Motorcycle Touring Cape Breton
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| Hit the Highway1 |
RIDING SEASON & SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS
The motorcycling season in Nova Scotia runs from May to October, providing visitors with opportunities to experience the beauty of the changing seasons and a varied but moderate climate. In spring and fall, temperatures average between 10° and 14°C (50°F and 57°F), while summer temperatures generally range between 20°C and 25°C (68°F and 77°F). The coastal climate is typically cooler and disposed to quicker weather changes than in-land routes.
Riders (and passengers) are required to wear Department of Transportation-approved helmets, and to have valid registration and adequate insurance protection.
SCENIC TRAILS
From mainland Nova Scotia at Cape Porcupine (near Auld's Cove), motorcyclists traverse the Strait of Canso via the man-made Canso Causeway to arrive on Cape Breton at Port Hastings. Touring the island in a clockwise fashion from Port Hastings allows a comprehensive experience of Cape Breton's scenic trails and diversity. The island is comprised of four distinct scenic routes, each of which provides a unique look into its beauty and heritage.
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| Autumn Colours along the Highway in the Mabou Highlands2 |
This journey extends north from Port Hastings to the Margaree area, a stretch of shoreline otherwise known as the Sunshine Coast. Along the way, in Judique, riders can participate in Scottish culture and tradition at Cape Breton's Celtic Music Interpretive Centre or at weekly ceilidhs (pronounced kay-lee, the Gaelic word for gathering or party) held during July and August. From the full-service community of Port Hood, the rolling landscapes of the Mabou Highlands begin and extend onward to Inverness. An overnight stop at the Glenora Inn and Distillery in Glenville is a must for single malt whisky enthusiasts. The facility offers tours, lodging, a dining room and a pub. Just beyond Glenville, visitors can take an off-trail ride around picturesque Lake Ainsley, Nova Scotia's largest freshwater lake. Inverness provides an array of interesting interpretive opportunities, including the Inverness Miners' Museum and the Inverness County Centre for the Arts.
Cabot Trail
Arguably one of the most scenic drives in the world, the famous Cabot Trail winds, ascends and descends through breathtaking coastal landscapes and features the rugged and beautiful wilderness of Cape Breton Highlands National Park. From the Margaree area, riders can navigate south from Margaree Harbour toward Baddeck on Route 19. This alternate inland route meanders through the Margaree Valley, home to the Margaree Fish Hatchery and Visitor Centre and the Margaree Salmon Museum. Middle River's Cabot Trail Motorcycle Retreat Bed and Breakfast and MacKenzie Motorsports, which offers emergency road-side pick-ups and comprehensive repairs, are two biker-friendly stops along the way.
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| Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Highlands National Park3 |
Bras d'or Lakes Scenic Drive
Exploring the heartland of Cape Breton, this route follows the shores of the Bras d'or Lakes and is the traditional home of Nova Scotia's Mi'kmaq First Nations. Accessible from many areas on the island, this central roadway is replete with Gaelic tradition, amazing scenery and unique bird-watching opportunities.
Bird Island Boat Tours, operating out of Bras d'or, offers narrated excursions to Bird Island where visitors have the chance to see eagles, puffins and seals. The lakeside community of Big Pond is home to Rita's Tea Room, owned by Cape Breton songstress, Rita MacNeil. Known for its exceptional boating, the so-called inland sea offers an abundance of sailing opportunities, including excursions aboard the schooner Amoeba, provided by Amoeba Sailing Tours in Baddeck. For a step back in time, the daily life of Scottish settlers is interpreted at the Nova Scotia Highland Village Museum in Iona.
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| Stopping to Enjoy the View along the Cabot Trail4 |
Metro Cape Breton
This wide-ranging route includes the Metro Cape Breton Travel Way and extends along the rugged sea coast to Port Hawkesbury and back to the island entry point of Port Hastings. The Metro area, including Sydney, North Sydney, Sydney Mines, New Waterford and Glace Bay, provides plenty of traveller services, attractions and activities.
Highlights for motorcyclists include the annual Cape Breton Bike Fest in late July/early August, which features an array of organized group rides and four days of festivities held in Sydney and surrounding areas. Ramsay's Cycle and Sport in Sydney features sales and service of Harley-Davidson, Honda and Yamaha motorcycles, parts and apparel. The shop also hosts an annual Harley-Davidson and Buell demo day in mid-June. Other biker-friendly hot spots in the city include the casual eatery Joe's Warehouse, popular watering hole Smooth Herman's Nightclub & Lounge and Casino Nova Scotia Sydney. North Sydney serves as an important transfer port for Marine Atlantic Inc. super ferry services to Port-Aux-Basques and Argentia, Newfoundland.
Marconi Trail
An extension of the Metro Cape Breton Travel Way, Marconi Trail is a destination filled with history, unspoiled coastlines and strong ties to tradition. The mining heritage of the region is interpreted at the Cape Breton Miners' Museum and features exhibits and guided mine tours. Global communication milestones, including the first wireless transmission to England, are celebrated at the Marconi National Historic Site, where visitors can peruse displays and explore the original transmission station. Beach enthusiasts will appreciate the white sands of Mira Gut Beach located at the headwaters of the Mira River, an attractive tidal destination for a variety of birds.
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| Traffic on the Canso Causeway in Winter5 |
The Marconi and Fleur-de-lis trails meet at Louisbourg, home to the Louisbourg Playhouse and Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site. Visitors to the restored fortress can take a step back in time as military reenactments, costumed characters and daily historical activities interpret life in the French fort as it was in 1744. Heading westward, riders can take an off-trail trip to the Two Rivers Wildlife Park in Marion Bridge. The 202-ha (500-acre) park protects native Nova Scotian animals in their natural setting.
Route 327 South offers great riding on winding, inland highways, where small Acadian villages dot the landscape. Visit towns such as Louisdale and sample regional delicacies at Cuisine Acadienne Restaurant and Lounge. Visitors can also venture across the Lennox Passage Bridge to the island cluster of Isle Madame and the Acadian town of Arichat. The cluster provides spectacular shoreline vistas and a glance into active fishing culture. Venturing onward toward D'Escousse, travellers may like to stop and enjoy a picnic and beachcombing at Lennox Passage Provincial Park. The tour caps off with a stop in Port Hawkesbury, a port town with an attractive waterfront and many visitor amenities and services. Flanking the Strait of Canso, Route 4 takes riders back to Port Hastings and the island entry point at Canso Causeway.
If you enjoyed this feature, take a look at these WorldWeb.com articles:
• Best of Cape Breton's Celtic Attractions
• Outdoor Activities in Nova Scotia
PHOTOS COURTESY OF:
- Hit the Highway; Cape Breton, NS, Canada
- Travelling through the Mabou Highlands; Cape Breton, NS, Canada
- The Cabot Trail runs through Cape Breton Highlands National Park; Cape Breton, NS, Canada
- Bikers stop to admire the View on the Cabot Trail; Cape Breton, NS, Canada
- Canso Causeway in Winter; Cape Breton, NS, Canada
