Camino Nova Scotia - Annapolis Valley - September 24-30, 2023

Date and Time: Sunday September 24 to Saturday Sept 30, 2023 (five days of walking)

Location: Harvest Moon Coastal Trail, from Grand Pré to Annapolis Royal, NS

Cost: $800 + $100 non-refundable deposit + optional shuttle (price TBA)

Refund Policy: 100% until August 24; 50% between August 25 and September 11; no refund after September 12. Deposit ($100) is nonrefundable.

About this Event:

Few places are as beautiful in the fall as Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley. Our five days of local Camino on this spiritual journey will take us the length of the Valley, including seacoast, forest, and lakeside walking, and strolls alongside apple orchards and vineyards in initial sections. The Harvest Moon Trailway is a “rail to trail” shared-use path, meaning that pilgrims share the road in initial sections with bicyclists, and in later sections with occasional four-wheelers. The Trail is hard-packed surface its entire length, with some paved sections. Camino Nova Scotia pilgrims benefit from the gentle grades of a former train line and the warmth of small Maritime communities, while experiencing, on foot, the beauty, scenery, and culture of the Annapolis Valley.

Start time: 7:00 pm Sunday September 24 (optional shuttle leaves Halifax 3:30 pm to allow participants to have supper on arrival in the Valley)

End time: 11:00 am Saturday September 30 (optional shuttle to return to Halifax arriving approx. 1:00 -1:30 pm)

Details:

As with all Camino NS pilgrimages, our Camino is both local, and guided. Camino NS staff will be on hand to facilitate the walking, the pilgrim accommodation, luggage transportation, and to remind walkers not only of the long history of pilgrimage, but also of the Acadian, English, Loyalist, and Mi’kmaw heritage of the land we are walking.

“The 110-kilometre (68 miles) Harvest Moon Trailway traverses the Annapolis Valley through beautiful towns along the former railbed, connecting the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Grand Pré to the historic seaside town of Annapolis Royal.” (Adapted from the Harvest Moon Trailway website).

While the Trailway is not difficult to walk, distances during the week range from 14 to one day (only one!) of almost 30 km. There will be opportunities to walk with Camino NS staff or to check in with them at every stage of each day. The routine for this Valley walk will involve some participant help with meals (clean up etc.). There will be regular opportunities to learn more about the area and about pilgrimage, and a daily, optional, time of spiritual reflection based for this walk primarily on Christian themes and texts. This year we will be spending two nights at Berwick Camp, a lovely oasis of trees in the midst of the Valley. Annapolis valley offers our Camino wonderful opportunities. Past groups of walkers even stumbled upon a lobster sale, resulting in an impromptu lobster dinner!

Leadership Team: Matthew Anderson, Director of Camino Nova Scotia, and staff TBD

To Register:

First – reserve your place by signing up here on Eventbrite, with your non-refundable deposit of $100.

Second – Camino Nova Scotia will send a FULL registration packet to you by email. This packet will give you more complete info and help us to learn any concerns you have about diet, sleeping mats, transportation, etc.

Third – Return the forms in the registration packet by email. Your Nova Scotian Camino awaits!

Accommodation and Transportation: Accommodation for most overnights will be on mats in sleeping bags, in church halls along the route. Two nights will be on beds at Berwick Camp, but using our own sleeping bags. Participants must provide their own sleeping bag and pillow (which will be transported by vehicle along the route). Those not bringing an air mattress or sleeping mat must request one beforehand.

The walk begins at Grand Pré, NS. For those who are not driving directly to the trailhead but require shuttle transport to and from the Atlantic School of Theology, Halifax, a shuttle can be booked at an additional cost.

Health precautions: Because COVID-19 continues to be a concern, we require participants to be vaccinated against COVID.

To learn more about the trail, go to: https://destinationtrailsnovascotia.com/trails/harvest-moon-trailway/

To learn more about the Annapolis Valley, go to: http://valleytourism.ca/

To learn more about Camino Nova Scotia, go to: www.CaminoNovaScotia.ca

Brought to you by: Camino Nova Scotia

Need more info or have a question? No problem. Simply email Camino Nova Scotia to find out more: camino@astheology.ns.ca

Contact person: matt.anderson@astheology.ns.ca