Porters Lake is an old community.  Mi’qmak fished the lake’s shores and traversed its waters for centuries before European settlers arrived.  And even after settlement, its inland location made it more isolated than the small fishing villages that dot this part of the coast.  For decades before the province’s roads were completed, the best way to move people and goods in and out of the settlement was via canal boat over Porters Lake and via a canal to Three Fathom Habour, just north of Lawrencetown Beach.

Given the vastness of the surrounding wilderness areas, it’s probably not a surprise that the first British Settlers in the area harvested lumber.  Today, Porters Lake residents are just minutes from protested areas like Clattenburgh Brook Wilderness and the Waverly-Salmon River-Long Lake Wilderness.  A fifteen-minute hike brings you deep into the forest, and it’s easy to imagine what early lumberjacks felt, surrounded by towering white pine, spruce, and hemlock.  Some trails are well-marked, and greener hikers may want to stick to those, but opportunities for backwoods adventures abound.

Everything is easier today, of course.  Porters Lake has a bank, a large grocery store, and a handful of mom-and-pop greasy spoons, plus service stations, a recycling center, an NSLC, and even a veterinary clinic.  You’ll also find three local elementary schools-including one French Immersion-and older kids are bused to nearby Chezzetcook.

There’s no question that people here appreciate the natural beauty that surrounds them.  Several neighbourhoods surround the lake, and you’ll find a handful of sandy, public beaches.  The homes in these neighbourhoods often have docks and tiny pleasure boats to enjoy the water to its fullest.  Porters Lake Provincial Park is dotted with campers and tents in the season, and a few scenic cookout spots are available for picnickers.

But we’ve saved the best for last.  From Porters Lake, three of the province’s best beaches are less than forty minutes away.  Everyone knows about Lawrencetown, of course, but Conrad’s Beach is sandier, littered with treasures from the coral reef just offshore.  Martinique Beach is outside of Chezzetcook, with three charming beaches separated by passages between boulders.  And gorgeous Clam Harbour Beach is the jewel in the crown, with its annual international sandcastle contest.

While all of this country idyll may seem far-removed from Halifax and Dartmouth, Porters Lake rarely complains of the commute.  After all, they can be in Dartmouth inside of 20 minutes, Halifax in 30, and all the way to Bayers Lake in less than forty minutes.  Not to mention shorter drives to Burnside or Chezzetcook.

Our Century 21 Trident Realty REALTORS® is passionate about Porters Lake and the Eastern Shore.  Let us show you what you’ve been missing.