This section assumes you'll drive northeastward from Halifax toward Cape Breton.
Between Halifax and Sheet Harbour, the route plays hide-and-seek with the coast, touching coastal views periodically and then veering inland again. The most scenic areas are around wild, open-vista Ship Harbour and Spry Harbour, noted for its attractive older homes and the 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, who raised a dozen daughters here -- a popular stop for local boys, evidently -- and the home and grounds have been restored to look as they might have around 1900 or 1920. It's replete with hooked rugs and a reproduction pump organ, among other period touches. 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 through mid-October, daily, from 9am until 5pm. Admission is C$3.90 adults, C$2.80 seniors and children age 6 to 17, C$8.65 families. It's at 10309 Hwy 7.
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 Park, one of the best beaches on this coast. A long, broad crescent beach attracts sunbathers and swimmers from Halifax and beyond; it also helps that there's a boardwalk, clean sand, and toilets and changing rooms here, plus lifeguards supervising the action on summer weekends. Look for the picnicking area set amid a spruce grove on a bluff overlooking the beach. There’s a funky sandcastle competition here in mid-August (which draws crowds of more than 10,000 every year). There’s no admission charge; a free shuttle service runs between all the stops on the beach from 9am-7pm.. Continue on up the coast from the park and you’ll reemerge on Route 7 in Ship Harbour.
On the rugged, windswept 6.5km (4-mile) long peninsula that is Taylor Head Provincial Park, it seems like ocean is battling stone. Huge boulders called “erratic” punctuate the landscape, evidence of glaciers that retreated eons ago leaving these monoliths behind. The park is 16km (10 miles) of coastline, eroding headlands, salt marshes, and woodland. Maps are downloadable at parks.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/TaylorHeadTrail.pdf or available at a visitor information center.
Between Ship and Spry harbours is the town of Tangier, home to the great tour outfit Coastal Adventures (tel. 877/404-2774 or 902/772-2774), which specializes in kayak and paddling 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.
Continuing northeast, Sheet Harbour is a pleasant little town of 800 or so souls, with a campground open May through September, a couple 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 you can find the Liscomb Game Sanctuary, a popular destination for the sort of hearty explorers who come equipped with their own maps, compasses, canoes, and fishing rods. (There are no services to speak of here for casual travelers.) Then, east of Sheet Harbour, you pass through the wee village of Ecum Secum, which has nothing to attract the tourist -- but is unusually gratifying to say out loud to friends after the journey.
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. Both trails are rated “difficult.” For a “moderate” walk, the 400m Woodpecker and Prospector Trails are both short strolls along wooded trails.
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. 902/387-2200). The 12-car cable ferry crosses the broad river between Port Bickerton and Country Harbour every 15 minutes in summer from July to the end of September, weather and river conditions permitting. During the rest of the year, it departs on the hour from Country Harbour and the half hour from Port Bickerton. There’s no charge to take this ferry, as well as other provincially run ferries. If it’s not running, you’ll have to turn right around and head back, so it’s wise to check with the ferry service 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. 900), which is currently in the process of being assimilated by the bigger nearby village of Guysborough, but no matter. It's still a rough-edged fishing town and oil port, windswept and foggy. The main attraction here is the ruined fort at the Grassy Island National Historic Site (tel. 902/295-2069). A park-run boat takes you out to the island, which once housed a bustling community of fishermen and traders from New England. A 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. Admission is by voluntary donation.
If you're coming to Canso in summer, also watch out for the annual music festival held the first week of July to honor late Canadian folk musician Stan Rogers, who perished in an airline fire in Cincinnati in 1983 at the age of just 33. The Stan Rogers Folk Festival (tel. 888/554-7826), also known in these parts as StanFest, focuses on the craft of songwriting. But big names do sometimes play here.
Route 16 between the intersection of Route 316 and Guysborough is an especially scenic drive. This road runs high and low along brawny hills, giving 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. That road twists, turns, and drops through woodlands with some nice views of the strait. It might make you wish you were the owner of a large and powerful motorcycle.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
