So you want to go on a hike, and this one particularly because the horses caught your attention.. First, let’s be clear Pollett’s Cove is not a hike, it’s a back-country adventure and if you go on to read this article and underestimate that statement, you won’t have much fun or perhaps, get very far.
The trail and how to get there
Pollett’s cove is a wilderness estuary hidden on the northwest coast of the Cape Breton Island, it can be found by following the Cabot Trail until Pleasant Bay taking the same road as the Gampo Abbey Monastery, Red River Road until its end where the trail takes you in for it’s 10km adventure through the woods, along the coastlines, close to cliff edges, over what feels like 3 mountains and across multiple rivers. On your trek to the cove the first 2 hours feels like you’ve walked up Kelly’s Mountain or worse and to get technical your not wrong. There are no masters at this hike it is completely acceptable to look like you need lung support and multiple towels. It’s a tough one. The hike above sea level is an elevation of 830m. Tell me it was easy i dare you.
The trail and the cove is home to many so you may spot more then just horses. Whales and seals are common sightings as well as moose, bears and coyotes. We didn’t see any other wildlife besides the horses but i wasn’t disheartened i mean moose, bear and coyotes aren’t typically the things I, myself want to see when strolling through the woods. I thank my bear bell i annoyed my friends with 🙂
Once your at the last hill the view is absolutely stunning. I’m sure pictures could never do justice. Valleys of fluorescent green hills floods the area with a river breaking up through the middle, an endless blue cobblestone beach with driftwood washed up like it was set there perfectly, horses roaming freely everywhere. Being surrounded by so much beauty it’s hard not to feel whole and connected presently especially with no cell service.
Wild Horses
Are the horses wild? No… but yes. There are many stories on how the horses got to the cove They’re brought down by the residents of the Gampo Abbey Monastery whom in which let them roam for most of the year to graze and run freely at the cove. The horses don’t trek the trail of course, they’re offloaded close to the cove or on the beach itself. There are at least 10 or 11 at the cove this summer, one being a calve. The horses are fastidious about new visitors and their foreign objects they will invade your campsite and try to steal snacks but their company depends on the attention you give them, they’re fairly easy to brush off as you will find them to be very friendly.
Why choose an overnight stay?
The round trip adventure is 18km which is about 6-8 hours of hiking once you’ve arrived you will wish you planned more time to spend at the cove.
How to pack
Let’s be real, how to survive.
If you are going in and spending the weekend the trail is 13km roughly. If you don’t know there are 1320 steps in one kilometer so packing extra isn’t key at all.
Think reusable, light, economical when it comes to backpacking and of course, safety. There are many tips when it comes to backpacking, from what to pack down to what to wear specifically i wont be that extra, in fact i’ll list a few must have & hacks.
- Hiking Bag- You want to have a light bag that is comfortable with lots of storage in and outside of the bag. Water bladders are easy to access during hiking when thirsty as most have a tube that comes out of the bag for you to drink from, rather then unclipping your bottle or digging threw a packed bag. Water obviously isn’t weightless by carrying a water filter you can minimize the weight by refilling your reservoir after filtering from streams.
- Water bottle & water– You should have about 32 ounces of water every 2 hours while hiking. Make sure you have water for yourself in, while there, & on your way back.
- Garbage– They’re are no garbage bins at the cove and carrying garbage threw the woods typically isn’t the smartest idea a tip to do prior to packing, remove packaging off and choose reusable packaging that fits more then one item. Don’t litter at the cove. I noticed there were some cans left behind in fires, you will come to find the horses very curious of the fire and what items are lying around it. Cans and garbage alone is extremely dangerous for all wildlife. What you take in, take out.
- Food: Anything that doesn’t require refrigeration like trail mix, or whole fruits. Having too much in a place like this is never a good thing and having chip crumbs for breakfast also is not appetizing.
- Remember the cove isn’t a campground. Your making it one, so everything you don’t have won’t be there waiting for you and everything you forget it’s more then just a trip to the car…
Interesting facts
- The cove of 300-plus acres and was bought by a young man who won the lottery of $14.9 million, in the Lotto 6-49. Purchasing the Cove he prides himself for this purchase as it keeps the cove free from change where the horses can return.
- During the war a telegraph wire connected Polletts Cove to the rest of Nova Scotia so residents were warned of boats entering the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
- People have lived in the cove back in 1887 six families in total.
Your Dose of Kait 