York Redoubt

this is a pretty fun self exploration spot. usually pretty quiet. there is lots of room for your kids or dogs to run around. I love all the dark caves that are on this property, although I haven’t got up the courage to explore them. the trek down to the water is easy and the old bunkers are really neat.

So if you’ve never heard of this landmark I highly recommend taking the time out of a busy day to visit. Whether its with your dog, spouse, friend, child… OR just solo.
WOW, what a spot this is. So tranquil and peaceful. You can walk and wonder amongst natures habitat for hours Im sure. There are trails, some more used then others. Lots of views of the water from various locations. There’s even a lovely rocky area where you could take a seat and just watch the waves crash over the rocks. Stunning.
This has become one of those spots that I long to re visit when life gets hectic. A wonderful area to just get away and «be».
If you continue just a few short minutes up the main road you’ll also find another fantastic look off point.
Some of Halifax’s truest of Natures Wonders.

We used to go to York Redoubt all the time as kids. It was a favourite place to run, play, and explore. We loved the «secret» paths, big woods to explore, and historic fortifications to climb on. Also, being a history nerd, I enjoyed learning all about the history of the fort and it’s uses and development over the years.
Fast forward about 8 years. It’s been a while since I stopped back in to York Redoubt, but my husband had never been and it was a beautiful Sunday. So we grabbed the pugs and headed out. Man, it was perfect! Just like I remember it — sunny skies, green grass, kids and parents running, exploring, adventuring… I felt like a little kid taking my husband around to show off the buildings and paths I remembered!
We went for a short walk around the main part of York Redoubt, only there about an hour, but had a blast exploring and learning more about the fort. The view, as always, is stunning and the trails and paths through the woods and around the fort have been very well kept over the years. We’ve got more exploring to do, those underground chambers were not pug-​friendly, but they’re on the list for our next sunny adventure! If you haven’t been, it’s worth the (beautiful) drive to check out York Redoubt — bring a picnic and enjoy the beautiful view of the harbour and some of our amazing history!

York Redoubt is an interesting historic site about 20 minutes south of downtown Halifax. The batteries and historical buildings are kept in good condition and it’s free to access the site. Being perched on a high cliff, you get majestic views of the Halifax harbour entrance. You can also explore the old munitions depot, which are dark and super creepy.

Memorable experiences I’ve had at York Redoubt over the years:
* having a friend cut off all circulation to my right arm with her death grip when she realized that «black thing» hanging onto the burnt-​out overhead light fixture was actually a bat.
* discovering that not all the underground chambers are on the «official tour» and making the mistake of exploring them and discovering that while no one lives at York Redoubt anymore, plenty of wild creatures still do.
* playing hide-​and-​go-​seek with friends who decided to stop playing and not bother telling the only person left hiding. AKA me.
* making the wise, informed and adult decision not to walk on the tops of the buildings. Which had nothing at all to do with my friends’ pleading that I might fall and break my neck. The staff? Yes, they had a bit more sway.

What an incredibly beautiful land mark! This place facinates me to no end. I walk the paths of this historic site, and it brings me to the days of the battles.
The forts are so real and well kept. I enjoy walking in them, and reading the write up’s about them. I just stare at the well built walls and imagine the bravery that these soliders must have felt back many, many years ago when they went to fight in the wars.
York Redoubt overlooks the Halifax Harbour, there is a large cannon that looks as if it could literally shoot a bomb at any time. The paths of this site, leads to many other forts and the paths trinkle through the beautiful wooded grounds.
Everyone who visits Halifax, should really go see this beautiful place.

York Redoubt — is a famous historic site overlooking the Halifax Harbour.
Here if you know any of the history behind it, you will be able to imagine
if you let your mind wonder. Go into the buildings, you can access some, they each tell there own tale of some of the greatest battles.
This was the look out for the enemies. Many a cannon were set off here.

I love visiting here. In fact, even the drive up from Halifax proper is wonderful. Lots of windy roads with great vistas at every bend. And once you land at this historic site, overlooking the mouth of the Halifax Harbour and the Atlantic Ocean beyond that, you feel as if you’re in a different time.
I love wandering around the bluffs and peaking into some of the remaining brick buildings from the time of the earliest settlers when it was opened and manned by British solders in 1793. If you close your eyes you can see them in their uniforms, cleaning cannons and muskets and waiting for the enemy.
It’s a wonderful chance to get a glimpse of history and a great place for kids and dogs to run around too.

Located just outside of Halifax, this historic site is one of many old military you can have the pleasure of visiting if you find yourself in Nova Scotia. From what I’ve seen so far, most of them were used for watching. And waiting. Watching and waiting for invasions. Thus they were built on hills, or bluffs. York Redoubt follows this rule, and apparently its soldiers were able to communicate with those at the Citadel via flags.
Best new piece of knowledge I walked away with was about how huge artillery shells were given rotation while being shot out of a cannon. Turns out it’s all in the lug and groove system. Fancy that.
Honestly, I think the Prince of Wales Tower in Point Pleasant Park is more interesting than this site, but maybe I missed something ultra-​cool…