CAPE BRETON Travel Guide ? | Things to do in NOVA SCOTIA, Canada ??

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[Music] hello and greetings from Cate Breton Nova Scotia we recently spent a week road
tripping the island and what an adventure that was this was our fourth summer exploring
Nova Scotia and this time around we focused on Southern Cape Breton specifically the area
between Saint Peters and Port Hastings I think this is a really interesting area to visit
because it is very accessible Port Hastings is the first town you hit if you're Crossing
via the kanso causeway the only land access point to the island so it's a logical starting
point and it makes a lot of sense for travelers who want to see a bit of Cape Breton Nova Scotia without
having to drive too far we spent our week in southern Cape Breton doing an iconic sale
from Lake to Sea feasting on seafood at every meal tackling different hiking trails and
enjoying the warm Hospitality the island is known for so hit that subscribe button and
join us as we explore Southern Cape Breton travel guide
hello hello good morning guys so for our first activity of the day we are getting ready to
go on a boat tour of the Saint Peter's canal and we're gonna get to learn about their lock
system and how the bra door Lake flows into the ocean and you know they've got different
tides and things like that so there's a bit of a system to get the boats to go from Lake
to Sea yeah and I mean this is the part of Canada we're going on a boat is practically
your Birthright I mean Nova Scotia is surrounded by water is considered Canada's oceans playground
and I can't wait for us to go out sailing today foreign
[Music]
Canal National Historic Site is an 800 meter title lock Canal designed to compensate for
the tidal differences between the ocean and the lake the canal traces its history back
to a traditional mikma Portage route and later affordified 17th century French Trading Post
the lock has Double Gates that close in a diamond shape and this is because depending
on the tides it could be the Lakeside or the ocean side that has the higher water levels
we did our tour through Richmond Adventure planning sailboat tours aboard the kunamara
which is a Celtic word meaning Hound of the sea the tour was an hour and a half in length
and we got to learn about the history of the canal and also hear about some of the fun
events that take place during the year like swim the canal [Music] foreign [Music]
that was a lot of fun it was so much fun all right guys
we are back in the car because it's starting to rain we finished that tour just in time
and that was a lot of fun and we got to sail through the Saint Peter's Canal it was amazing
and uh Gordon was a fantastic guide yes very nice gentleman um couldn't have had a better
Captain very relaxed it's very friendly yeah the scenery was incredible and it was fascinating
to see the procedure of how they they opened the canal Yeah so basically we were entering
from the Lakeside towards the ocean so first they had to stop traffic and like this bridge
swings open the boat goes through and then you have these two sets of locks That Swing
open because obviously the water level between the lake and the ocean it's different and
at its highest it can be up to three feet so you kind of enter the lock mechanism then
the water level either drops or Rises is and then the next set of locks opens and off you
go and once they had that part ready we were out out sailing so it is quite the procedure
but very cool to see I think that was my first time going through a lock system yeah so yeah
it's the thing to do if you're in this part of Cape Breton kind of like the southeastern
shore yeah I would highly recommend it for sure it's just a I mean when you're in Nova
Scotia you got to get out on a boat and you got to explore the waters [Music] thank you
after the sailing tour we drove down to Iowa Dam where we stopped to have lunch at the
island nest in erisha we got their fisherman platter with haddocks scallops shrimp and
clam strips with a side of french fries and coleslaw the portions were pretty big so you
can probably share the platters their menu also featured fish and chips fish burgers
and breaded shrimp so you basically come here for the seafood so guys I am here with my
clam chowder it is so good like it's such a cold rainy day so this is exactly what I
wanted [Music] clams Lobster a little bit of everything and vegetables too oh there's
celery potato this is just perfect for the weather oh my gosh I have an amazing Seafood
fighter come check this out look at that shrimp clams haddock and last but not least scallops
and I've got three different sauces gravy homemade gravy for the fries seafood sauce
and then tartar sauce yeah fried scallops are my favorites they're the best guys look
