We were completely overwhelmed in deciding where to head next. Having thought we would just head straight out of here towards Quebec we just don’t feel we can leave this beautiful part of the world without seeing more of it.  So we consulted our map and flicked through the guidebook then fell back on that old faithful – did what the guy parked next to us suggested! It has always led us to great places in the past so we were hopeful it would do so again.

We left Dartmouth on Monday morning after starting our ‘home schooling’. We had given the kids (and us) a couple of weeks holiday – well and all the school books were packed in the van so we couldn’t have done too much till now anyway!! I’m sure it will get harder and they will put up more resistance but the first mornings ‘lesson’ sat in the sun felt like a pleasurable experience all round.

Drove out through Truro the ‘Hub of Nova Scotia’ and up to Pictou where we caught the free ferry over to Prince Edward Island. (Apparently they charge you when you leave the island). From what we saw we were emptily not to leave!! What an absolutely breathtakingly beautiful place.

The island is 175 miles across and has over 50 lighthouses. It feels like a really special place. Famous for being the birth place of LM Montgomery and the setting for her series of Anne of Green Gables books, there are grown women sporting plaits on every flyer! The lobster, clam and tuna from around these parts are pretty sensational and apparently even its potatoes are special – something to do with the rich red soil on the island.

The red rugged coastline around the island is stunning.   In our brief time there we have driven round the coastal road of only a very small part of it on the Eastern side and in truth we could have spent weeks, not days here. Just on this little stretch of coast they boast 34 beaches, 6 lighthouses, 24 harbours, 10 provincial parks and a national park. We have barely scratched the surface of all that this beautiful island has to offer. We spent 4 nights here.

Night 1 – Panmure Beach.

What an amazing setting! Us and one other van on the side of this harbour. Boys swam and we had a lovely walk along the saltmarshes at sunset. Swarms of mosquitos – literally dive bombing the roof lights trying to get in. Woke up half way through the night to their buzzing and had to have a killing spree before we could get back to sleep. Still woke to a face full of red welts!

Night 2 – Red Point.

An even more incredible spot than the day before. This time it was us and a little tent on a cliffs edge. Steps down onto the Singing Sands beach. The sand sings, well squeaks tunefully, when you walk on it. We had a lovely afternoon with the beach to ourselves.  Watching a group of gannets diving for fish just in front of us.

Night 3 & 4 – Cornwall.

A slightly busier campsite (may have been 5 vans in total) but this time on the river outside of Charlottetown. Parked on the waters edge again. Spent a couple of days chilling out, swimming and using the facilities.

Highlights of our time on PEI

Pulling up to a café in a tiny village called Shipwreck Point and watching 12 bald eagles swooping around our heads getting lobsters off the fishing boats and eating them on the cliff not 20 yards from where we were sat.

Visiting Cows Factory where they make the most delicious ice creams (the best in Canada!!) and their hilarious parody t shirts.

We got chatting to a fisherman just in from collecting up the contents of his lobster pots.  He let the kids hold one and taught them how to put it to sleep by stroking between it’s eyes – just like you do with babies – and it sent it off so much he was able to make it do a handstand on his cool box!