Montague is a small town on a river that is half sea. The Montague River widens into a big, sheltered estuary on the eastern side of Prince Edward Island, and the town sits at the head of it, with a waterfront that mixes fishing boats, pleasure craft and the odd seal. It is the main commercial centre of the island's eastern kingdom, a place of farm supply stores, a library and a harbourside boardwalk, and it has the settled, practical air of a town that gets on with its business.
Prince Edward Island has some of the reddest soil in the world, coloured by iron oxide, and out here it shows on every field and in the dirt of every farm lane. Potatoes are the main crop, with cows and fishing close behind. A drive around the surrounding country is a lesson in green and red, with fields rolling gently to the sea. The old railway line that crossed the island has become the Confederation Trail, a cycling and walking path that passes through town, and nearby Buffaloland Provincial Park keeps a small herd of bison on a former farm, a surprise on a Maritime island.
The Points East Coastal Drive runs through here, along the eastern shore, and it is a relaxed ride rather than a technical one. The road follows low hills, bays, tidal rivers and the occasional lighthouse, with sea views opening where you least expect them. The island is flat compared with the mainland and the corners are easy, so this is a day for cruising, stopping for a lobster supper and watching the weather. Wind from the Gulf can be steady, and summer fog sometimes covers the coast in the morning. Drivers are courteous and speeds are low, so you can enjoy the scenery. Panmure Island, with its lighthouse and long sandy beach, is a short detour that rewards the effort.
Montague has under two thousand residents, so fuel, groceries and a few places to eat are available but options are limited. Charlottetown, about thirty-seven kilometres west, is the island's capital and the place for repairs and a wide choice of accommodation. A coffee on the waterfront, a quick look at the river and a slow roll onward is a good use of the time.