You can either walk north along the beach at low tide until you come to the ocean inlet into the inner harbour, or choose a much more adventuresome walk south to start a walk along the natural seawall. It is recommended you do this at low tide. You have to cross a small stream at the south end of the beach before you start the main hike - be prepared to take off your shoes if it has been rainy recently!

The seawall walk, despite the fact it looks fairly flat from a distance, is actually quite challenging. While parts have been leveled off mechanically, it is still a sometimes difficult climb over rounded, loose rock. You do get great views of both the Maine and New Brunswick mainland and the Grand Manan Straight. The short distance to the shore is probably the reason the first Ferry service landed here - the winter storms the likely reason it was later moved to the deeper and more protected North Head harbour! At the very least, you can also see the motors & pulley systems used to drag dulsing boats over the sea wall. If you are lucky, as we were, you can also see the process take place. Small working shacks are strung out along the wall, mixed with all the flotsam & jetsam from the latest major storms. You can also see some of the working seining weirs that dot the western shore of the island.

Despite the abundance of rock, most are uniformly the same basalt - however, from the seawall you can finally get a great view of where two of the island's volcanic flows can be seen, one topping the other.

At the northern end, you will reach the ocean inlet - and on the other side, the old look-out tower. Even at lowest tide, do not be tempted to cross the channel - we are advised the currents and undertow are wickedly dangerous. A walk from the working dock to the inlet and back takes 2 - 3 hours - and you will feel you had a good workout by the end! We went with the Sunday afternoon hiking group that meets on Facebook.