at that a whole lot of tartar sauce [Music]
amazing back in the car yes how's that meal oh so satisfying it's really our first taste
of the seafood that we're gonna be having while we're yeah in Nova Scotia so what a
what a delightful treat it was you eat well on the island oh yeah full satisfied not not
gut busting but I was a nice big hearty meal and the perfect kind of food something to
warm us up as it's raining a little bit and we're gonna do price point as is always requested
that meal was 48 yeah so twenty four dollars per person and we got the Fisherman's Platter
the clam chowder the iced tea and ginger ale and the gravy the home and the greens and
the biscuits and the crackers yeah [Music]
okay so this next attraction we're bringing you to it's called the Lenoir Forge this is
the historical building right behind me and we've just learned that this place used to
be a ship's chandlery an ice house and a Tavern as well as a forge so it's had a lot of different
uses over the years so we're going to bring you in show you some historical artifacts
and try not to get blown away by this wind [Music]
twice a week during the summer months they have a blacksmithing demonstration the schedule
is Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 to 4 pm during July and August But be sure to check for updated
information before you visit they also offer a 30-minute walk-in blacksmithing experience
where participants get to make a small souvenir under the guidance of the blacksmith so aside
from the forge here at the Lenoir Forge they also have these three buildings that they
call shanties and they're using each of these buildings to kind of showcase what life was
like in the area back in the day so the one we're in at the moment is the schoolhouse
hey Sam it's fascinating yeah it just has a very specific smell inside of here you walk
and you're like the wood the chalk it smells like being in a wood shed and it's amazing
to see the deaths that were used the classic chalkboard I'm old enough to have used one
of these I wonder if you guys have this is a like stepping back in time and you know
what I went to a rural School in Argentina so I actually used these desks that you can
see here and are you serious yes yes that was wonderful oh wow and believe it or not
we actually also had a stove like this that one of the students would have to eat in the
winter time no way I know I know it's hard to believe but this is I mean it feels like
Little House on the Prairie like that type of school yeah and yeah it's kind of nice
this isn't stepping back in time this is just reliving your childhood that's fascinating
we're in the next building uh-huh and as you can see it's in the dining area yes yes yeah
so it's meant to Showcase you know kind of utensils and just items they had in a kitchen
a dining area back in the day what's really capturing my attention is just the stove stove
and these things are built to last like this will Outlast any water and Appliance if it's
kept well I mean it's just so heavy duty made it's incredible you know what I'd like to
film a stove like that one day I would too I would actually I'd use it yeah for sure
it'd be cool to you know fire it up the old-fashioned way and uh and cook you know you want to get
me one for our Argentine home the South American one yeah we'll save up for it how's that [Music]
after visiting the Lenoir Forge we continued our loop around Iowa Dam and drove to Lennox
passage Provincial Park this park is located on the north side of Iowa Dam so it's one
of the first places you come across when you drive onto the island a bit of a rainy one
a bit of a wet today but we have driven over to Lennox passage Provincial Park where we
can visit the Grand Deke Point Lighthouse so that's where we're bringing you along to
check out this cute little Lighthouse they're they're very small in this area but very I
don't know there's something sweet like historic and rustic and they are sweet and their locations
tend to be fabulous so yeah yeah we're gonna enjoy this one right here aside from being
home to grandik Point Lighthouse Lennox passage Provincial Park also has two kilometers of
Shoreline as well as hiking trails through the forest [Music] laughs [Music]
we then made our way back to the Groundswell Pub and Inn which also happened to be where
we stayed on Isle Madame this place serves up some great food and it was recommended
To Us by locals over and over again so be sure to check it out if you're in the area
[Music]
bourbon maple syrup scallops like bacon every ingredient fell off and they're all combined
I haven't even taken a bite but I'm so excited for this I'm salivating behind the camera
[Music] that's way too good where do I begin crunchiness of the bacon juiciness of the
scallops it absorbs the maple syrup in the bourbon
