With its salt-tanged fishing villages and mountainous interior cloaked in dense woods, Cape Breton is the prize of Nova Scotia, a green getaway splashed with lakes and lapped by the blue waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean. Besides the natural beauty to be found here, the Cabot Trail immerses you in the still vibrant Gaelic and Acadian cultures of Cape Breton.
Overview
On the island's Atlantic side, towns like Ingonish preserve the influence of the early Scottish settlers, while on the gulf side, French-speaking towns such as Chéticamp still celebrate their Acadian heritage. The Cabot Trail makes a 185-mile (297-kilometer) loop around a sizeable chunk of the island, passing through Cape Breton Highlands National Park at its northernmost point. A 367-square-mile (950-square-kilometer), flat-topped plateau cut by deep river valleys, this wilderness is home to moose, black bears, and bald eagles. Mostly, the Cabot Trail skirts the edges of the park, at times clinging to steep oceanside cliffs. The town of Baddeck, on Bras d'Or Lake, is a good starting point for the drive. From there, you can make the Cabot Trail loop in either direction, stopping to feast on fresh seafood, stay in hospitable inns and B&Bs, hike some of the 25 trails in the national park, and enjoy the scenery from the many roadside "look offs."
Begin in Baddeck
Learn about all the other things created by the inventor of the telephone at the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site in Baddeck (559 Chebucto St.; 295-2069; www.visitbaddeck.com/attractions/bell.html; fee). The museum brims with photos and memorabilia, including a full-scale reproduction of the pioneering hydrofoil Bell built during World War I. While in Baddeck, boat around Bras d'Or Lake for a view of the Bell mansion, as well as nesting bald eagles and the lush Baddeck shoreline. Amoeba Sailing Tours offers daily 90-minute sailing trips on its 67-foot (20-meter) handcrafted vessel that Captain John Bryson's parents built nearly 30 years ago. (Baddeck Wharf; 295-1456; www.amoebasailingtours.com).
