The Cabot Trail is a 300km road loop of stunning scenery and charming Acadian hospitality that circumnavigates the northern shores of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. A unique combination of eastern mountains, ocean vistas, and old growth forests alongside quaint fishing villages, the route is considered one of the most scenic in the country and is popular with tourists, and cyclists, from all over North America.
With many places to camp and great eats along the way, many cyclists pack their panniers and conquer the 4,362m of elevation over 2-5 days.
Norco Factory Team rider Andrew L’Esperance shares his experience of riding the Cabot Trail – all in one day!
“Come to Cape Breton Island for a week and ride, hike, hang out on the beach and take in the Island’s rich history.” – Andrew L’Esperance
Andrew’s trip:
“Last week two friends and I drove up to Cape Breton Island to tackle the iconic road ride that is the Cabot Trail. Most people take two or three days to do this 300 km loop, but we took it on in one…so needless to say I was nervous going into it.
The cool part of the Cabot Trail is that there are legit mountains to climb – something you cannot really find elsewhere in Nova Scotia. With North Mountain at 5 km and 15 %, and Mackenzie at 4 km and 13 %; we tackled these in the first 100 km. The descent off of North was well worth the climb up, and the view of Cheticamp after descending French was amazing!
We all finished a hard and long day on the bike with smiles on our faces and celebrated with a BBQ and beers at the campground we were staying at; well-deserved no doubt.
It was a beautiful ride, and this was my first time seeing it, so it was pretty spectacular to see the whole thing in one day and by bike.
Fuel for your ride:
Andrew, along with riding companions Geoff O’Toole and Dustin MacBurnie, packed food for their ride in advance and stopped to rest and refuel at The Red Barn Restaurant, close to Baddeck, and the Wreck Cove General Store, the last stop before the final climb on Smokey Mountain.
“We stuffed as much food in our pockets as we could and mostly just stopped for water. I packed Honey Stinger Gummies, and wraps made with a whole banana, peanut butter and honey, then wrapped in tin foil for easy eating on the bike.”
While you’re there:
- There are many places to camp, or find a charming B&B or motel along the Trail. Andrew stayed at the Broad Cove Camp Ground in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Find more info on accommodations at www.cabottrail.travel
- Visit during summer or fall and line your trip up with one of the many Celtic music festivals, including the Celtic Colours International Festival – October 10-18, 2014.
- Stock up tubes and last minute supplies at Framework Cycle and Fitness (//frameworkfitness.com), in Sydney, or at Highland Bike Shop in Antigonish, NS. (//highlandbikeshop.ca)
- Learn more about cycling the Cabot Trail in this Canadian Cycling Magazine article.
Thanks to Andrew for sharing his story, and to Dustin MacBurnie for the photos!
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‘Staff Rides’ showcases great trails, urban pathways, and road riding from all over Canada and loved by our staff. Get on your bike and have some fun!