and then for the mains Sam got the Cajun linguine with shrimp which was divine the sauce was
so rich and creamy that I kept stealing bites and meanwhile I ordered the Thai green curry
with haddock and rice I like this Twist on a Southeast Asian dish using local K Breton
seafood and now while we're talking about the Groundswell I want to mention that aside
from delicious food and great music they also offer a variety of accommodations you can
choose between staying at the Inn where each of the rooms are named after a different song
by The Beatles or their two-bedroom cottage which is where we stayed the cottage is Right
By the Sea and it felt rustic warm and cozy plus we also got to enjoy some spectacular
sunrises
another place not to be missed in St Peter's is battery Provincial Park which can be accessed
from the Saint Peter's Canal you just have to walk across the Lock Bridge to the east
side and you're there this Provincial Park sits on a hill overlooking Saint Peter's Bay
and it is home to Jerome Point Lighthouse you can enjoy some really nice panoramic views
of the town of Saint Peters from this point plus you can watch the sailboats and fishing
boats make their way through the canal and out to sea the park also offers plenty of
hiking trails to enjoy plus lots of campsites with epic sea views [Music]
another nice activity to enjoy in Saint Peters is a walk along the Saint Peter's Coastal
Trail this is a 3.5 kilometer Trail one way that stretches from Saint Peter's Canal to
River tillard along the Saint Peter's Bay the trail is on a converted Railway bed and
it's a grassy trail with several access points to the beach you also get some really nice
views of battery Provincial Park and the Jerome Point Lighthouse plus it's just so nice to
listen to those rolling waves and enjoy the Sea Breeze we lucked out meeting this German
Shepherd on the beach who wanted to play yeah yeah I'm getting him wow
[Music]
thank you foreign
[Music] we also ate at the Lock Masters Pub which is located at the Brad door Lakes Inn
Sam got the surf and turf which came with steak and a Lobster Claw in a side of mashed
potato swirls meanwhile I got their pan-seared scallops served with a pea and lobster risotto
their menu also featured all the pub food Classics plus lots of seafood pasta and the
best part was that they had live music in the evening foreign
[Music] ERS starting off with the clam chowder for appetizer looks so good we've been having
quite a bit of clam chowder on this trip and this one is the creamiest thickest one I have
seen so far it comes with clams Lobster shrimp and haddock look at that this is gonna be
good I can just tell [Music]
that is how it's done that's so good it also has potato and on the side a bit of garlic
bread my goodness I have an exciting lunch I love my Mac and Cheese you can get it with
lobster these are the chunks of lobster I'm getting look at that look how cheesy this
is that is gonna be the first bite
whole new level it's like the Mount Everest mac and cheese really wow for the mac and
cheese yeah I love stir and it comes with yeah it comes with sweet potato fries and
more garlic bread and a chipotle dip here and I opted for the seafood pasta I got the
fettuccine G which comes with muscles black tie your shrimp a white wine sauce vegan scallops
that combination of seafood and bacon would recommend seafood and bacon is amazing yes
the walk so we drove to the port bury community Trails well guys we have arrived at our next
destination we are now in Port Hawkesbury and we're checking out the Port Hawkesbury
Community Trails there is a lot of hiking to do here so yeah we're super pumped super
excited the rain is holding off and the temperature is actually quite agreeable so we're looking
forward to heading into the woods and just enjoying a bit of nature also lots of different
trails to choose from and they all have tree names so we've got the hemlock Trail the Maple
Trail the spruce Trail right now we're hitting up the Tamarack Trail so yeah this is really
nice it's been a while since I went hiking so it's always nice to be out in the greenery
isn't it fantastic yeah I did a little one yesterday while you were warming up and um
yeah this is so nice it's a beautiful trail system here and it's not far from the town
either it's like you kind of just head out from the residential area and you're right
out here in the woods it's amazing nature is never far in Nova Scotia so one thing I've
noticed here is that there's a lot of the old man's beard moth hanging from some of
the branches on the trees here and I've been told that's a really good sign of the air
quality it means you have really Pure Clean Air so that's always really nice to see and
you know makes you want to take just a deep breath Breathe It In Breathe that Evergreen
