Belledune to Bathhurst, New Brunswick Tour
Route #134 – a drive along a scenic water route of the Acadian coast
Karen tells the story
A lovely, easy drive in the heart of Acadian New Brunswick. Route (or Hwy) #134 runs long a scenic water coast with small towns all along the way to Bathurst. The route is a short drive, but with the stops along the way the trip took us a couple of days. We started in Belledune where we made the Belledune Campsite, right on the beautiful Bay of Chaleur our central spot. After busy days this was a quiet campsite to relax with a beach to enjoy the sunsets
First stop at the Jacquet River Salmon Barrier in Belledune. Part of the Jacquet River Salmon Restoration project, you can see a tankful of fry (young salmon). These fry will be acclimatized to the water of the Jacquet River and then released. A barrier keeps these salmon safe and they are monitored by the workers until they are big enough and then released. It is hoped they will return to spawn at the River when grown. There is an information centre where we adopted a fry and scenic spot to view the river.
Just a short hop of Route #134 and well worth the visit, Jacquet River Gorge, a protected area which requires some dirt road driving. Find your way to Paul’s Lookout for spectacular views of the Gorge.
Spend some time in Beresford, a town where you can stop and find a place to eat, either fine dining or fast food. There are beaches in the town, and we took a walk along the unique boardwalk with informative signs describing a unique butterfly in the area and the marsh. Came upon an imposing stone church, with a graveyard attached. The day was dreary, so it made for some moody photographs. However, I can’t remember the name of the church. If you know please contact me.
Also, just off the Route #134 but take the time to visit while in this area, Village Historique Acadien, a living museum with historical site houses portraying day to day lives of Acadian families from 1770 – 1949. Click here to view Village Historique Acadien blog.