At the end of French River Road, we turned left onto Route 347. Quick note: as of June 22, 2025, there were barricades blocking Route 347 heading north — not sure where the closure begins, but it’s worth keeping in mind.
Last weekend, Bowman and I had driven through the Garden of Eden on Route 347, and I’d fallen in love with the scenery. Today, we were back again, absolutely beautiful area. At the end of Route 347, in Aspen, we turned right onto Highway 7, then five kilometers later turned left onto Melrose Country Harbour Road. Our first stop was the Country Harbour Community Centre, where we plugged into their free JuiceBox charger.
Before we even parked, Mofe spotted the playground and I noticed a tennis court — and immediately thought, “I wish I’d brought my racquets.” The kids (18, 16, 14, and 7) jumped out and ran straight to the playground. Sure, there wasn’t much else to run to, but they were all in the spirit of making their own fun — and that they did.
While they played, I wandered a bit and spotted a small tent across the lawn. It was low, compact, and clearly meant for one or two. Curious, I walked over and found a note: Bailey and Stoney were hiking the Trans Canada Trail and had set up camp to rest and recharge. Pretty awesome!
After about 30 minutes (and a lot of bug bites), the kids were ready to move on. From Country Harbour, we followed Route 316 to the Goldboro Interpretive Centre. Though the centre itself was closed, the charger was live and free. We soaked in the beautiful views along Isaac’s Harbour before hitting the road again.
Next up: Tor Bay and Tor Bay Provincial Park.
There’s no charger there, but it was worth taking in. The roadside views are just as beautiful as the Provincial Park.
In the park we strolled the boardwalk, checked out a few ponds, and made our way to the beach. The sand was grayish and incredibly fine — some of the nicest I’ve walked on. No one was brave enough to swim; the water was cold. But we had the entire beach to ourselves — just the sound of crashing waves and the distant laughter of kids running from waves… and each other.
Back in the car, getting hungry, and no restaurant in sight, we drove on to the Communities Along The Bay Multi-Use Facility in Larry’s River. The charger’s behind the green building on the left — another free JuiceBox! This was one of our longer stops. The facilities were great: a tennis court with backboards and basketball hoops, ball hockey nets, and a mix of equipment including basketballs, volleyballs, footballs, and more. Even I felt like a kid again. After about 90 minutes, we packed up — but not before a final dash to the playground. This stop was probably the most fun of the day.
Next up was Canso — hopefully with food! We made a few photo stops along the way, including Place Savalette in Port Felix, where the views were stunning. Once in Canso, we cruised around before stopping at AJ’s Dining Room and Lounge. By 2:45 p.m., we were finally eating. We ordered and shared: 3-piece fish and chips, 3-piece chicken and fries, a donair, and a poutine. It hit the spot.
First food since we hit the road—and we tore into it. Managed a pic, but only after half was already devoured.
Bellies full, we headed to Atwater Park in Boylston — a beautiful little park with a playground, swings, picnic tables, a porta-potty, a free JuiceBox, and a great view. The kids played for 45 minutes, giggling the whole time.
Next, we made our way to the St. Francis Harbour Recreation Facility. I
may or may not have driven past it and had to circle back — but hey, that’s part of the adventure. Even with no building in sight, they had another free JuiceBox ready to go.
And again, we found a tennis court, basketball hoops, and a mix of sports equipment including hockey sticks and whiffle balls. There weren’t any actual tennis balls, but we made it work and had a blast. Unfortunately though, I forgot to get my camera out, so I am unable to show you the facility. My apologies.
Finally, we made our way to Auld’s Cove, followed Route 4 until it spit back out onto the Trans-Canada, and with the rain starting to fall, we headed
home.
446kms, 4.9L/100kms