Shore thing

We drove along the southern shore of the St. Lawrence river last week, heading steadily eastwards and catching the occasional glimpse of the river to our left as the road climbed and fell. It was all very pleasant but nothing we hadn’t seen before in Quebec – small to medium farms, and small to medium villages and towns, with plenty of wooded areas in between.

Going coastal

East of Rimouski however, and it all changed, taking on a decidedly coastal feel. The road hugged the shore far more tightly, and the rises and falls when the route did deviate slightly from the shore were more pronounced, tracing rocky headlands overlooking the water.

Getting a maritime vibe

Small farms were still a feature, very pretty in wide valleys away from the coast. Houses – sometimes standing alone, and sometimes in a huddle – looked very east coast, with shingled roofs and often brightly painted wooden exteriors.

Coastal

The river becomes so wide at this point that it is often difficult to make out the north shore. Definitely coastal in feel and we shore liked it. Time wasn’t on our side for making multiple stops as we wanted to arrive and set up camp in the mountains before it was too dark.

Rocks

We did pull into one easily accessed roadside halt that was right on the shore. Rocky, seaweed-y and with small birds and large gulls at the waterside, it was great to breathe in maritime air and enjoy a brief break at the beach!

But onwards we had to go! More to follow about our Haut Gaspésie adventures. Spoiler alert: what a park the Parc National de la Gaspésie is. A real mountain treasure, and far more alpine than I’d thought it was going to be. Here’s a sneak peek of some peaks:

Onwards and upwards!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

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plaidcamper

I am a would be outdoorsman - that is if I had more time, skills and knowledge. When I can, I love being outdoors, just camping, hiking, snowboarding, xc skiing, snowshoeing, paddling a canoe or trying something new. What I lack in ability, I make up for in enthusiasm and having a go. I'd never really survive for long out there in the wild, but I enjoy pretending I could if I had to...

11 thoughts on “Shore thing”

  1. It’s always good to get to camp before dark. Those mountains (and the coastline) shore look gorgeous! Look forward to hearing more. Have a great weekend Adam. 😁

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    1. Thanks, Miriam! Yup, it’s a pain when the light fails. Normally manage ok. My worst was a late fall trip, we’d arrived by boat, total off grid rainforest location and it was raining. Had a relatively simple (in daylight) tiny solo tent and sleep pad to set up, but in the dark and wet and uneven ground, hmm, just about managed. No beer or wine on that trip, as it was an education program… what was I thinking?!
      Hope all is well with you!

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  2. Oh so fun to be on this road trip with you two. The river is so wide it looks like the ocean, shore is lovely (using your trick). I enjoyed the descriptions of the countryside and all your finds on this adventure, pc. Looking forward to hearing about the rest….

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    1. Thank you! Yup, Quebec is a province full of surprises – I was wondering, aside from the far north, how wild it really is here, and the mountainous region last week was pretty remote, at least in feel. Still haven’t seen a bear out this way though…
      What do you know? Everton didn’t squander a two goal lead and lose. A whole point on the board – progress!
      I hope your week is off to a great start!

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    1. Thanks, Jane! The beer is a really good stout if that’s your thing, a perfect sipper for cooler nights. And it’s definitely getting cooler this week!
      I hope your week is off to a great start!

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