Into the Musquodoboit Valley
Words by Dalene Heck / Photography by Pete & Dalene Heck
Two years into our living in Nova Scotia, one thing continues to amaze us: how this small province offers such a wide variety of terrain, scenery, and vibe. Within a couple of hours’ drive from our home, we can find something entirely new.
Recently, a two-hour drive from our home in Annapolis Valley took us back to the Eastern Shore and into the Musquodoboit Valley. We’d been to this region before but were eager to see more – it feels, to us, like one of the few places left in the province that might be labelled as untouched. It’s not on many tourists’ radar, which is surprising as it is officially considered a region of Halifax and is very close (just a 30-minute drive from the city). It’s an ideal spot to escape the city and connect with nature. And that’s what we were (mostly) there for, too.
First, we stopped in Musquodoboit Harbour, and then turned inland to luxuriate in the scenic valley of the same name.
Visit Musquodoboit Harbour
Before driving into the valley, we spent the afternoon reacquainting ourselves with this town on the Eastern Shore.
Martinique Beach
Soft sand beaches are an irresistible draw for us (the shoreline is rocky near our house), and Martinique is easily one of the best in the province. And one of the longest, at 5 km long, it’s suitable for leisurely strolls. We saw few other souls during our saunter, which may not be true during warmer summer months as it’s also popular for surfing.
Uprooted Market & Cafe
We’re spoiled living in the Annapolis Valley with abundant farms and fresh local produce surrounding us. And now, everywhere we go, we search for the same! The Uprooted Market & Cafe delivers – it sources fruits and vegetables, meat, and all other goodies from nearby farmers, bakers, and artists. After grabbing a few groceries for our stay, we decided to have lunch here also. Our chosen dishes were simple (Pete went for a breakfast sandwich, and I indulged in a pesto chicken panini), but the flavours were incredible.
Steeple Green Books
We drove past Steeple Green Books on the way to Martinique Beach but were sure to stop on the way back. It’s a beautiful old church repurposed as a bookstore, made even better because we were met by Frank, the friendly store dog! The books here are sold at a significant discount as they are sell-offs from other stores – but that doesn’t mean it’s full of obscure titles with authors you’ve never heard of. We forced ourselves to a limit of four books (we could have snagged several more!), and one of them was even by the brilliant Miriam Toews.
Martinique Desserterie
We couldn’t leave town without a stop at Martinique Desserterie. We once again found it very difficult to narrow our choices but settled with their famed Nutella Cruffin (a hazelnut chocolate-filled croissant crossed with a muffin) and a long-john eclair. While we had hoped to save them for after dinner, they didn’t make it that far. We were NOT sorry.
Adventures in the Musquodoboit Valley
Well, we needed to work off those treats, didn’t we? Thankfully, the Musquodoboit Valley had lots in store for us.
Paddling
We began mid-morning, and the Musquodoboit River greeted us with glassy stillness. We opted for a canoe instead of our usual single kayaks (I was nursing a shoulder injury) and shared the peaceful river with chirping birds, rustling leaves, and our guide Stef from Musquodoboit Valley Outfitters. We three glided seamlessly on the river for the next hour and had just a tiny taste of what is possible here. From half-day excursions to multi-day river and lake portaging adventures, there are many ways to enjoy the area.
While visitors are on the uptick here – autumn is an especially busy time when the river valley bursts with colour – one small side trip confirmed the solitude still available. Just before our finish line, we disembarked so Stef could lead us down a path to arrive at a small lake.
Stef pulled out an epic picnic charcuterie, and the three of us ate lunch while talking about life’s trajectory that landed the three of us together at that moment. (In our experience, such conversations only happen with strangers while in nature.) It capped off a beautiful morning on the water and fueled us up for what was up next.
Hiking
We changed from our water shoes to our hiking boots and prepped to take in one of several hikes along the Musquodoboit Trailway.
The Rail Trail (an official part of the Trans Canada Trail) is an abandoned rail corridor that runs for 15 km from Musquodoboit Harbour to Gibraltar Rock. With only a few hours left in our day, we took on the Gibraltar Rock Loop Trail, an offshoot near the north end of the Rail Trail.
It had, as I like to say, “a lot of bang for my hiking buck.” While there was some steep incline in parts, the trail was varied and interesting, and the scenery at the end made every step up worth it. The whole loop is 2.6 km, with an elevation gain of over 100 m. We both enjoyed this hike very much; our only slight preference would have been to do it a couple of weeks later when the valley would be full of changing leaves.
Lindsay Lake Bison Farm
Bison are likely not the first animal you think of in the Musquodoboit Valley, but that will change after you visit Lindsay Lake.
German deer farmers Christiane and Jan Teerling, along with their sons Ian and Cedric, bought the farm in 2019 and began transforming it. With decades of experience in farming and forestry, they are turning their estate into what they’ve always dreamed of: a tourist destination centred on sustainability and appreciation for the land.
They are living up to their vision. Fence posts on the property are made from trees felled by Hurricane Fiona, and gravel was sourced on-site to build a road through. A bison herd was brought in from Ontario, and wild blueberries in their fields are used in their excellent bakery items. Campsites are available, as is a cottage situated in stillness.
It’s not possible to visit here without feeling a direct connection to the land, especially when walking the bison fence and spying on those lumbering but majestic animals from a distance. Even better is to opt for the picnic option and enjoy a meal as they amble around within view.
In 2025, visitors will also be able to enjoy a restaurant and store, and the butchery will produce items to take home. You can bet we’ll be back for that.
Where We Stayed
A trip centred on nature feels complete when the accommodations back it up! That’s precisely what FlowEdge Riverside Getaway offers.
As the name suggests, FlowEdge sits on the edge of the Musquodoboit River, immersed in forest. The opportunities to continue connecting with nature are abundant: the luxurious domes offer ample visibility and light, the encircling decks are spacious, and the cedar, wood-fired hot tub for two is intimate and smells like the woods surrounding it. Hiking trails are also marked across the property.
Everything about FlowEdge is well thought out. They even have an extensive “Add-ons” menu that gives you the option of a late checkout, romantic package, firewood or meal options. Given that it is some distance from town, we also opted for a dining package that included dinner and breakfast from the famed Lupin Dining (yum!), which was in our fridge on arrival. We loved our stay!
This post was produced by us, and sponsored by Discover Halifax.
