Frequently Asked Questions, Lochaber Lake Lodges

Question 1

Where are Lochaber Lake Lodges?

Accepted Answer

Our five log lodges sit on the west side of Lochaber Lake in Antigonish County, Nova Scotia, just off Highway 7 between Antigonish and Sherbrooke. Antigonish and St. Francis Xavier University are about 30 minutes away. Halifax is about two and a half hours by car, and the Canso Causeway to Cape Breton is about an hour and fifteen minutes.

Question 2

How many guests can each lodge sleep?

Accepted Answer

Lake View Cottage sleeps 8 (three bedrooms, two bathrooms). Homesteader Lodge sleeps 7 (three bedrooms, two bathrooms). Islander Lodge sleeps 7 (three bedrooms, one bathroom). Summit Lodge sleeps 6 (two bedrooms including a loft, one bathroom). Retreat Lodge sleeps 4 (two bedrooms, one bathroom). Together the five lodges sleep up to 32 guests.

Question 3

Can we book all five lodges for a group or event?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Groups book the whole property for family reunions, weddings, class reunions, ladies' weekends and holiday parties, with room for up to 32 guests. The Lochaber Community Centre and Fireloch are nearby for larger gatherings. See lochaberlakelodges.com/en/event-bookings or call 1-833-562-4227.

Question 4

Is there a cleaning fee or pet fee?

Accepted Answer

No. Our rates are all-in, with no cleaning fee and no pet fee. Booking direct at lochaberlakelodges.com costs less than booking the same lodge through Airbnb, Vrbo or Booking.com, because those platforms add their own fees on top of our rate.

Question 5

Are the lodges open in winter?

Accepted Answer

Yes, all five lodges are open year-round. Every lodge is heated and has a private hot tub that runs all winter. Four lodges have gas fireplaces and Lake View Cottage has a wood pellet stove. Through the holiday season the lodges are decorated for Christmas.

Question 6

Which lodges are on the lakefront?

Accepted Answer

Lake View Cottage, Homesteader Lodge and Islander Lodge sit on the lakefront. Lake View Cottage has its own dock. Summit Lodge and Retreat Lodge share lake access: Summit with a shared lake house, deck and dock, and Retreat with a large pebble beach.

Question 7

Do you have a wheelchair-accessible lodge?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Summit Lodge is barrier-free and suits guests who use a wheelchair or have limited mobility.

Question 8

What are check-in and check-out times?

Accepted Answer

Check-in is at 4:00 pm and check-out is at 11:00 am. Every lodge has self check-in with a keypad, so you can arrive whenever suits you after 4:00 pm.

Question 9

Are you pet friendly?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Each lodge welcomes up to two pets, each up to 90 pounds (45 kg), and pets stay free.

Question 10

Can we book a private chef?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Chef Audrey Duggan can cook a sit-down meal in your lodge or stock your fridge with ready-to-heat meals. Please book ahead. Details are at lochaberlakelodges.com/en/private-chef-services.

Question 11

What is the fishing like in the lake?

Accepted Answer

Lochaber Lake is at the headwaters of the St. Mary's River watershed. Brook trout and perch are the main fish, with rumours of lake trout, and some very large fish have been caught over the years. The lake is stocked every year or two in the fall. At 180 feet deep down the middle, it fishes best in spring, when run-off brings nutrients to the mouths of the streams feeding the lake and the surface water is colder. In summer the fish go deep, which calls for a larger boat with downriggers. We can arrange guided fishing through our partner, Mosher Ridge Outfitters. Please fish only from our shoreline or from a boat or kayak, out of respect for our year-round neighbours.

Question 12

Can I bring my ATV or snowmobile?

Accepted Answer

Yes. ATVs and snowmobiles are welcome on our property. Trails maintained by the St. Mary's ATV Trail Association and the St. Mary's Snowmobile Association start just down the road, with links to Trail 104, and you can reach the Keppoch Wilderness Area trails from the College Grant and New Town Roads, about 3 km away. Please ride with care on West Side Lochaber Road, which children and residents use to walk to the lake all year.

Question 13

How do I get to Lochaber Lake Lodges?

Accepted Answer

ADDRESS: 501 or 832 West Side Lochaber Road, NS B2G 2L3. Some in-car navigation systems use 501 W Side Lochaber, NS, B2G 2L3. GPS coordinates: 45.4019, -62.0420. IMPORTANT: If your car navigation, Google Maps or Apple Maps tells you to take Exit 30 on Highway 104, ignore it and use Exit 32 as below.

From Antigonish: 1. Take Highway 104 to Antigonish. 2. Take Exit 32 and follow Highway 7, signs for Sherbrooke. 3. Travel about 29 km. Do not take the first sign for West Side Lochaber, which you will see at about 19 km. 4. You will pass signs for Goshen and Feltmate's Garage on the left. Slow down here: your turn is the next right onto West Side Lochaber Road, about 100 m past Feltmate's Garage. 5. Cross the narrow bridge and keep right onto West Side Lochaber Road (dirt road). 6. Travel about 2.3 km and watch for the mailbox marked 501. You will pass a small vineyard on the left. The house is up the hill.

