The Cabot Trail, Cape Breton in pictures

Cape Breton Island is a beautiful place. It is separated from the mainland by the Strait of Canso (which we crossed via a causeway). Although part of Nova Scotia, once you cross that causeway, it feels like you've come to an entirely different place. Home of Cape Breton Highlands National Park, the scenery is breathtaking, the history and culture amazing and varied (French, English and Gaelic all can be heard here), and the people are extremely welcoming. I very much enjoyed our short time here. My only complaint - it was much too short!

Our trip through the Highlands, along the Cabot Trail is much better told in pictures...

Along the Celtic Trail, heading towards the Highlands, we learned a bit about Celtic music (and fiddle playing & step dancing) at the Celtic Music Centre

Views near le Buttereau Trail

Cute little chipmunk along the trail

View of the ocean & Cheticamp from le Buttereau

 Overlooking Pleasant Bay, interpretive panels show the animals that can be found in the waters

We learned more about whales at the Whale Interpretive Center in Pleasant Bay

On the Bog Trail we saw a variety of plants, including some carnivorous ones!

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Pitcher plant (it eats bugs!)

We saw a bull moose in French Lake

One of the several steep grades (pic doesn't do it justice)

Looking down at Fishing Cove

Looking at the ocean from Green Cove

Climbing to the top of Broad Cove Mountain

We made it!  What an awesome view

Sunset from near Ingonish Beach

And there's one picture I didn't get, that I really wish I would have now, just as proof.  As we were leaving the Highlands on the eastern side, heading for Sydney there is a downhill section that is worthy of a description. Picture, if you will, a slalom downhill ski course - left turn, right turn, left turn, again and again down a steep hill. And finally at the bottom of the hill, a 90 degree turn across a narrow bridge. The speed limit sign said 20. Someone had crossed it out and written 10 (kph). That's what the road was like! What an exit! I didn't get a picture because it blurred by so fast, and I was more concerned with gripping my seat in trepidation. I've been on some crazy roads, but that little stretch of road may have taken the cake.