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Pedalling Around

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Nova Scotia is a Perfect Spot for a Cycling Vacation
By Shelley Cameron-McCarron

So you want to bike Nova Scotia: cruise past rolling farmland and ancient orchards, breathe in sea air, pull into a vineyard for a barbecue on the deck. Maybe cycle to hidden waterfalls. Whether you pack your own or rent a bike, travel with a group or go alone, cycle a little or a lot, the province is a gem of opportunity.

Visitors sailing into Yarmouth, NS, via The CAT are greeted by photo-perfect Cape Forchu Light Station. The lighthouse marks the southern tip of Nova Scotia's Lighthouse Route, which follows the South Shore, past more than 20 lighthouses, to Halifax. Rent a bike in Yarmouth and explore this "by-the-sea" experience with its sea-carved rocks, museums, tearooms, gift shops, trails, and photo ops.

The Cape Forchu road (Hwy 304) is just over six miles long starting at the ferry terminal. It's mostly flat, curving along the harbour. Cycle through John's Cove, an active fishing harbour and a great place to chat with locals, and by several beaches that are ideal for beachcombing.

Julie Grandy, tourism development officer with the South West Shore Development Authority, recommends the quiet and low-traffic Chebogue loop, with the ocean on one side along the southern leg of the road and the Broad Brook wetlands on the other. Follow Yarmouth's Main Street south to Chebogue Road, which continues south, then loops around and up to Route 3, the Lighthouse Route. The 3½ hour-trip offers such interesting stops as the Hilton Rd., at the mouth of Yarmouth harbour, and the Town Point Cemetery, one of the region's oldest cemeteries. There are a few hills, particularly on the first part of the trip.

Nova Scotia was one of Canada's first settled regions, and most tours put cyclists in touch with hundreds of years of that history. Continuing on the Lighthouse Route will bring cyclists to pretty Tusket, 12 miles east of Yarmouth. Stop at the 1805 Argyle Township Court House & Gaol, Canada's oldest standing court. Further along the road is Ste Anne Du Ruisseau, with its stunning Ste-Anne Church, an Acadian heritage building dating from 1900.

Just past Glenwood, the Lighthouse Route converges with Highway 103 and then diverges after Argyle, becoming the Argyle Sound Road. This peaceful ride hugs the seaside and takes riders to the thriving fishing community of Pubnico, at the junction of Hwy 335. Pubnico's Acadian heritage is visible everywhere and can probably best be seen at Le Musée acadien and the Historic Acadian Village. A fun way to end the trip is to dip your toes in Lobster Bay at the end of Pubnico Point, below the 17 windmills of the Pubnico Point Wind Farm. The total distance is about 45 miles on paved secondary roads, with gravel shoulders and gradual inclines.

"Nova Scotia is unparalleled for cycling because it has a variety of terrains and landscapes to suit every cycling taste," Hans Budgey, high school science teacher and operator of Roads Not Taken Tours, in Truro, NS. He cites such examples as Cape Breton Highlands National Park for its hills, and the Annapolis Valley for endless miles of flat roads. For challenging middle-of-nowhere mountain biking, Budgey recommends the Cobequid Hills, on the north side of the Minas Basin. Cyclists looking for more extreme challenges might try spots in Cape Breton.

No matter where you go, you're always within 40 miles of the ocean. "Anyone who has lived near salt water will tell you that there is something entirely different about cycling coastal roads," Budgey said. "Nova Scotia is a beautiful place to cycle," said Bob White, vice-president, transportation and touring, Bicycle Nova Scotia. "The temperature is pleasant, being cooled by the ocean. Its mountains and ocean views are scenic. And by international standards, traffic is fairly low and courteous." White is an avid cyclist who has logged some 65,000 miles over the past 15 years in North America and the Caribbean.

Nova Scotia is attractive to people who like to see nature from the seat of a bicycle, said Peter Williams, owner of Eastwind Cycle. The Halifax company specializes in custom tours for groups of four or more. "Biking is more intimate. You can smell the sea, you can talk to people. It's easier to meet people than in a car." Williams gives the nod to Pictou County, where an innovative Bikeways Project is providing a safe cycling experience to five towns along the Sunrise Trail, the route that follows the northeastern coast of the province.

On Cape Breton's northern tip, the proprietors of Sea Spray Outdoor Adventures view cycling as only one component of an immersion into some of the most exciting scenery on North America's East Coast. The company offers packages that combine accommodations with guided hiking, cycling (both on- and off-road), kayaking and whale-watching day-tours, for people keen to try other activities. For groups with mixed cycling abilities, the company offer shuttles south from its northern location, dropping people in the cycling group along the way. People then ride back to Sea Spray's northern base.

Bicyclists in Nova Scotia can ride close to the water, through the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lunenburg, through fishing villages and Acadian country, to antique and art shops. If you find yourself stopping your bike at a hidden waterfall or a spectacular coastal view, perhaps you, too, will understand the province's appeal.