Though rough and boggy at times, Grand Manan’s western-shore cliffs and eastern-shore beaches merit the 90 minute ferry trip form the mainland. This is some of the finest hiking in Atlantic Canada, and the island’s traditional fishing villages afford a picturesque base of operations.

The western shore of Grand Manan is a wall of rock 18 miles long and 300 feet high. The only haven along this coast is Dark Harbour, so called because the cliffs surrounding the cove keep it in shadow throughout the morning.

The interior is covered with marshes, heaths, and forests of birch, poplar, and spruce. It is also cut by deep ravines and laced with hiking trails, most of which cross the island’s spine to reach the cliffs on the western side.