Inspired by Montgomery
Kensington to Charlottetown
95 km | 4-7 days | Waypoints 15 to 18 to 32
From Kensington to Charlottetown through all the places that inspired Montgomery to write her famous novels. Many of the L. M. Montgomery Literary tour stops can be visited on this walk.
Kensington to Bayview: Section 15-16
Start your walk in Kensington where you will find the Kensington Railway Station, a National Historic Site of Canada and where Montgomery met Sir John and Lady Macdonald. The train station also hosts the Island Stone Pub, home of some of the Island’s best fish tacos.
This walk will take you though picturesque farmland and meandering rivers until you arrive at the small village of New London. The village has a wharf and is where Montgomery was born. Her birthplace is open to the public so build in some time to drop in. The Village Pottery shop has wonderful pottery and other crafts made by island artisans. If you are lucky, you will bump into George Dowdle, an oyster fisher with many tales to tell. You could take a break in this village and immerse yourself in the culinary world of Marilla Cuthbert from the beloved Anne of Green Gables novels. What types of foods would Marilla have made for Anne and Matthew? Using the Anne novels and L.M. Montgomery’s own cookbook as inspiration The Table Culinary Studio delves into Island history and you can create a delicious meal of traditional PEI recipes worthy of Marilla’s table.
Onward to Stanley Bridge, another wonderful fishing village. On a nice day, you can join the squealing teens jumping off the bridge for a refreshing swim. You will then enter Cavendish proper where Montgomery spent most of her young life. You can choose to walk through the Cavendish section of the Prince Edward Island National Park or walk through the municipality itself. Either way, these are the obligatory stops for any Montgomery fan:
- Montgomery Park where you will find the iconic Montgomery statue.
- L.M. Montgomery’s Cavendish home, the setting that inspired and enabled her to write.
- The National Historic
- Green Gables Heritage Place, Lover’s Lane and the Haunted Wood
For more on Montgomery, see https://lmmontgomeryliterarytour.com
Bayview to Cymbria: Section 16-17
Head east along the spectacular shoreline of the National Park to the town of North Rustico, arguably one of the most beautiful fishing villages on PEI. You can watch the boats sail out of the harbour, purchase the freshest seafood right on the wharf and enjoy some of the most highly rated restaurants in the province.
Your walk then takes you to Rustico and the one of the oldest communities established in “La Nouvelle Acadie” following the Treaty of Paris in 1763 and is the oldest Acadian settlement in Prince Edward Island.
As you continue you will re-enter the National Park through the Brackley entrance and walk on the trail following the Gulf Shore Parkway right through Covehead, Stanhope, and finally Dalvay, site of the White sands Hotel in the Sullivan Films production of Anne of Green Gables.
Dalvay to Charlottetown: Section 17 to 32
Walking through farmlands, you will soon arrive in the capital city of Charlottetown where you can take in the theatre productions based on Montgomery’s works, try award winning restaurants, visit the birthplace of Canada and go for a sail on the water.
This itinerary is part of the Central Coastal Drive, Cavendish Beach and Discover Charlottetown.
For more information on these regions of PEI visit their websites.
