Alrighty, weighing in on my Island Walk sections hike over the past week. I am a hiking and backpacking lover, with a few long trails under my experience (Appalachian Trail 2018, Inca Trail, LHT, Batona Trail to name a few). I’m from New Jersey (East coast of the USA) and traveled by car to PEI. My itinerary for my section hike is below:
Kensington
Waypoint 15 – August 12
Arrived on the island and stayed at The Bryanton’s. They are not listed on the Island Walk website but you will walk past (I’m pretty sure) their B&B as you go through Kensington. If planning ahead, call and book! Cannot recommend this place enough! Doreen is a gem and has a wealth of knowledge of the island. Don’t miss out on this spot- you’ll have to google it to book ahead of time!
Dunedin- Victoria
Section 1-2 – August 13
Drove to Ebb Tide B&B where the owner Jean drove us to the start of the section and walked 7km with me in order to prepare for her Camino in September. Beautiful walk with lots of red roads and main roads, past lots of farms. The trail meanders through the roads and spots you out right out onto the water for the final stretch of trail. Victoria is a fantastic little town and Ebb tide is right there just one street off the trail. Jean is the best and extremely accommodating and appreciates the outdoors while holding a wealth of knowledge about the island. Stay here while doing this section!!!!
Miminegash – Christopher Cross
Section 8-9 – August 14
Stopped in O’Leary to check out the potato museum on my drive to Tignish. Knocked a poutine and Pepsi down for lunch then dropped my car off at Tignish Heritage Inn where Tiny shuttled me to and from trail that day. Barbra and Tiny run a wonderful transportation for walkers and it is a must to set up here for the walk around the cape. The Inn is outstanding and comfortable. This section was a road walk, which tested my feet and my mind! However, the views you get of the water are great and there is a nice public road that leads you down to a nice beach spot to soak your feet and have a snack.
Christopher Cross – Anglo Tignish
Section 9-10 – August 15
My favorite section I did! Absolutely stunning!! This is a non negotiable section if you are planning to section pick. The solitude of the wind farms and then the boardwalk around the cape was spectacular! After you get past the light house the road walk was uneventful, but the time at the tip was amazing. Fun fact- free museum entry when you mention you stayed at the Tignish Heritage Inn. Also grab a bag of Ketchup chips and a soda, park yourself on a bench overlooking the water and have yourself a lovely afternoon rest.
Prince Edward Island National Park, Cavendish
Section 16-17 – August 16
Sad to depart the Heritage Inn, but as the saying goes- onwards! I did have my car so I headed to the North shore for the next few days. The next two days I chose my own adventure and did a lot of beach walking through this area of the park. It was lovely! Camped at the KOA in Cavendish and explored North Rustico. Blue Mussel Cafe was delicious- highly recommended but it gets crowded to get there early to get on the waitlist.
PEI National Park- Greenwich Floating Boardwalk
St. Peter’s Bay Area, off Waypoint 20 – August 17
Take the suggestion to do the Greenwich floating dock trail as the Island Walk website suggests for this section (20-21). It was GORGEOUS! Roughly 3 miles out and back in total (sorry for mileage vs KM conversion!) and it was a lovely afternoon spent swimming on the beach. Snagged Rick’s Fish ‘n’ Chips afterward (so good!!) then stayed at the Rodd Crowbush Golf Resort for the night.
New Zealand – Elmira
Section 22-23 – August 18
Figured out transportation with Dave and Sandy (Siren’s Beach Motel– highly recommended to stay here a few days to explore this whole area) and Dave dropped me off at NZ so I can hike through the final section of the Confederation Trail. Beautiful forest walk that was lovely in the pouring rain- thankful for coverage that day!! I was excited to be in the green tunnel (as us East coast hikers in the states call it) and saw some cyclists enjoying this beautiful stretch. Sirens is beautiful and I wish I got to stay longer here, but this was my last night of my trip. Sandy has turned the motel into such a comfortable place to relax and their proximity to a basically private beach is unmatched- this is a must stay for your walk around the Eastern cape of the island, with Sandy and Dave being extremely accommodating with transportation (email beforehand).
Fortune Bay
Section 24-25
I concluded my adventure with the Fireworks Feast down in Fortune Bay. All I can say it if you are able to splurge on this experience, do it. Michael Smith is a culinary wizard and this farm experience was not only delicious but the best dining “experience” I have ever had. It’s about a 5 hour affair but worth it!
Back to New Jersey
Yes-, drove 16 straight hours back home after having a wonderful sleep at Sirens. The end. 
Pros of the Walk
- I love hiking alone and I seldom ran into anyone.
- Accommodations were awesome! The people of PEI are gems of humans and everyone was so kind to this random gal from the states! Thank you to all. You also have a bed and shower at the end of your walking day which is always a treat to backpacking with a tent.
- The coastal parts of this trail are beautiful and relaxing!
- Extremely easy to follow- well done with the trail markings and website information.
Cons/Suggestions
- This hike is expensive with all of the accommodations and transportations you do need to complete it (however, it makes the walk in its entirety a comfortable experience).
- There is a great deal of planning to figure out how you’re getting from point A to point B. The sections will end on a random road and since there is no stealth camping, you have to either walk to an accommodation or have someone pick you up. I just used my own research, but I think using the recommended companies to help plan will save you a lot of time!
- Providing more camping options close to the end markings would make this more palatable to hikers. Not sure if someone is able to work with the home owners/areas the trail crosses to provide most cost effective camping options. This will also allow walkers to not be set on section distances since there would be more accommodations available at different points.
- Provide the km distances for written directions would be helpful. Again- this trail is EASY to follow, but when you’re walking on a road for an hour without a sign in sight, a total km for that section would ease some of the fears that you “missed a turn”.
- Bring bug repellent, water, rain gear, and a bug net each day. This will ensure you will be comfortable for your day’s journey as the bugs can be rough, it will randomly rain, and there are usually no places to stop and get water.
I love long distance hikes/walks. It truly is amazing to see how your mind can literally do anything and all it takes is just one foot in front of the other.
PEI you were lovely and the people even better- enjoy this beauty you have! I will definitely be back!
– Amy (Trail Name: Zippy)