New trail for the east coast
Island Trails in Prince Edward Island is proposing a new trail circumnavigating the Island along the coast
A new 700K trail using existing trails and service roads is in the works. Bryson Guptill, former president of Island Trails, has been proposing a trail that would circumnavigate Prince Edward Island. The non-profit Island Trails (previously Prince Edward Island Trails Inc.) is hoping to attract more tourists in the outdoor and adventure culture by promoting, expanding, and sustaining networks of trails in the province.
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Prince Edward Island was the first province in Canada to complete their section of The Great Trail. Currently on the east coast, people are able to enjoy the Confederation Trail, which is built along abandoned railway lines, and enters wetlands and hardwood groves. The new trail would complement the existing Confederation Trail by providing scenic views of the Atlantic ocean on Canada’s east coast.
Guptill is keen for locals and visitors to have the opportunity to walk around the entire island, “instead of down the middle.” The draft proposal has the trail traveling through communities along the route. The concept is to create something similar to the Camino de Santiago in Spain, allowing people to visit rural towns and villages on the east coast.
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There are about 12 rural communities that people would pass through, including Alberton, Tignish, Montague, Cardigan, and Wood Islands. The goal is that several hundred people would travel along the trail each year. Guptill imagines people “staying in bed and breakfasts, mostly, along the way.”
Guptill is currently finalizing details before meeting with the province to gain support for the idea.
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