just smells so nice and fresh especially after a rainfall like when you walk through a forest
right after it's rained I don't know that just opens up your lungs well we're having
a little giggle here can you can you tell us about the sign it's a tiny bit sad there
is no poop Fairy After All I always believed in one but apparently there isn't if your
animal takes a poop especially your dog you should pick it up because the poop fairy does
not exist here on this Trail [Music] foreign [Music] guys another day another restaurant
we are bringing you to Country Kitchen this is a restaurant that's been around for over
five decades now and they specialize in diner food yeah party meals we had an awesome breakfast
here earlier this morning and we're heading back for lunch I mean it's literally across
the road from where we're staying so exactly Ultra convenient and yeah I think we were
looking at the lunch menu we're thinking about getting the hot turkey sandwich as one of
the items maybe the fish and chips we'll see [Music]
it's enjoying the man did you say the liver and onions is a country kitchen tradition
[Music] friends we are indulging in the ultimate comfort food check out this hot gravy sandwiches
so basically you have the classic hot turkey sandwich and I've got one with a burger instead
I've got the bread covered in gravy Burger in the middle tons of fries and corn again
okay oh yeah that's so good with the gravy gravy for the wind friends if you're gonna
have a sandwich like this little you better bring your appetite it's very filling all
righty so we are out I would mention this restaurant is located in the Hearthstone Inn
it is a motel along the highway but they also do food yeah and price points yeah so we had
breakfast and lunch there and most items were between eight and twelve dollars so very affordable
very filling meal so you go there to eat well and we did that twice today twice today we
gotta go exercise it off we're gonna hike because we are stuck yep [Music] thank you
[Music] where are we and what are we up to we are visiting right up here the Celtic Shores
Coastal Trail which is part of the Great Trail formerly known as the trans candidate yeah
and still mostly known as that most people don't know it's a great Trail we didn't even
until recently but this is a massive Trail guys come check out where you can go from
so we've been sort of staying in the this area the port Hastings area but now we're
at Troy it goes all the way up here so basically it finishes uh in Inverness this would take
good question I have no idea how long that would take well I'll tell you driving from
Port Hastings to Inverness is about an hour and a half so imagine doing that on foot it
would take you a while yes the Celtic Shores Coastal Trail stretches 92 kilometers from
Port Hastings to Inverness along the west coast of Cape Breton Island it mainly follows
the coast going past Scenic harbors and fishing communities we only hiked a small portion
of the trail joining the trailhead in the town of Troy this is a very easy spot to access
for those traveling around the southern part of Cape Breton plus there's a big parking
lot and even picnic tables for a Seaside lunch we're doing a little show and tell here because
we've been shopping for souvenirs tell us about yours so we went to the cape brand shop
they have a lovely collection of all kinds of things really nice clothes hoodies t-shirts
Celtic jewelry Celtic jewelry they also had a really nice Celtic scarves and I decided
to get this shirt because I'm a little short on shirts on this trip so Cape Breton and
it's a Moosey Moose what sold me was the moose and the transposed trees nice so and I also
really like green so it's like yeah it took the all the boxes probably gonna throw this
on momentarily momentarily okay and I got some Maple Tea I don't think I've ever tried
Maple Tea before it's a green tea so I think this is gonna be really tasty it feels very
Nova scotian very Canadian and it'll be nice for Autumn yeah one place you can't miss if
you're driving to Cape Breton is the kanso causeway since this is the only land access
point to the island the kanso causeway may look like an average Crossing but let me tell
you it's actually a feat of engineering by definition a Causeway is a raised Road or
track across low or wet ground and the kanso causeway is a road across the Strait of kanso
which connects Cape Breton Island to the Nova Scotia Peninsula prior to construction of
the causeway Crossing to Cape Breton involved taking a ferry yes even train carriages were
loaded onto the ferry to complete the journey 10 million tons of rock were quarried to fill
in the Strait of Kansas which has a depth of 66 meters it took 27 months of continuous
work to create the world's deepest Causeway and it opened to rail and road traffic in
May of 1955.
