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There's no better way to experience the solitude and scenery of the southwest Nova Scotian hinterland than to head north 70km from Liverpool along Hwy 8 to Maitland Bridge, the entrance to the Kejimkujik National Park . This magnificent tract of rolling wilderness has a rich variety of forest habitats - both hardwood and softwood - interrupted by rivers and brooks linking about a dozen lakes. The park is a riot of wild flowers in the spring and autumn and provides cover for an abundance of porcupines, white-tailed deer and beavers, as well as three sorts of turtle - the Painted, the Snapping and, rarest of all, the Blanding's turtle, a green and yellow amphibian that grows to around 25cm. Hiking trails crisscross Kejimkujik, but the easiest way to explore the park and its flat-water rivers and lakes is by canoe. These can be rented for $24 a day - plus $30 deposit - from Jakes Landing (tel 682-2196; reservations recommended), roughly 10km by road from the entrance to the park. A couple of clearly defined, day-long canoe trips begin here, the delightful paddle amongst the islets of Kejimkujik Lake and an excursion up the Mersey River beneath a canopy of red maples. For overnight trips, the park has around fifty primitive campsites dotted along both canoe routes and hiking trails, which are a better bet than the large year-round campsite (reservations tel 1-800/414-6765) at Jeremys Bay , also 10km by road from the main entrance. A park entrance fee of $3.25 per adult per day is levied from mid-May to October. For backcountry camping, you must register at the information centre (mid-June to Aug daily 8.30am-9pm; Sept-May usually 8.30am-4.30pm; tel 682-2772), near the entrance, where you can also pick up detailed maps and trail advice. The best time to visit is in the early spring and autumn, when the insects aren't too troublesome: the blackfly peak between mid-May and late June. The nearest beds are at the eight-room, nineteenth-century Whitman Inn (tel 682-2226 or 1-800/830-3855, www.whitman.ns.ca ; $40-60) in Kempt , 4km south of Maitland Bridge on Hwy 8; the nearest town is Annapolis Royal , 50km to the north.
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