CANSO TO GUYSBOROUGH TO MULGRAVE

Your appreciation for the natural wonders of the world will increase by leaps and bounds as you wind your way around the dips and bends in the roads that give way to incredible coastal vistas. This is Chedabucto Bay, one of Nova Scotia’s best kept secrets. Your prize at the end of this beautiful drive is the hospitality that awaits you in one of the picturesque communities.

Lining the colourful Guysborough waterfront on Wednesday nights during the summer months you’ll enjoy a weekly ceilidh that features the talents of several young musicians and dancers. The community pride swells along this section of the Eastern Shore. Take in an annual festival or experience one of the many outdoor events. Community pride is evident in the preservation of the area’s history that can be found in community-run museums like the Mulgrave Heritage Centre by taking Route 344. As you travel along this stretch of the Eastern Shore, you will enjoy breathtaking views and stunning sunsets and you’ll realize this was a truly beautiful way to end your tour of the mainland.

Canso Islands National Historic Site

1465 Union Street, Canso

902-295-2069 | 902-366-3136

(summer) pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/ns/canso/index.aspx

The site commemorates the significant role the fishery played in international commerce since the early 1700s. Visit the ruins of 18th-century fortifications and then explore the interpretive trail system. Enjoy a free 15-minute ride on a fishing boat that shuttles guests from the mainland to Grassy Island.

WHITMAN HOUSE MUSEUM & VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE

1297 Union Street, Canso

902-366-2170 visitguysborough.ca/whitmanhouse-museum

Whitman House illustrates the history of Canso Town and eastern Guysborough County, with exhibits from Canso Harbour.

Out Of The Fog

LIGHTHOUSE MUSEUM

4291 Highway 16, Half Island Cove

902-358-2108

902-358-2290 (off season) lighthousemuseum.ca

Exhibits showcase the lightkeeper’s way of life and demonstrate the operations of the light station. The Museum is lovingly run by the Keepers of the Beacon.

Queensport Lighthouse

Rook Island, Queensport

The lighthouse’s crisp white clapboard and red tower offers a cheerful beacon to vessels passing tiny Rook Island in Chedabucto Bay. Built in 1936, this lighthouse is an example of the evolution in the design of traditional lighthouses.

Prince Henry

SINCLAIR MONUMENT

Highway 16, Halfway Cove Commemorating the landing of the Prince Henry Sinclair Expedition (c. 1398). The monument is a fifteen-ton granite boulder with a black granite narrative plaque offering a panoramic view of Chedabuto Bay.

Old Court House Museum

106 Church Street, Guysborough 902-533-4008 guysboroughhistoricalsociety.ca

Built in 1842-43 the museum offers a large selection of books and reference materials, including numerous complete and incomplete genealogies for use within the museum.

Mulgrave Heritage

CENTRE

54 Loggie Street, Mulgrave

902-747-2788

The Heritage Centre and Cenotaph was built in the form of a replica to the former Scotia Ferry and is a must see stop on the Eastern Shore. The town’s rich history from the building of the Canso Causeway, to memorabilia from the First and Second World Wars, to the railroad, and the fishing industry are on display at this unique centre.

AWE SUMMER!

80 Main Street, Guysborough artworkseast.ca

The summer gallery of the artists and crafters of ArtWorks East, located right on the Guysborough Marina, featuring paintings, prints, photography, jewelry, quilts, wood carvings, gift cards and more. Visit their website for hours of operation.

GUYSBOROUGH COMMUNITY MARKET

Jost Building, Guysborough Waterfront 902-358-2061

A community gathering place, the market cooperative is where you will find many local wares to purchase. Visit their website for hours of operation.

THE LOFT GALLERY

102 Main Street, Guysborough 902-533-2851 loftgalleryart.com theloftguysborough@gmail.com

Beautiful works by local artists, oil paintings, photography, seaglass creations, folk art, cards and posters.

QUEENSPORT BEACH

5420 Route 16, Queensport

A small sand and cobble beach overlooking historic Queensport Lighthouse. Interpretive display, picnic tables.

BOYLSTON PROVINCIAL PARK

11131 Highway 16, Boylston

Picnic area on Guysborough Harbour, with a short bridge to a small offshore island.

PORT SHOREHAM BEACH PROVINCIAL PARK

1720 Highway 344, Port Shoreham

A sand beach with picnic tables and change houses.

CHEDABUCTO LIFESTYLE COMPLEX

60 Green Street, Guysborough municipality.guysborough.ns.ca

902-533-2015

The CLC houses the Chedabucto Fitness Centre, community meeting and event space, an elementary sized gymnasium that can be converted into community space for weddings or other larger events. In Winter, lace up your skates and go for a spin on the 1000ft figure-eight loop or shoot the puck on the shinny rink. In Summer, a four lane running track around the soccer field offers a great place to do laps.

GUYSBOROUGH COMMUNITY MARKET

Jost’s Building, Guysborough Waterfront

902-358-2061

A community gathering place, the market cooperative is where you will find many local wares to purchase.

Trails

visitguysborough.ca

BLACK DUCK TRAIL

1409 Little Dover Road, Little Dover (3.5 km) Shoreline accessible walking trail with change houses, vault toilets with boardwalk and crushed rock trails. Roofed shelters and picnic tables with bird watching and beachcoming.

CHAPEL GULLY TRAIL, Canso

(10 km) A short loop around a saltwater estuary leads via a bridge to a full two-hour hike along shoreline and woodland.

GRASSY ISLAND TRAIL, Canso

(1 km loop) At the Interpretive Centre, visitors will see photographic and video displays, models, and 18thcentury artifacts.

QUEENSPORT ROAD TRAIL, Queensport

(9 km one-way) This trails takes you through forests of spruce and fir. It leads to the remains of a Second World War airforce radar base displaying huge rocks left from the last ice age.

THE GREAT TRAIL—GUYSBOROUGH NATURE TRAIL

(50 km) The first section of The Great Trail to open in Nova Scotia, it extends from Guysborough to Country Harbour, offering spectacular views of wilderness, a suspension bridge, and waterfalls.

GUYSBOROUGH WATERFRONT TRAIL

(2 to 3 km return) Leave your vehicle at the Old Courthouse Museum and walk along the sidewalk towards the water. You may see eagles and other forms of waterfowl.

SCOTIA FERRY LOOK-OFF, Mulgrave

A beautiful 1.7-km maintained trail with a perfect location to view the routes that boats used to travel on the Strait of Canso. The lookoff features a walking path with benches and documented history along the path.

Marinas

CAPE CANSO MARINA

1639 Union Street, Canso

902-366-2937

Short-term docking is subject to availability.

GUYSBOROUGH MARINA

106 Main Street Guysborough

902-533-2052

Fuel, water, power, washrooms, showers. Within walking distance of stores and restaurants.

VENUS COVE MARINA

16 Loggie Street, Mulgrave

902-747-2788

Serviced docks to accommodate 15 boats. Water, power, guest moorings. Washrooms.