PEI

Prince Edward Island – a pastoral idyll, Canada’s smallest province, and the birthplace of the nation. It was first known as 'Epekwitk' or “cradled on the waves”, a name given by the Mi’kmaq whose legend tells of the Great Spirit placing dark red crescent-shaped clay on the Blue Waters. Then the island saw French settlement, a British colony and a surprise invasion by two American pirates before it was given a new name (after the fourth son of King George III) and a starring role in the establishment of Canada. Even now the population of the entire province is barely a twentieth of Toronto’s, but it’s known as a relaxing holiday destination and – with its healthy crop of potatoes – one of Canada’s best places for fish and chips.

For a long Labour Day weekend, we set out to learn why the province’s capital, Charlottetown, is called the cradle of confederation. At the Charlottetown Conference in 1864, representatives from Lower Canada (today’s Ontario), Upper Canada (Quebec) and the Maritime colonies (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and PEI) set in motion the process that would lead three years later to the birth of the nation of Canada. (In fact, PEI subsequently voted against confederation, and only joined in 1873 when the province otherwise faced bankruptcy. But still, calling Charlottetown “the birthplace of Canada” attracts gullible tourists, so there we were.) Province House – PEI’s legislature where the meetings happened – is closed for renovations, but the next-door theatre (the Confederation Centre) houses a replica room for history-enthusiasts.

The guidebooks refer to Charlottetown as quaint, cosy, and really any words that suggest a rather charming sort of place where there isn’t a huge amount to do. Lonely Planet had advertised the thriving restaurant scene, and we enjoyed the excellent seafood and vegetarian dishes at the Brickhouse and the Pilot House. We also moseyed among the multitude of second-hand bookshops as well as the charming cafes of Victoria Row. And Charlottetown is famed for Cows Creamery with its locally made ice cream – so, naturally, we had to try some.

But, for us, the highlight of Charlottetown was Fanning Bank – a park in the west of the city that overlooks one of the Atlantic’s most gentle coastlines. It hosts the residence and gardens of PEI’s Lieutenant-Governor (an organist, so unquestionably a model of virtue and excellence) and beautiful views of the changing tides. Families were playing on the swings, couples were walking along the promenade, and the sea rolled in softly to the shore.

On the north of PEI sits Cavendish, famous in the literary world as the setting for Anne of Green Gables. The book – a meandering tale about how the world’s most annoying child becomes marginally less irritating – has somehow sold over 50 million copies and been translated into 36 languages, sharing PEI with an audience from around the world. We saw the farmstead that inspired Lucy Maud Montgomery, and the kitchen where she set pen to paper. It’s kitsch for sure – we forewent the opportunity to buy a straw boater with ginger pigtails – but the manicured gardens and wandering woodland trails were actually quite delightful.

The real draw of PEI is surely its renowned red beaches, their distinctive hue a result of iron oxide in the stone. Within minutes of walking along Cavendish beach we had left the swimmers and the sunbathers behind, alone beside dramatic rockfaces and swirling waves. Hundreds of visitors before us had left cairns of stones. And then, just a few metres away, above the sand dunes, we found a beautifully tranquil pond – the Lake of Shining Waters, for Anne fans – and hundreds of dragonflies.

PEI was the most gentle of our Canadian destinations so far. It overstates its role as Canada’s midwife, but in another way its story is the tale of Canada: the weaving together of Indigenous, French and British histories; communities built on agriculture and fishing; generations immigrating in the hope of a better life. If you ever set out on a Canadian tour, make sure you include a stop where the country was born.