so if you find yourself along the southern part of Cape Breton this is a place worth
visiting [Music] since we were already in the area we decided to drive across the kanso
causeway and have lunch off the island we went to The Cove Restaurant in ALDS Cove a
nice Seaside restaurant with a strong nautical theme [Music] [Applause]
[Music]
time for another meal hello we have bottomless fit stomachs here so this time I have ordered
Atlantic salmon on rye with cream cheese and capers that's a nice combo okay it's nice
oh that's delectable it goes beautifully with the cream cheese and capers onions too I should
mention and very high quality toasted bread right Brad yum as for me I got the fish cakes
and some bunions I haven't had fish cakes in such a long time and I love the saltiness
of them
um I like the contrast to the saltiness with the sweet buns oh the beans look so good that's
what I want I'm negotiating together how are they [Music]
the following day we continued our travels around southern Cape Breton and made our way
to Dundee this is a small community overlooking the brador lake and it is home to the Dundee
Resort and golf club now our stay here happened to coincide with the biggest storm of the
Year yes a hurricane so we didn't get to do many touristy things to share with you all
but there is plenty to do in the area just to give you an idea there's a beautiful Coastal
drive you can do between West Bay and Roberta if you want to get out on the water there
are places where you can rent Kayaks canoes and stand-up paddle boards plus you have Eileen
and Bria Vineyards which is Nova scotia's northernmost Estate Winery and Cape breton's
first and only Estate Winery if you're a guest at Dundee Resort and golf club or even if
you're just passing through Dundee you can have lunch at mcrae's dining room which is
located inside the Dundee Resort we ate here several times over the course of our stay
and the food was Fantastic Sam had an amazing beer battered hand-cut haddock served with
fries and tartar sauce it was the best fish and chips we had on the whole trip crispy
batter but soft and juicy fish and since I was on a quest to sample all the Chowder across
the island I ordered their seafood chowder with haddock shrimp scallops salmon potatoes
onions and celery this one also made it to the top of the list it was super creamy and
flavorful
tell us all about today's lunch while I steal a fry Samuel this is fantastic guys so I've
had some different types of fried seafood here but I haven't had the fish and chips
yet oh we've been old enough for some one of the classic things to have so let me pack
that open for you show you how lovely that is look at that that looks nice doesn't that
look good and we've been already having some fries they are delicious they're amazing they're
amazing got some tartar sauce coleslaw so let's just dunk this into the tartar sauce
oh yeah that's how you eat the fishy chips friends
oh
yeah that's so good if we get stuck here for a few days then we have to keep eating this
for lunch I'll be very happy not complaining at all so good as for me I got the clam chowder
it looks amazing I've been having a lot of clam chowder on this trip this is probably
like my third bowl at least and this one looks fantastic first of all the size of the bowl
guys can we just appreciate that this is not an appetizer this is a main oh yeah
that's so creamy creamy goodness huh oh there's scallops
this is gonna be good I had a good time since we've been here huh we sure have perfect meal
for a rainy day yeah and enjoyed swimming at the pool just making the most of it yep
[Music] and that's the wrap for a road trip around southern Cape Breton we hope you enjoyed
exploring this part of the island with us we certainly had a good time this was our
fourth summer in a row visiting Nova Scotia and it certainly won't be our last in the
meantime if you have any local recommendations you'd like to share with fellow Travelers
be it things to do or places to eat at feel free to do so in the comments below and if
you enjoyed this video we invite you to like subscribe and join us for More Travel Adventures
see you soon foreign
[Music]