Attention moose! Our Cabot Trail highlights

If you go in search of the most beautiful road trip routes in the world, sooner or later the Cabot Trail will pop up. The approximately 300-kilometre-long road leads through the spectacular coastal landscape of the northernmost tip of Nova Scotia: Cape Breton. Of course, we didn’t want to miss this beautiful coastal road on our 10-day trip through Nova Scotia. And so the day after our arrival (thanks to jet lag there was even a Halifax city tour in the early morning) we made our way to Cape Breton Island.

Cape Breton Roadtrip: Port Hood bis Cheticamp

The first 250 kilometers until just before Port Hawkesbury we follow the unspectacular Trans-Canada Highway. Of course, there would be umpteen route options on side roads. You just have to remember that Nova Scotia is surprisingly large and the distances from A to B should not be underestimated. At Aulds Cove, a bridge crosses the strait that separates Cape Breton from the mainland. Slowly our stomachs growl and we make a detour into sleepy Port Hawkesbury and stop at Miller’s Seafood & Chophouse. Since nothing annoys me more than paying money for bad food, the friend had researched a number of viable restaurant options along our route in advance. The tips on the Taste of Nova Scotia website were helpful. The Miller’s was also on it and is absolutely recommendable as a short stop. Freshly fortified with a fine chowder soup, we follow the Celtic Trail along the coast to Port Hood.

On the advice of our hosts at B&B the Fiddle and the Sea (lovely accommodation with fantastic breakfast), we use the time after our arrival for a drive along the idyllic Little Mabou Road between Port Hood and Mabou (you could also do it by bike) including a detour to Glenora Falls and the Glenora Distillery. We had no luck with the former. We found the appropriate turn-off to Glenora Falls, followed a gravel path, admired gnarled tree trunks near the river, but found nothing far and wide that would have deserved the name “waterfall”. Well. At the latter – the Glenora Distillery – we took part in one of the hourly factory tours (7.oo Canadian Dollars / person). A visit to the distillery is not only worthwhile for single malt fans, but also for anyone interested in the history of Scottish immigrants to Cape Breton. For dinner, we return to Port Hood and indulge in the Clove Hitch Bar & Bistro – My tip: Order across the appetizer options and divide them among yourselves.

Cape Breton Roadtrip: Cabot Trail Highlights

With a total of three nights on Cape Breton, we had calculated more time than the “average tourist” does, but not enough to hike all the great trails in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. In order to see and experience as much as possible, we started our day’s stage along the Cabot Trail from Port Hood to Ingonish Beach (about 200 kilometers with 3 hours of pure driving time) after a fantastic breakfast at Fiddle and the Sea. At the Chéticamp Visitor Centre at the entrance to the Cape Breton Highlands National Park, we lace up our hiking boots for the first time. We follow the Acadian Trail steeply uphill to the viewpoint with a view over the coastal strip of Chéticamp. A worthwhile one-hour walk – even if the autumn colours were not as advanced as we had secretly wished at that time. Thanks to the 150th anniversary of Canada, we can continue our journey afterwards without buying a park entrance ticket (the daily rate per adult is otherwise 7.80 Canadian dollars).

Soon after, we lace up our hiking boots for the second time that day, on the Skyline Trail. The 6-kilometer trail (8 kilometers as a loop) is deservedly one of the touted highlights along the Cabot Trail. Here the chances of spotting moose are high. They don’t show us around, but we enjoy the bright yellow ferns and the fantastic view of the Cabot Trail, which winds its way uphill along the coast. Another option with a high probability of spotting moose is the Benji’s Lake Trail, said our host at Fiddle and the Sea – unfortunately there is not enough time to hike this trail as well. Or rather, there would have been no time for a decent lunch… And since food is very important to me, we decide against the hike and for a lunch break at the Rusty Anchor Restaurant in Pleasant Bay. After that, there will be plenty of time to follow another tip from our host. On his recommendation, we make an additional detour towards White Point and Neil’s Harbour – definitely worth emulating. For me, it was one of the most beautiful sections of the route on this day.

Cape Breton Road Trip: Exploring Beaches and Forests

For the second night on Cape Breton, we had chosen the Keltic Lodge & Spa – one of the few accommodations located directly in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. In my opinion, the system would benefit from a “refresh”. For a next time, I would probably rather look for an accommodation directly in Ingonish. In favor of the Celtic Lodge is that you could follow the Middle Head Hiking Trail directly from there to the tip of the peninsula. Instead, we decide to take a trip to Warren Lake the following morning, which is surrounded by a 5-kilometer hiking trail. Good decision: We are early and on the way we actually meet a stately moose, which trotted leisurely away from there. I really wanted to see moose and I was prophesied in advance that I should ride carefully on the Cabot Trail at off-peak times. Then actually driving head-on towards you was like this: “Wow – he’s huge!”

After the one-hour circumnavigation of Warren Lake (including a barefoot river crossing due to the lack of a bridge), we make a detour to Black Brook Cove Beach, which is well worth seeing. From here we follow the Cabot Trail in a southerly direction until we cross the Trans-Canada Highway again in Saint Anns. We noticed on this section that the place signs are inscribed in English and Gaelic.

Cape Breton Road Trip: Canada’s Oldest Lighthouse

The last stage around Cape Breton takes us from Saint Ann via Sydney to Louisbourg, which is known for its partially reconstructed fortified town from the 18th century. Again, halfway between Ingonish and Louisbourg, we had chosen a place: The Governors Pub & Eatery in Sydney. After that, we are torn between taking the direct route to Louisbourg or following the Marconi Trail along the coast. This time we decide to take the direct route, check into our “holiday apartment” (Point of View Suites) in Louisbourg and then take a trip to Little Lorraine in the most beautiful evening light. Just in time for sunset, we reach the Louisbourg Lighthouse on the way back, which stands on the floor plans of the oldest lighthouse in Canada. Funnily enough, this one is far less known and frequented than Peggy’s Cove. For us a wonderful end to this entertaining three days on Cape Breton.

Practical links and tips about the Cabot Trail

• The peak of the autumn colours is around 10 October, when the Celtic Colours Festival takes place
• Cape Breton has a lot of American tourists – we only met a few Swiss on the way
• If you are looking for charming accommodation, you will find what you are looking for in the bed and breakfasts – with mostly phenomenal breakfasts
• An overview of all hiking trails (about 25) in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park can be found here: Hiking Cape Breton
• Don’t underestimate distances and plan at least 2 days for Cape Breton
• We recommend a detour to the French-speaking Isle Madame, including a stop at the La Goelette a Peppe coffee roastery in Arichat
• We were traveling with a 4×4 (Jeep Renegade) – but a “normal” car is absolutely sufficient for most distances