Michael Haynes hiked hundreds of trails throughout the Maritimes. He also literally wrote the book – several of them – on where people might find the best places to get moving in nature. “He was, I think, just a real advocate for everybody getting out there and enjoying the outdoors,” said Alan Sheppard, a publisher at Goose Lane Editions in Fredericton, N.B., who worked with Haynes for roughly eight years. Sheppard also helped Haynes publish what turned out to be his final book – the 3rd edition of Hiking Trails of Cape Breton Island. It was completed shortly before the author passed away suddenly in March at the age of 70. “We had sent the Cape Breton book to press a few weeks before that and had no indication of anything, so it was really quite a big shock to everybody,” said Sheppard. Haynes’ work introduced people to trails that are off the beaten path and to ones that are more well-known, such as the Louisbourg Lighthouse Trail in Louisbourg, N.S. “He’s an individual who certainly wanted to show the hidden treasures of certain parts of Nova Scotia,” said Carter Stevens, a chairperson of the Louisbourg Lighthouse Trail. Stevens remembers walking the trail with Haynes years back and how his guide books did a bit more to put hiking paths on the map. “I’ve walked a number of different trails here in Cape Breton but certainly not all of them,” said Stevens. “By going through his books and seeing which ones I am capable of doing, that makes a big difference.” In October 2011, during a fall walk through a trail in Mount Uniacke, N.S., for a CTV Atlantic “Live at 5” story, Haynes explained in his own words why he dedicated much of his life to making sure the beauty of these places was put on paper. “We are spoiled here and I don’t think we understand how truly fortunate we are,” Haynes told reporter Jill Matthews that day. The third and final edition of Hiking Trails of Cape Breton Island is now available. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
