Accommodations Nova Scotia
Your Guide To Accommodations In Nova Scotia
Bras d'Or Lakes Scenic Drive, Nova Scotia
The Bras d'Or Lakes are a traditional home of Nova
Scotia's native Mi'kmaq, and the Mi'kmaq language and
culture are still evident today in the four reserves along
its shores: Waycobah, Eska-soni (the largest reserve in the
province), Wagmatcook, and Chapel Island in St. Peter’s
Inlet. Wagmatcook First Nation has a Mi'kmaq cultural and
heritage centre, with a museum, exhibits, craft shop and
restaurant.
A circular route, the Bras d'Or Lakes Scenic Drive can be
started and ended at a variety of points. This tour begins
at one of the region's busiest communities, Whycocomagh,
which is centrally located with easy access to all of the
Cape Breton travel ways. The name originates from the
Mi'kmaq word for “head of the waters”. Nearby Whycocomagh
Provincial Park features a picnic area and campground with
exceptional views of St. Patrick's Channel.
From Whycocomagh, head west on Highway 105 briefly, turning
left at Iron Mines to Orangedale, an attractive lakeside
community where the Orangedale Railway Station Museum, a
classic station built in 1886, displays memorabilia and
railway cars from that era. The living quarters of the
stationmaster and his family, on the upper floor of the
station, have been restored as at the turn of the century.
The train that originated from this station inspired the
song The Orangedale Whistle by the well-known Cape Breton
group The Rankins.
From Orangedale, take the Marble Mountain road. The
shoreline along this route is marked by numerous bays and
quiet coves that are an important habitat for herons,
ospreys, bald eagles and many varieties of ducks and other
waterfowl. Sea kayaking among the islands and beautiful
inlets of this region is a popular activity.
At Valley Mills, a left turn leads to Malagawatch and Marble
Mountain along paved and well-maintained gravel roads.
Marble Mountain is a small picturesque village that perches
high above Clark Cove on the Bras d'Or Lakes, offering
splendid views of the southern end of the lake and the many
islands that lie just offshore. A museum details the
fascinating history of the village and the nearby marble
quarry, and there is a unique marble-chip beach.
Approaching Dundee, the road offers sweeping views of the
coastline and the island-dotted waters of the lake, passing
a small marina nestled in a picturesque cove, then crossing
a one-lane bridge. Beyond the bridge are resorts and one of
Cape Breton's finest 18-hole golf courses.
The Bras d'Or Lakes Scenic Drive continues along the
picturesque south shore of the lake, to St. Peter's. Known
as the “Gateway to the Bras d'Or Lakes,” St. Peter's is a
full-service community situated on a narrow strip of land
separating the Atlantic Ocean and the Bras d'Or Lakes. The
St. Peter's Canal, a National Historic Site, connects these
two great bodies of water. It is flanked on both sides by
grassy picnic areas that offer a great place to sit and
watch the parade of colourful boats travelling to and from
the popular cruising waters of the Bras d'Or Lakes. On the
east side of the canal, walking trails to the St. Peter's
Lighthouse offer excellent views along the coast. On the
west side of the canal, the Nicolas Denys Museum highlights
the region's history and tells the story of the adventurous
pioneer who established the first trading post in the region
here, in 1650.
St. Peter’s is also the birthplace of photographer Wallace
MacAskill, whose photographs of sailing ships and coastal
life of Nova Scotia garnered him international recognition.
His childhood home (c. 1880) on the main street has been
restored and converted to a summer museum that displays many
of his original hand-tinted prints.
Just past St. Peter's is Chapel Island First Nations
Reserve, one of the oldest Mi'kmaq settlements in the
province. The route continues along the lake shore, passing
through a patchwork quilt of rolling green farmlands and
small communities.
Continuing past Irish Cove, the Bras d'Or Look off and Picnic
Park is a good spot to stop and enjoy spectacular views of
the lakes and surrounding hills.
Further along, Big Pond is best known as the home of Rita
MacNeil, acclaimed singer, songwriter and recording artist.
Rita's Tea Room offers tea and light dining, and contains a
heart-warming collection of awards, photographs and
memorabilia from the singer's distinguished career.
At Ben Eoin, there is an attractive provincial picnic park
with a short trail to a look off that offers sweeping views
of the lake. The route continues to the charming community
of East Bay, nestled into the hillside at the tip of the bay
that shares its name. Near the lovely St. Mary's Church,
built in 1837, a 1.5-km long road crosses the bay on
the narrow East Bay Sandbar, which is an excellent place for
swimming, walking and bird watching.
