Port Hawkesbury to Louisbourg

Nova Scotia | 172km

Taking just over two hours of road time to complete, this ride might be short – but it’s packed with incredible scenery and features two National Historic Sites, so you’ll want to allow plenty of time for getting off the bike. Starting in Port Hawkesbury, on the southwest end of Cape Breton Island, ride east for 40km through beautiful woodlands to St. Peters, where you’ll find the St. Peters Canal National Historic Site. This 800m tidal lock canal, which joins the Atlantic Ocean with Bras d’Or Lake, is North America’s oldest. Continue along NS-4 to the bustling waterfront city of Sydney before heading southeast on Route 22 to Louisbourg and the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site. Take your time for a visit to the site, including a walk along the stunning coastal trails.

Blast from the past
The Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site offers a glimpse of what life was like in this region in the 18th century, as you interact with a town’s worth of characters in period costume. From July to mid-September, you even have the opportunity to learn the basics of 18th-century soldiering and fire a replica canon or musket.

Click here to view this route in the Harley-Davidson Ride Planner and start planning your next adventure.

First published in 2023.

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