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Heading north from Owen Sound, Hwy 6 scoots up the middle of the Bruce Peninsula to reach - after about 100km - the turning for the Bruce Peninsula National Park at Cyprus Lake . The park is a mixture of limestone cliff, rocky beach, wetland and forest that's best visited in June when the wild flowers are in bloom and it's not too crowded. At Cyprus Lake are the park's headquarters and campsites (reservations on tel 519/596-2263). Four hiking trails start at the northern edge of Cyprus Lake and three of them connect with one of the most dramatic portions of the Bruce Trail . Just 11km beyond the Cyprus Lake turning, Hwy 6 slips into TOBERMORY , a bustling fishing village and holiday resort at the northern tip of the peninsula. There are no sights as such, but it's a pleasant spot, its tiny centre focused on a slender inlet, the Little Tub harbour . Here, car ferries (May to late June & early Sept to mid-Oct 2-3 daily; late June to early Sept 4 daily; $11.20 one-way, cars $24.50; reservations tel 1-800/265-3163) leave for South Baymouth on Manitoulin Island and passenger boats shuttle out to Fathom Five National Marine Park . At the back of the harbour, the National Park Visitor Centre (June & Sept Mon-Fri 9am-4.30pm; July & Aug daily 9am-9pm; tel 519/596-2233) covers both of the Bruce Peninsula's national parks, issuing maps and free brochures. The Fathom Five National Marine Park is known across Canada for the excellence of its diving; the waters are clear and are dotted with around twenty shipwrecks. Prospective divers must register in person at the harbourfront Registration Centre (mid-May to Oct daily 8am-4.30pm; tel 519/596-2503). Diving gear can be hired footsteps away at G&S Watersports (tel 519/596-2200, gswater@kanservu.ca ). There are a dozen or so hotels and motels in and around Tobermory, mostly brisk, modern affairs that are comfortable without being especially charming. The pick is the Grandview Motel (tel 519/596-2220, fax 596-8045, grandview@log.on.ca ; $60-80), with eighteen spick-and-span rooms on the east side of the harbour at the junction of Bay and Earl streets. A second good choice, also on the east side of the harbour, is the two-storey, balconied Blue Bay Motel (tel 519/596-2392 or 1-800/935-4373, fax 519/596-2335, bluebay@kanservu.ca ; $60-80). The Grandview Motel has the town's best restaurant with views out across the harbour and tasty, reasonably priced dishes with seafood a speciality - try the whitefish and ocean perch. There are also several lively bars and cafes beside the harbour - the Crow's Nest is as good as any.
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