Welcome to the Leif Ericson Trail
A Yarmouth - Viking Connection?
This scenic trail is named after the famous Norse explorer, and son of Eric the Red, Leif Ericson, who may have visited these shores sometime around 1000 AD.
Many scholars regard Leif Ericson as the first European to visit and perhaps even build a settlement in the New World - nearly 500 years before the arrival of Christopher Columbus!
While we cannot be certain that Leif sailed past, or even set foot upon Yarmouth's shores, a mysterious stone with ancient markings, which may or may not be of Norse origin, has only added to the mystery of a possible Yarmouth - Viking connection.
A Mystery Written in Stone
The famous Yarmouth Runic Stone was discovered at the Head of Yarmouth Harbour in 1812. Carved into the face of the 181-kilogram (400-pound) stone are thirteen characters thought by some to be Norse runes, an ancient form of writing that dates back at least 1,000 years. Other theories have linked the stone to early Basque explorers from the regions of southern France and Northern Spain, and even the Japanese.
Since its discovery, the Yarmouth Runic Stone continues to be a great source of debate among historians and scholars around the world. While this mysterious stone refuses to give up all its secrets, it does have some interesting stories to tell.
Discovery
this page online
Leave No Stone Unturned!
The famous Yarmouth Runic Stone was discovered at the Head of Yarmouth[.] As a modern-day explorer, come and make your own exciting discoveries along the Leif Eric son Trail and Yarmouth County.
You never know what secrets these rocky shores may reveal, or whose ancient footsteps you may be walking in!
Erected by Municipality of the District of Yarmouth.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Exploration • Man-Made Features.
Location. 43° 47.623′ N, 66° 9.306′ W. Marker is in Cape Forchu, Nova Scotia, in Yarmouth County. Marker is at the Cape Forchu Lightstation. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1856 Nova Scotia Route 304, Cape Forchu NS B5A 4A7, Canada. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. A Diverse Fishery (within shouting distance of this marker); Cape Forchu's Guiding Light (within shouting distance of this marker); In Dire Need of a Lighthouse (within shouting distance of this marker); The Power of the Sea (within shouting distance of this marker); Pieces of the Past (about 90 meters away,
Also see . . .
1. Cape Forchu: A Light Like No Other. Lighthouse Website entry (Submitted on August 26, 2017, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
2. Yarmouth Runic Stone. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on August 26, 2017, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Credits. This page was last revised on March 18, 2021. It was originally submitted on August 26, 2017, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 563 times since then and 51 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 26, 2017, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
