WATERFALLS OF NOVA SCOTIA

EGYPT FALLS (aka Appin Falls, Piper's Glen Falls)
Pipers Glen, Inverness County
N 46° 1 1 .600 W 061 ° 07.737
20T E 644373 N 51 1 7230

photo: Sylvia Fisher (2011)

RIVER: McFarlanes Brook
CLASS: stepped cascade
SIZE: 1 5'
RATING: excellent (****1 /2)

TRAIL: woods path
DISTANCE: 1 km
HIKING TIME: 1 hour
CONDITIONS: moderate

Geocache: GCC10

NS Atlas Page: 1 2/Y2
NS topo map: 011K03 (Lake Ainslie)

photo Ian MacDougall (2009)

DIRECTIONS: from Port Hawkesbury, follow the Transcanda
Highway (Route 1 05) north 44km to Whycocomagh, turning left
onto HWY395 towards Margaree. Travel approximately 31 km to
Upper Margaree, then turn right onto Egypt Road. Follow this
road approximately 2km, watching for a small house with a red
roof. Across from this is Pipers Glen Road, with a tiny white
bridge visible. Drive up that road exactly .9 km and keep watch
for a small white and blue sign on your right side for Egypt falls.
The trail head is marked with an orange post.

photo by Dino Nardini (2014)

Trail Description: From the trailhead the path follows a steep
downhill trend under a thick canopy of trees. Much of the path is
criss-crossed with exposed tree roots and boulders, some
creating natural stairwells. The trail is well used, and easy to
follow. The last 250 metres of the trail follows switchbacks down
a rock wall before dropping you into the canyon below the falls.
To assist in the steep descent into the canyon the trail is lined
with climbing rope hand rails.

trail to the falls. photo: Robert Pierrynowski (2005)

Originally named Appin Falls, after the Stewart family of Appin, Scotland, who settled near the falls in the 1800s; Egypt Falls is also referred to as "Pipers Glen Falls". An oddity amongst Nova
Scotia waterfalls, these falls are some sixty feet in breadth while only being twenty-five feet high.

photo by Tammy Aucoin (2014)

They fall over one steep cascade into a pool and then over a second steep cascade to the brook below. The scenery is unrivalled and should definitely be on your To-Do list of Nova Scotia waterfalls.
Near Lake Ainslie, one of the largest freshwater lakes in Nova Scotia, the fishing is superb, and
the nearby Margaree River is considered one of the finest salmon rivers in North America.
Birdwatchers will be well rewarded here as well as there are healthy populations of owls, eagles,
osprey, loons and herons. There are numerous places to picnic and swim- the easiest is the
Provincial Day Park and Beach on the east side of the lake, and there are several campgrounds
around the lake for overnight stays.

photo by Rob Romard (2014)

Plan to stop at the MacDonald House Museum in East Lake Ainslie – especially for the
panoramic views of the lake. The house was built by Charles MacDonald in 1 839. The museum
has displays of farm implements, a schoolroom, a post office and the home is furnished in the
style found in the 1850's. Also worth a visit is the Scottsville School of Crafts, which is home to
the local weavers guild.