July 25: Cabot Trail Captivates!
Wow! What a road! The Cabbot Trail along the outer edge of Cape Bretton Island in Nova Scotia is breathtaking. Stunning ocean views, curving roads hugging the cliffs, old growth forests, and a myriad of coves and harbors – this route has something for everyone.
Heading north along highway 30 after leaving North Sydney this morning I was a little apprehensive that the Cabbot Trail would not live up to all the hype. But to be honest, it exceeded my expectations.
What makes this ride particularly fun is dealing with the technical issues related to the three-dimensionality of the road while at the same time catching one million-dollar view after another. The road hugs the cliffs and highlands of Cape Bretton and follows along the edge of a variety of coves, harbors, and inlets.
I was able to enjoy dramatic vistas of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of St. Lawrence as I shifted up and down and leaned left and right to drive up and over hills, swoop left and right around various bodies of water, and skirt the edge of a variety of valleys and cliffs.
I decided to drive the route in a counterclockwise fashion so that the ocean would be on my right, making it easier for me to pull over and take pictures. At the beginning of this circular path, I noticed an abundance of marshes and rivers. A sign for “Little River Road” caught my eye and I followed it to Little River Harbor, where I chatted with a local fisherman and admired the view of the harbor and the ocean beyond.
As I made it further north along the island the elevation of the road increased and there were more dramatic, sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean. The road continued to wind along the Cape Breton Highlands and through old growth forests, oftentimes hugging the cliffs. Perhaps the most dramatic section of road was near the Cheticamp area, when the road twisted and curved in and out of the cliffs like a roll of crepe paper strung up for a party.
Throughout the ride there were numerous restaurants and shops selling a wide variety of wares from chocolates to leather goods to soap to gondola rides. This road has something for everyone!
