Scenic Coastal Walking Trails
DesBarres Manor Inn is your hiking headquarters for some of Nova Scotia's most scenic coastal walking trails. From the first leg of the Trans Canada Trail in mainland Nova Scotia to the easternmost hiking trail on Nova Scotia's mainland, the DesBarres Manor innkeepers can help you plan the perfect hiking getaway in Nova Scotia.
Trans Canada Trail – Guysborough Nature Trail
Hikers can join the Trans Canada Trail / Guysborough Nature Trail as it courses through the back of the DesBarres Manor Inn grounds. The easternmost leg of the Trans Canada Trail on mainland Nova Scotia, this 44 kilometre trail follows an abandoned rail line made famous in the Stan Rogers song “Guysborough Train”. The trail goes from the "front country" portion of the trail along scenic Chedabucto Bay to the "back country" portion of the trail along the Salmon River. Hiking author Mike Badyk described the trail as the “prototypical example of what the Trans Canada Trail could be” and features one of Nova Scotia’s only suspension bridges, beautiful waterfalls and scenic views of Chedabucto Bay described the trail.
Chapel Gully Trail
Only 30 minutes from DesBarres Manor Inn, the Chapel Gully Trail in
Canso enables you to hike very nearly on the easternmost point of mainland
North America. Named for the Star of the Sea Church, which stands near
the start, this trail offers rugged ocean coastline, tidal flats, boreal
forest, and a burned area that is replenishing itself in jack pine.
Benches are frequent, and there are picnic tables in several locations,
including the long bridge spanning Chapel Gully. The path works past
the site of the former “Pest House”, along the way interpretive panels explain how the “Pest House” was once used as a segregation compound during the early 1800s.
Black Duck Cove Trail
Only 30 minutes from DesBarres Manor, the Black Duck Cove trail is a 3.5 kilometre loop trail. At the start of the trail is a beautiful, sheltered beach, one of our favourite, spots for a swim. There are wonderful scenic views along the trail as you proceed to Bluff Point and there is another scenic lookoff further up the trail. This is a truly beautiful spot for an enjoyable oceanside hike.
Queensport Road Trail
Also know among the locals as “The Preachers Trail”, the Queensport Road Trail was the route taken by the local preacher from Queensport to Cole Harbour. Starting only 20 minutes away from DesBarres Manor Inn, this 18 kilometre trail goes through the Bonnet Lakes Wilderness Area (Link to the DesBarres Manor Inn nature areas page), one of Nova Scotia’s most remarkable landscapes dotted with large granite boulders. The area was also the site of a WWII radar base and the site has been developed with historical information to tell the story of the area’s history.
