Geology & Landscape | Fresh Water | Soils | Plants | Animals Scenic Quality | Cultural Environment | Sites of Interest

This District is divided into two sub-Districts:
(a) Sporting Mountain
(b) East Bay Hills

Geology and Landscape Development
The Fault Ridges lie on the south side of West Bay, Cape Breton. The District is made up of two elongated blocks of Precambrian rocks: Sporting Mountain and East Bay Hills. Each block is composed of the same two rock types: volcanic deposits of the Fourchu Group (ash and lava interleaved with marine sediments) and granites, but in different proportions. Sporting Mountain is predominantly composed of granites, whereas the East Bay Hills have more Fourchu Group rocks (see Figure 29).

Ben Eoin Click to enlarge

Both blocks are elongated northeast-southwest in accordance with the same prevailing trend of faults which dominates the geomorphology of the North Bras d'Or Uplands. The southeastern margins are also faulted, in this case bringing the resistant Precambrian strata against late Carboniferous sandstones and siltstones. On the northeastern side the contact is with easily eroded Carboniferous Windsor Group strata, which were deposited directly against the blocks when they stood as islands in the Carboniferous Sea.

Morphologically, the relief and elevations of Sporting Mountain and East Bay Hills reflect not only their geological setting, surrounded by rocks of varying resistance, but also their position on the low side of the planation surface. Both blocks rise to little more than 180 m, forming low ridges in an otherwise lowland landscape. Precambrian rocks of equivalent resistance have created dominant uplands further north, but here, where there was little uplift during the Tertiary, there was also minimal rejuvenation of erosional action and limited exposure of this hard core of old rocks.

The steepest slopes are found on the northwest side of both Sporting Mountain and East Bay Hills, where soft Windsor Group rocks form a narrow band along the shore. The valley of Breac Brook, at the north end of East Bay Hills, appears to be an ancient coastal valley which was filled by Windsor Group deposits and is now being exhumed. The fault line on the southeastern margin can be seen in some areas (e.g., northeast of Oban) but in general does not form a prominent scarp slope.

In this part of Cape Breton south of Bras d'Or Lake, glaciation more than geological structure appears to have influenced drainage patterns. South of East Bay Hills the glacial direction is strongly northeast-southwest, in this case parallel to the fault which defines their southern boundary.

Fresh Water
Both Sporting Mountain and East Bay Hills have relatively flat

Irish Cove Brook Click to enlarge

plateau-like crests which are poorly drained. The streams flowing towards West Bay become straight and fast-flowing once the coastal slopes are reached, but those flowing southeast retain a dendritic-to-deranged (or disorganized) pattern. Most streams are located on the margins. In the eastern part of this District, the streams are aligned northeast, reflecting the glacial direction. The District contains several large lakes and a few scattered raised bogs.

Soils
Heavily podzolized Thom soils with a thick iron humate B horizon cover most of this District. They are associated with Arichat soils (poorly drained, mottled, sandy loams), found where the relief is gently undulating or depressional. There are also small areas of peat.

Plants
The two parts of this District are somewhat lower than the North Bras d'Or Hills and shade-tolerant hardwoods, although present, are no longer dominant. The South Bras d'Or Hills support instead mixed stands of Red Maple, White Birch, Yellow Birch, American Beech, Balsam Fir, and White Spruce.

Animals
There are few moose in this area. Deer are found on side slopes in winter yards. There are a large number of eagle nests in stream ravines.

Scenic Quality
These two plateau blocks have less relief than District 310, even on their north-facing scarps, and they lack the visual interest of pure hardwood stands. Nevertheless, they offer some spectacular views north over Bras d'Or Lake, for example, where Highway 4 climbs above shore level near Irish Cove and Middle Cape.

Cultural Environment
Small-scale farming is practised in some areas of Sporting Mountain (sub-District 330a) and the East Bay Hills (sub-District 330b). Fishing the waters of the Bras d'Or Lake and sporadic forestry have been economic activities in the past. Much of this area is now cottage country, and tourism plays a significant role in the local economy. In the early 1900s the mineral springs at Glengarry in Irish Cove were well known for their perceived healing properties, which drew local people as well as distant travellers.

Sites of Special Interest

• Irish Cove Park (East Bay Hills) - view of East Bay and road-cut exposure of Precambrian ash (tuff) deposits
• Break Brook, an ancient coastal valley filled with deposits, now being exhumed

Provincial Parks and Park Reserves

• Ben Eoin
• Big Pond

Proposed Parks and Protected Areas System includes Natural Landscape 50.