The Bras d'Or Lakes Scenic Drive continues around the head
of East Bay to Northside East Bay and Eskasoni, Nova
Scotia's largest Mi'kmaq reserve. The name Eskasoni is
derived from a Mi'kmaq word meaning “still water”. From
Eskasoni, the road follows the coastline to a small
warm-water beach at Banacadie Pond, then turns inland to
Grand Narrows, where you will find accommodations, services,
a farmers' market, a boat charter and a full-service marina.
A bridge crosses the Barra Strait to the Washabuck
Peninsula.
Almost entirely surrounded by water, the Washabuck
Peninsula's high rolling hills and quiet coastal roads offer
some of the most captivating scenery to be found anywhere
along the Bras d'Or Lakes Scenic Drive.
After crossing the Barra Strait Bridge, a left turn leads to
Iona and the Highland Village Museum, a living museum that
recreates the 200-year history of Scottish settlement in
Cape Breton. Inside the 43-acre village, ten restored
historic buildings reflect various periods of the history of
Scottish settlers and communities. Set high on a hillside,
the village also provides panoramic views of the Bras d'Or
lakes and surrounding countryside.
Turn left back through Iona to MacCormack Provincial Picnic
Park, which offers walking trails and a relaxing place to
enjoy the beautiful surroundings. The road winds along the
eastern shore of the peninsula, with ever-changing views of
the rolling, emerald-green highlands and the island-dotted
waters of the lakes.
The geology of Washabuck Peninsula is unique. In places,
chalk-white coastal bluffs have been sculpted by wind and
tide into pleasing rounded shapes. These are outcroppings of
high-grade gypsum. Near Little Narrows is a mine that
produces over 1 million tonnes of the soft white mineral
every year. In Little Narrows, a 24-hour car ferry crosses the St. Patrick's Channel to Highway 105, which
leads east to Baddeck or west to the Canso Causeway.
Near Jamesville, a turnoff leads to Highland Hill Forest
Management and Recreation Area where 9 km of
moderately challenging hiking trails lead through 1400 acres
of privately owned upland forest.
The Bras d'Or Lakes Scenic Drive re-crosses the bridge at
Grand Narrows and heads east on Route 223. The road follows
the scenic shore of St. Andrew's Channel. The small
community of Christmas Island is a centre for Gaelic
culture, with festivals, classes, milling frolics, and
concerts. At Barrachois Harbour, visitors can pause to enjoy
the view at the provincial picnic park. Continuing along the
shore leads to George's River and through Little Bras d'Or
to Highway 105.
After crossing the bridge on Highway 105, the Bras d'Or
Lakes Scenic Drive turns left again to Groves Point, where
there is a small beach at the provincial picnic park. From
the waterfront there are great views of a small marina and,
across the water, the beautiful twin steeples of St.
Joseph's Parish Church, built in 1912. The Groves Point road
circles the shore of Boularderie Island, following the lake
shore and passing through deep green forests and pastoral
farmlands that overlook the water. Near the end of the
island, the paved road turns and crosses the island, and
then heads back along the northern shore to Highway 105.
Turn left to continue on the Bras d'Or Lakes Scenic Drive.
A right turn on Highway 105 to Exit 14 leads to Big Bras
d'Or, where boat tours take visitors to the dramatically
beautiful Bird Islands. These islands, rising like rocky
pillars from the sea, are the nesting grounds of thousands
of seabirds, including razorbills, kittiwakes, and over 300
pairs of Atlantic puffins. Tours bring visitors up close to
the island's craggy sea cliffs where hundreds of seabirds
nest and soar. Also in Big Bras d'Or is Dalem Lake
Provincial Park, on the shore of a small, almost perfectly
round lake with a hiking trail around it, a picnic area, and
a small sandy beach.
Back on Highway 105, the Bras d'Or Lakes Scenic Drive
continues, crossing the beautiful Seal Island Bridge.
Spannning the chasm of Great Bras d'Or Channel, the bridge
is 761 m long with a clearance of 37 m
above sea level.
The road then climbs steeply up the side of Kelly's
Mountain, where several look offs provide breathtaking views
of the Great Bras d'Or Channel, the Seal Island Bridge and
St. Ann's Bay. At the sharp turn at the beginning of the
drive up Kelly's Mountain, a broad, well-graded gravel road
follows the water's edge to New Campbellton. At the end of
the road, a popular but challenging hiking trail leads to
Cape Dauphin and a sea cave known as the Fairy Hole.
The Bras d'Or Lakes Scenic Drive continues west along
High-way 105 toward Baddeck, joining the Cabot Trail at Exit
11. A right turn at this intersection will follow the
Cabot
Trail north to St. Ann's, Ingonish and the Cape Breton
Highlands.
Continuing west on Highway 105, take a left turn at Exit 10
and follow the road into Baddeck, a picturesque village at
the edge of the Bras d'Or Lakes.
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