From Sherbrooke: 1. From Sherbrooke Village, follow Highway 7 north for 30.5 km. 2. Turn left onto West Side Lochaber Road. If you reach Feltmate's Garage on the right, you have gone too far. 3. Cross the narrow bridge and keep right onto West Side Lochaber Road (dirt road). 4. Travel about 2.3 km and watch for the mailbox marked 501. You will pass a small vineyard on the left. The house is up the hill.

Question 14

Are there kayaks, canoes or boats available?

Accepted Answer

From May to October we provide up to six shared kayaks, with life jackets, paddles and safety kits. We do not have canoes for guest use, but you are welcome to bring your own watercraft. You can launch a boat from our shoreline; if you need trailer access, contact us on arrival and we will arrange it. We do not have a dock for large powerboats, so boats need to be pulled up on shore or trailered at the end of the day. There is no tide on the lake. Please do not drive over the grass to reach the shore, as this can damage our septic systems.

Question 15

Can I swim in the lake?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and it is one of the highlights of a stay. The shoreline is small pea-sized gravel, with no leeches. Parts of the shoreline drop off steeply, and the lake is 60 m (180 feet) deep right off our property, so guests who are not strong swimmers should take care and children should be supervised at all times.

Question 16

I've heard the lake has blue-green algae. Is it safe?

Accepted Answer

Blue-green algae is found in all lakes and is only dangerous to people and pets in high concentrations, called a bloom. Blooms usually follow a hot spell, when rain washes warm water and nutrients into a lake, and they fade over time. When blooms occur on Lochaber Lake, they appear 5 to 7 km north of our properties, at the shallow, warm north end where a stream brings in nutrients. The lake is 60 m (180 feet) deep, and the prevailing winds and shape of the lake keep any bloom at the north end, a long way from us. We have swum in this lake for over 50 years, as have our pets, without concern. For more information, visit novascotia.ca/blue-green-algae/.

Question 17

Is your water safe to drink?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Each lodge has its own drilled well drawing from an aquifer 125 feet underground, and the water passes through a 1-micron filter and a water softener. Like much of Antigonish County, our aquifer is high in iron, which can cause slight discolouration, taste or smell, especially if a lodge has sat empty for a while. Guests used to city water may notice the difference, but the water is fully potable.

Question 18

Is the pool at Lake View Cottage heated?

Accepted Answer

The pool is open from about June 1 to September 30 and is not heated. In July and August it is usually around 26C (84F). In June and September it is cooler, but always above 20C.

Question 19

Why do you need my address on the check-in form?

Accepted Answer

Section 12 of Nova Scotia's Tourist Accommodations Regulations requires every registered tourist accommodation to record each guest's name, home address, vehicle licence number and the number of people in the party. Booking platforms such as Airbnb do not pass this information to us, so we ask for it on our check-in form. We handle it as set out in our Privacy Policy at lochaberlakelodges.com/en/privacy-policy.

Question 20

What type of coffee maker do you have?

Accepted Answer

Every lodge has a drip coffee maker with a reusable mesh filter, plus an electric kettle. Please bring your own ground coffee, tea, cream and sugar.

Question 21

Do you provide body wash, shampoo and conditioner?

Accepted Answer

No. To reduce our impact on the environment we ask guests to bring their own.

Question 22

Do you provide spices, cooking oil and other basics?

Accepted Answer

For food safety, salt and pepper are the only food items in the lodges. We do supply plastic wrap, aluminum foil, wax paper, resealable bags, dish soap, hand soap, paper towel and scrubbing pads.

Question 23

What is there to do nearby?

Accepted Answer

The Antigonish Farmers' Market runs Saturdays from 8:30 am to 1 pm, about 25 minutes away. The St. Mary's / Guysborough Rail Trail (6.5 km) has gentle grades and a firm surface for walkers and cyclists, crossing brooks and passing several lakes (stmarystrail.ca). Keppoch Mountain offers mountain biking and hiking with views over Antigonish, and snowshoeing, skating and cross-country skiing in winter (thekeppoch.ca). Historic Sherbrooke Village is a restored 1867 village with costumed interpreters in summer (sherbrookevillage.ca), and Beanies Bistro next door serves Sunday brunch. Stonewall Park on the St. Mary's River is especially pretty in fall colour season. Pomquet Beach, a little further away, has 3 km of white sand. From May to October you can also explore Lochaber Lake, 10 km long, by kayak.

Question 24

Can you recommend places to eat?

Accepted Answer

Antigonish has a wide choice of restaurants. See visitantigonish.ca/eat/ and saintmarysnovascotia.com/where-to-eat/ for current listings.

Question 25

Do you have WiFi?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Every lodge has its own Bell Aliant Fibe 500 fibre-optic connection with WiFi.

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