About Birchdale

The Birchdale environment encourages creativity such as photography, writing, painting and music. There are also opportunities for Yoga, woodworking and kayaking on the lakes. Other activities include swimming, volleyball, board games in the lodge, books in the library or simply get your hands in the dirt in the garden! The lodge and library/chapel buildings provide ideal meeting/workshop space for visiting groups.


Rustic, no frills, a place to enjoy the simple life, Birchdale is a peaceful getaway, a retreat to solitude in a beautiful, almost mystical setting. Come and enjoy walks through the woods, listen to the call of the loons, watch the stars in the dark night sky and even the Northern Lights if you are lucky!

 

 

Birchdale offers a unique experience in a remote setting in south west Nova Scotia. Built a century ago with oxen and wood carts hauling felled trees across a frozen lake, the Birchdale hunting lodge was created. For seventy five years guides led hunters and fishermen through woods, across lakes and down streams. People came from as far afield as Europe and many of the pictures and guest books still exist around the tables of the lodge today.

In the 1970's the property was purchased by a group of monks and became the Nova Nada Monastery. The monastery operated for twenty five years, continuing to attract guests from home and abroad.

Situated on 56 wooded acres, the property surrounds one of four connected lakes. It includes the original log lodge, cabins, a woodworking shop, kitchen, office and two connected octagonal buildings that house the library and chapel built by the monks. There is also a one acre fenced garden that encloses lawns, flower and vegetable beds and even a little cabin.

There are six cabins situated around the edge of the lake with full baths and wood burning stoves. Three of them also have fireplaces. Each has gas lamps and a two-burner gas hot plate, the main cooking facilities being located in the kitchens at the lodge and kitchen/office.

Located seven miles down a dirt road, there is no electrical service. The lodge, library/chapel and kitchen/office have limited electrical power provided by an on-site generator. There is a phone in the office. Ten miles away there is a post office/gas station/store which sells very basic foodstuffs and great ice cream!

Places nearby...Yarmouth, 35 miles from Birchdale, is the nearest large town with restaurants, supermarkets, shops, library, etc. This is also the port for the ferries from Bar Harbour and Portland, Maine.

 

 


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