In which Karen dips into the Atlantic ocean and we demonstrate a firm grasp of island time.
We gathered for a good breakfast at 7:30 – 8:00 and were ready to mount bikes and ride by 9:30. We are firmly on island time now…
Our route today took us back on the bike route through PEI National Park, battling headwinds gusting up to 40 km/hr. It was bliss to get a row of trees blocking the wind on the exposed parts, even if they were dead trees from Hurricane Fiona.
Dead or not, they were an effective and appreciated windbreak!
A quick stop early on at an old lighthouse yielded a free facial, as the beach side wind gusts spat up a good amount of sand which stuck to the sunscreen liberally applied to the face.
Glad I was wearing runners today as it made the sand walking much easier. Bless those two-sided pedals…
Dalvay Inn from across Dalvay Lake on the way out – originally a home for one extremely wealthy family with the habit of lots of entertaining.
We wound our way around the point and caught another bike trail which passed by some lovely and well kept houses; the debate was on whether these were part time summer cottages or full time residences. One typical Cape Cod style house was particularly attractive:
The bike trail followed the water around the point
Lovely cycling, but still fairly windy with a cross head wind at this point.
We passed the craft shop with the lovely garden but didn’t go in – most of the others had ridden by it yesterday so went in for a visit. We had a brief rest at the top of hill, as we had lots of thyme….
We were looking forward to the next section, which had a very brisk tailwind! It was indeed fun, and the wind helped to speed us up the undulations so we made excellent time.
Lunch stop was at Fin’s Folk, a place down by the beach in a lovely location. I got my lobster roll – another tick!
It had lovely views from up top and a spectacular beach, with a few people out enjoying the views.
you can certainly see the weather coming here
some of our group enjoying lunch
more beautiful red sand beaches running for miles
We rolled back to the hotel at 2 p.m. and had time to do the inevitable laundry, clean ourselves up and then Jill, Henry and I trotted across the road on foot to see Dalvay Beach. It was absolutely lovely – a very unusual texture to the sand made it feel like a foot massage walking on it in bare feet and again invigorating albeit a tad cold.
Miles of spectacular sand, and nary a soul to be seen unlike Stanhope Beach yesterday.
I had a swim and Jill took many pictures, practising with her new camera – Henry incongrously took out his cellular phone, only recently acquired, and called a Scottish friend, prompted by our visit today to the first Scottish settlement in PEI. We were driven in by a few sprinkles of rain starting.
Dinner was leftovers from lunch, plus crackers and Brie, washed down by Raasay whiskey, in the conservatory adjacent to my room. An elegant finish to a lovely and relaxed day.
Highlights: Beaches!