Cape Breton’s Glorious Cabot Trail
August 24, 2010
The Cabot Trail makes a 298 km (185 mile) loop around the northern part of Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia passing through the very scenic and hilly Cape Breton Highlands National Park. It’s considered to be one of the best places for a bike tour in all of North America and on the ‘must do’ list of many a serious biker. Between 250,000 and 300,000 people visit the National Park portion of the Cabot Trail every year … mostly by car. Whether by bike or car you will likely be awed by the scale of the hills and the majesty of the country.
Trying to out run an approaching storm on the way to Cheticamp.
Looking north to the Cape Breton Highlands from Cheticamp
We are taking five days to bike the entire Cabot Trail. Baddeck, the summer home of Alexander Graham Bell, was our starting point and where we plan to finish tomorrow. Although the first day was easy the others have been challenging and tomorrow beckons with a hilly 100 km ride. Lovely.
The easy hills through the Cape Breton Highlands National Park - seriously.
Cape Breton Highlands National Park
The weather has been fully cooperative. Prepared for driving rain and freezing temperatures we have instead enjoyed sun on 3 out of 4 days; on the first day we were safely inside a hotel room when the skies opened. That storm dropped 6 inches of rain at the northern end of Cape Breton and wiped out three bridges. Over 100 people are to be evacuated by boat.
Great views before the descent to Pleasant Bay
Water the colour of steeped tea
The climb out of Pleasant Bay - 13% grade over 3 kilometers
The people are friendly except when...
Jean Chretien scarecrow (lots of world leaders available)
Cycling allows you to notice some things you’d miss in a car like the gravestone (above) but the scarecrow sight on the way to Cheticamp was hard to ignore.
The Cabot Trail deserves more time than my five days. With extra time I would check out the pods of pilot whales, try some sea kayaking, hike the Skyline Trail in search of moose and walk the beaches. Others might try a round of golf at the famous Highland Links course or check out one of the many museums including the famous Bell Museum in Baddeck. Artisans have shops all over the island and many are worthy of a visit. Did you know that Cheticamp is the hooked rug capital of the world, a fact new to me too.
Look for more Cabot Trail photos, info & experiences over the next few weeks.
Leigh McAdam