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Northumberland Shore Region

Hans and Karen

Hans Christian and Karen Jost

Hans Christian Jost, Owner, Operator, Winemaker, Jost Vineyards

My family moved here from Germany in 1970 and immediately fell in love with the area. Forty years later, I’m still amazed by the beauty of the sun rising over our vineyards on the Northumberland Strait. It’s an incredibly special place, especially when the leaves change colour in the fall.

When people visit our winery, Karen and I also recommend they go to the ocean to check out the tidal pools and relax on the beaches. Or better yet, rent a cottage for a week or two and see all that the Northumberland Shore has to offer. And nothing makes us smile more than seeing the same faces year after year.

The sparkling blue waters and wide sandy beaches of the Northumberland Strait make this a vacation paradise. The Northumberland Shore offers more warm-water ocean beach parks than anywhere else in Atlantic Canada – 15 to be exact! Relax with a picnic and enjoy some local fare. Freshly caught lobster found along the shore, wild blueberries from Oxford and maple syrup from Sugar Moon Farm are just a few of the delicacies found in this region. Sample some award-winning wines while you enjoy the lush vineyards at Jost Vineyards in Malagash, renowned for their warm hospitality and perfectly chilled ice wine.

Zip lining from atop MacGrath Mountain provides a bird’s-eye view of the forest, while kayaking the estuary of Antigonish Harbour brings paddlers face to face with eagles and osprey. The trails of Cobequid Mountain provide the perfect hike, and there are more than 168 species of birds to enjoy along the Wallace Bay Wildlife Trail. Book a tee time at one of the lush golf courses that dot the Northumberland shore.

Rich with history – from the landing place of the first Scottish immigrants, there are museums and heritage sites aplenty in this neck of Nova Scotia. The Scottish culture with its kilt-swirling, caber-tossing, pipe-skirling is also alive in unique attractions and festivals like the Hector Festival and the Antigonish Highland Games. The Pictou Lobster Carnival and the New Glasgow Riverfront Jubilee are sure to get fingers snapping and toes a tapping as they celebrate our unique Nova Scotian culture.

Explore Our Scenic Drives

The Sunrise Trail guides visitors through gently rolling farmlands, country roads, timeless towns and villages, along sandy beaches and tidal salt marshes, along the Northumberland Shore all the way from Amherst to Auld’s Cove and the Canso Causeway, the entry point to Cape Breton Island.

Nova Scotia Tourism

/A\ Morning host Lianne Laing chats with Nova Scotia's Jost Vineyards.

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