Milford House Nova Scotia

Milford House, Milford, Nova Scotia


Looking at the destinations of our travel blog one would think we never travel within Canada / Nova Scotia.  To some extent that is true.  Yest we have been to Newfoundland and St. Pierre et Miquelon (1983), were out west (1998) and in our younger days we camped in New Brunswick and regularly in Prince Edward Island.  We have been to Ontario many times, although less so since we started the travel blog.

In Nova Scotia we have stayed at a number of Bed & Breakfasts in Wolfville / Grand Pre and, again in our younger days camped both at Kejimikujik (Keji) - including back woods sights with Katrina and Paul, and The Ovens where we regularly attended the Chapin Family Concert weekend.

The place we have been returning to over the last decade has been Milford House, between Keji and Annapolis Royal.  Milford House is comprised of a lodge and 28 'rustic' cabins, primarily built in the 1920s. 

The history of Milford House is extensive.  A 'road' (now Route 8) passed the ribbon of lakes that was the wilderness home of the Mi'kmaq.  By the mid 1800s the route connected travelers from the Annapolis Valley to the Atlantic Ocean.  Settlers arrived on horseback to claim land grants or to work in the lumber mills along the many waterways.  Abraham and Mary Thomas, along with their son Adelbert (Del).  Their first home was a small cabin that Abraham had built around 1860 with logs from his mill.  The family then moved to a spot alongside the Thomas Brook - close to the eventual site of Milford House.  This early home was the foundation for what was to become a successful inn-keeping business. 

For the full history of Milford House please check out https://milfordhouse.ca/about/our-history/.


From our house in Dartmouth it is about a three-hour drive to Milford House, including a stop at the Wile Market outside of Bridgewater on the way and another stop or two at markets on the way home.  We usually do a circle, driving the the south-shore (in blue on the map) to arrive and then home through the Valley.



The lodge of Milford House.




A couple of examples of the warm welcome to Milford House.





The first couple of years we stayed in Lazyman - very nice but close to the road.  We then moved to the far end of the peninsula - to Little, which has been our 'go to' cabin for a number of years.  A bit of a walk down a hill from where one parks your car but extremely isolated, with a beautiful, elevated vista of the lake.

Here is a link to the cabin map https://milfordhouse.ca/facilities/map/ where you will find Little at the very top.  The cabin is secluded on Boot Lake.  There is a living room with rustic fireplace, two bedrooms (both with Queen beds), a bathroom with a shower.  There is a half fridge and a sink but no cooking facilities.  We bring our Coleman stove to cook some meals.  The porch has a view to the lakeside dock and beyond across the lake.




Inside the cabin - the living room.

 
One of the two bedrooms, the view out the door to the porch and the fireplace.





Normally we stay the last few (three) days near the end of July.  The weather has generally been excellent.  This year (2020) we went early July and hit a cold spell, with some rain.  Fortunately the cabins are supplied with lots of dry wood, making fires easy and enjoyable.










You will have noticed the meat, cheese and wine above.  Our practice is to have some meals in the Lodge and others at our cabin.  The afternoon / night we arrive we enjoy a simple charcuterie.  Here are a few more we have had over the years.








The views to the dock and across the lake are so serene and tranquil.




Gayle and Toledo relaxing on the dock.




The cabin as seen from the dock.  Little was built in 1923 for the children of North who lived in the nearby 'North' cabin, just a bit up the hill.



The Lodge is a gathering place with a couple of porches (one screened in), a lounge area, a library and a large dining area.  Cookies and coffee / tea are available throughout the day as is Wifi, which is not available in the cabins.

Here are the two porches.


The library and another comfortable sitting room.


In addition to a hanging canoe the wall are adorned with beautiful quilts.









The lodge serves breakfasts and dinners - not Michelin star but good wholesome, reasonably priced meals, always with a vegetarian option.

We normally have breakfast the second morning, dinner that evening and breakfast again the following morning.




In addition to the sounds of the birds and loons there are a number of chipmunks that frequent the area.  Not sure how nutritious this snack is but (s)he certainly seemed to enjoy the chips,.




Our tradition is to have spaghetti our last night.  While the cabin does not have a stove (two other cabins do hve cooking facilities) we bring our Coleman stove, as if we were camping and make a meal of spaghetti.






Then the last morning, rather than go to the Lodge we make our own breakfast while packing - sausage or bacon, fried or scrambled eggs, brown bread from Wile Market near Bridgewater, fresh strawberries, and some times fresh orange juice.




Reflections in a still lake.


Canoes stored for the night after sunset.


Frequently we will see canoeists pass by on the lake outside our cabin.


The view from our porch.




We have already reserved our spot for next year.