Eastport Peninsula trails will be 'hiker's dream' after $500K facelift, says co-ordinator

Work began on the $500,000 upgrade/extension of the Eastport Peninsula Trail system last year and despite wear, tear and weather damage, considerable progress was made this summer.

Project co-ordinator Kevin Robinson says the trail already attracts tourists from around the world.

"We've met people from any European country you can name, Australia, all of the U.S., everywhere," Robinson said.

"And we just sort of said, let's make this into a little bit larger trail system and attract more people."

The revitalization effort was the brainchild of the Road to the Beaches Trail Association, which has received funding from both the provincial and federal governments. The money will be used to replace and repair existing sections of the trail as well as extend and connect others.

Born from ashes

The trail system was born as a make-work project intended to provide employment to locals who lost their jobs when the Salvage fish plant was destroyed by fire in 2001.

The trails have drawn many tourists to the area over the years but time and weather have taken their toll. The end goal is to expand the trail, but repairs are crucial as well.

"A lot of the boardwalks had to be replaced. These are essentially pieces of wood sitting on the ground, so they're half submerged in water. and the air and the salt water and all the rest of it has just destroyed them,"  Robinson said.

All of the wooden boardwalks had to be replaced and lookouts — older than the trails themselves — had to be repaired as well. During one particularly bad bout of weather an entire section of the salvage trail was washed away entirely.

"The intent was to have it done in two years, this being the second year," Robinson said.

"It's now looking like it's going to be into next year.… It's essentially a three-year project."

It's a proud province. They're proud of their heritage and they're proud of the nature and the landscape.- Kevin Robinson

The inhabitants of the surrounding communities have done all they can to facilitate the project, including lending tools and offering storage space. Robinson says they're happy to promote the area and share its beauty with people from all over.

'Everybody sees the benefit of it in the tourism trade and the people coming here from all over. It's a proud province. They're proud of their heritage and they're proud of the nature and the landscape," Robinson said.

In expanding the trail, workers have been co-opting historic paths that connect the communities and were used long before the advent of the automobile. Robinson hopes that people walking the trail might get a sense of what life was like in a time long past.

The Salvage section of the trail is particularly appealing to those interested in provincial heritage, with five graveyards dating back to the 1700s.

If the history of the area doesn't captivate people, Robinson is betting the rugged beauty of the terrain and stunning ocean views will.

The trail exists mostly along the coast, providing ample opportunities for whale watching and iceberg sightings. The environments walkers encounter offer a variety of wetlands, woods, and rocky outcrops.

"There's a large cliff system. The trail will run right underneath that. It's about 50  feet high.… It's a whole microclimate down at the bottom of it. It's a really, really neat spot to be at," Robinson said.

The trail was designed with all types of hikers in mind. The majority will be accessible to most, but some sections will offer a challenge and are designed to appeal to more seasoned hikers.

Despite some of the hurdles the workers faced, Robinson is confident that the fully realized trail system will be available for hikers to enjoy next summer.

"When it's all said and done it'll be over 30 kilometres long and it'll connect from Happy Adventure to Salvage and it'll be a hiker's dream," Robinson said.

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