their 70s now, make a pilgrimage every year to walk to the old homestead."

'Really special'

The only way into Gull Cove is an old, muddy track. But at thevery end is a "truly beautiful" view of Green Island, Guyon Island and "the wide expanse of the Atlantic Ocean," he said.

The trek is spectacular and visitors can ramble around theremnants foundations, circular stone wellsand stone wallsof the once-thriving community.

"It's really special," said Menk."It's the only wilderness area in Nova Scotia that has a village in the middle of it."

The society plans to addgravel and digditches to drainparts of the trail, which can be muddy and full of water,Menk said.

So far work on the trail has extended several hundred metresand will soon reach the wildness-protected areawhere stricterrules apply to what work is allowed.

No ATVs

"So we will have to be alot more careful," Menk said.

For example, to discourage motorized vehicles in the wilderness portion, there is a restriction of the width of the trail. No widening is permitted, so in some narrow sectionshikers will have to walk single file.

An old wooden bridge over Rush Brook, built back when ATVs were allowed on the trail, will be replaced by a set of pontoon bridges, Menk said.

The society expects the project will cost $21,000.Cape Breton Regional Municipality says itwill contribute $7,500, contingenton funding from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. The World Wildlife Fund has also committed $3,000.

Menk said hehopes the necessary funding will be in place by next spring and the work completed by the fall of 2017.