The road, which begins off Lighthouse Road and extends down to the Nova Scotia to Brunswick Ferry, is secluded and covered by trees.
A small section of the road is paved, but becomes gravel as it carves its way up the hill.
The seclusion is pretty but also marks the perfect spot for people to dump garbage down the hillside, according to road residents Corinne Reyno and Anne Emerson.
“It’s embarrassing because many tourists travel up this road from the ferry to see the view,” said Emerson.
“They shouldn’t be seeing garbage instead.”
Emerson has lived seasonally on the road since she was young and spent summers at her family’s house, which she now owns. Reyno moved to the road in 1993 and noticed the problem was in full swing.
She didn’t realize the scope of it for years, however, until she took the ferry to New Brunswick.
“I didn’t realize how bad the problem was until I took the Saint John Ferry,” said Reyno.
“I didn’t let on to anyone on the boat that I lived up there.”
The two women took to patrolling the road daily on their walks a few years ago.
While the walks have gotten a little harder, they still do their rounds as often as they can.
They find everything from diapers and Tim Horton’s cups to carpets and even appliances.
“One time I saw a truck missing a license plate drive up here, with its bed completely full. I was alone and didn’t feel safe approaching them alone, but did I ever want to say something,” said Reyno.
Fences were installed around five years ago on the road, which helped curb the problem until people began cutting holes and throwing garbage through the fence.
“It’s still not as bad as it was during the worst of it, in 2000, but the fence hasn’t ended the problem,” said Emerson.
Signs were also posted along the fence to discourage dumping. Only one remains from the several that were posted.
Emerson remembers dumping being an issue during the 1960s and 1970s, but said it wasn’t the same problem as what faces the road today.
“Back then people dumped on their own properties and it was mostly glass and metal. None of the plastic you see today, which is the real problem,” she said.
A Digby-wide clean up was also held a few weeks ago, which rid the road of most of its garbage. New pieces have since turned up and the two women are angry.
“Enough is enough. It’s become a habit for so many people to litter here, and we’re sick and tired of it,” said Reyno.
