Iona, Cape Breton

Susan Samways of Highland Heights Inn

When we arrived in Cape Breton we were reminded of home. The beauty of the countryside is breathtaking, as we remembered what we liked of Vancouver Island so much. Winding our way through the twists and turns of beautiful roads, we found our way to the heart of Cape Breton Island... a small community called Iona. Iona, hosts the Highlands Village... a step back in time, this little village is a museum to life on Cape Breton hundreds of years ago as settlers first came to this area. You can join folks in the creation of crafts and activities they would have had to do in day to day life on Cape Breton.

We were coming to Iona to attend a VW event and we arrived late one night. Seeking directions we pulled into a nearby Inn... Highland Heights Inn. When I popped into the lobby, I could see in the dining room some local talent was performing traditional celtic dance and music!

Celtic Music and Dance

I got Tracey into the Inn and said... this was it! This was why we came to the east coast. Traditional Celtic culture and music. It was a wonderful time of music and interaction with the musicians, as they were open to questions from the audience. We had a great time, a wonderful meal and decided to stay the night. Our first night in a Inn since we left Nanaimo back in May.

The next morning Tracey was having a shower and chatting with God. She said, "Wouldn't it be nice to stay for a while in exchange for design work." We had heard from a staff member that the owners had just purchased the inn.
We were having breakfast, when the owner walked up to us and said... "I hear you guys are designers, how would you like to stay for free in exchange for some new branding?"

Lol. We stayed for 6 days! Room, meals, everything comped! It was tremendous. We used Iona as a base to see the rest of Cape Breton, as it is situated right in the middle of the island. A quick drive to anything you want to see.

We took a drive up to the Celtic College, a place where they still teach Gaelic to students who travel from around the world to attend this unique school. They teach the fiddle and bagpipes as well. We journeyed up there for a fiddle fest outdoor concert. It was nice. But your sitting out in a field listening to many musicians on stage playing.  We enjoyed the private entertainment that we had almost every night in the dining room of the Highland Heights Inn.

The Old Signage for the Heights

I will upload the new signage and samples once we have the new photos in.