Ainslie Lake

Lake Ainslie lies in the western part of Cape Breton Island, surrounded by the wooded hills of Unama'ki. Its waters flow north into the Southwest Margaree River, which joins the Northeast Margaree before reaching the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The Mi'kmaq used the river system as a source of food and a route of travel and exchange. The lake and its rivers form a continuous waterway from the interior of the island to the gulf coast.