Driving Tours

This section assumes travel northeastward from Halifax toward Cape Breton. If you're traveling the opposite direction, hold this book upside down (just kidding).

Between Halifax and Sheet Harbour, the route plays hide-and-seek with the coast, touching the water periodically before veering inland. The most scenic areas are around wild and open Ship Harbour, as well as Spry Harbour, noted for its attractive older homes and islands looming offshore.

At the Fisherman's Life Museum (tel. 902/889-2053) in Jeddore Oyster Pond, you'll get a glimpse of life on the Eastern Shore a century ago. The humble white-shingle-and-green-trim cottage was built by James Myers in the 1850s; early in this century it became the property of his youngest son, Ervin. Ervin and his wife raised a dozen daughters here ("This was quite a popular spot among the young men in the area," reported the laconic guide), and the home and grounds have been restored to look as they might have around 1900 or 1920. A walk through the house and barn and down to the fishing dock won't take much more than 20 minutes or so. The museum is open June to mid-October, Monday through Saturday 9:30am to 5:30pm and Sunday 1 to 5:30pm. Admission is C$3.25 (US$2.95/£1.65) adults, C$2.25 (US$2.05/£1.15) seniors and children age 6 to 17, C$7.50 (US$6.75/£3.75) families. It's located on Route 7 and is well marked.

At the town of Lake Charlotte you can opt for a side road that weaves along the coast (look for signs for Clam Harbour). The road alternately follows wooded coves and passes through inland forests; about midway you'll see signs for a turn to Clam Harbour Beach Provincial Park. A broad crescent beach attracts sunbathers and swimmers from Halifax and beyond, with lifeguard-supervised swimming on weekends. A picnic area is set amid a spruce grove on a bluff overlooking the beach. There's no admission charge, and gates close at 8pm. Continue on up the coast from the park and you'll reemerge on Route 7 in Ship Harbour.

Between Ship and Spry harbours is the town of Tangier, home to Coastal Adventures (tel. 877/404-2774 or 902/772-2774), which specializes in kayak tours. It's run by Scott Cunningham, who literally wrote the book on Nova Scotia kayaking (he's the author of the definitive guide to paddling this coast). This well-run operation is situated on a beautiful island-dotted part of the coast, but it specializes in multiday trips throughout Atlantic Canada. You're best off writing (P.O. Box 77, Tangier, NS B0J 3H0) or calling for a brochure well in advance of your trip.

There's also a terrific little fish-smoking business just outside Tangier, Willie Krauch & Sons Smokehouse (tel. 800/758-4412 or 902/772-2188). Krauch (pronounced "craw") and family sell wood-smoked Atlantic salmon, mackerel, and eel in an unpretentious little store; they'll also give you a tour of the premises, if you like, where you can check out the old-style smoking process in action. Take some to go for a picnic. It's open until 6pm daily.

Sheet Harbour (pop. 900) is a pleasant small town with a campground open May through September, a couple of small grocery stores, two motels, and a visitor information center (tel. 902/885-2595), behind which is a short nature trail and boardwalk that descends along low, rocky cascades. Inland from Sheet Harbour on Route 374 is the Liscomb Game Sanctuary, a popular destination for hearty, self-contained explorers equipped with maps, compasses, canoes, and fishing rods. There are no services to speak of for casual travelers. Continuing eastward from Sheet Harbour, you'll pass through the wee village of Ecum Secum, which has little to attract the tourist but is unusually gratifying to say out loud to others in the car.

Adjacent to the well-marked Liscombe Lodge and just over the main bridge is the Liscomb River Trail system. Trails follow the river both north and south of Route 7. The main hiking trail follows the river upstream for 5km (3 miles), crosses it on a suspension bridge, and then returns on the other side. The Mayflower Point Trail follows the river southward toward the coast, then loops back inland.

Continuing on Route 211 beyond historic Sherbrooke Village, you'll drive through a wonderful landscape of lakes, ocean inlets, and upland bogs and soon come to the scenic Country Harbour Ferry (tel. 902/389-2200). The 12-car cable ferry crosses the broad river encased by rounded and wooded bluffs each direction every half-hour when open. The fare is C$5 (US$4.50/£2.50) per car, which includes driver and passengers. If the ferry isn't running, you'll have to turn right around and head back, so it's wise to check at the Canso or Sherbrooke visitor centers before detouring this way.

Farther along (you'll be on Rte. 316 after the ferry), you'll come to Tor Bay Provincial Park. It's 4km (2 1/2 miles) off the main road but well worth the detour on a sunny day. The park features three sandy crescent beaches backed by grassy dunes and small ponds that are slowly being taken over by bog and spruce forest. The short boardwalk loop is especially worth a walk.

Way out on the eastern tip of Nova Scotia's mainland is the end-of-the-world town of Canso (pop. 1,200). It's a rough-edged fishing and oil-shipping town, often windswept and foggy. The chief attraction here is Grassy Island Fort National Historic Site (tel. 902/295-2069), part of the newly created Canso Islands National Historic Site. A park-run boat takes you out to the island, which once housed a bustling community of fishermen and traders from New England. The small interpretive center on the waterfront (open daily 10am-6pm June to mid-Sept) features artifacts recovered from the island and boat schedules. A trail also links several historic sites within the island, which feels a bit melancholy whether it's foggy or not. Boat fares are by donation; I always give them a few dollars per person. If you're coming to Canso in summer, also watch out for the annual folk music festival created to honor Nova Scotia's own Stan Rogers.

Route 16 between the intersection of Route 316 and Guysborough is an uncommonly scenic drive. The road runs high and low along brawny hills, affording soaring views of Chedabucto Bay and grassy hills across the way. Also pleasant, although not quite as distinguished, is Route 344 from Guysborough to the Canso causeway. The road twists, turns, and drops through woodlands with some nice views of the strait. It will make you wish you were riding a large and powerful motorcycle.