Welcome to Cape Breton’s rolling heartland, where the highlands meet the lowlands along the shores of the island’s beautiful inland sea—the Bras d’Or Lakes. The Bras d’Or Lakes Scenic Drive circles the lake along shoreline roads that offer an ever-changing panorama of woodlands, farms and villages, and are ideal for walking, biking and birdwatching. The region is a major nesting area for bald eagles, and these impressive birds can often be seen soaring aloft or perched on shoreline trees.
There’s something new around every corner along this route. Experience the daily life of the early Scottish settlers at the Nova Scotia Highland Village Museum. At Marble Mountain Museum you can learn about marble quarrying in the late 1800s, and the Orangedale Railway Station Museum offers a special look at late 19th-century trains and train travel.
Known for gentle, fog-free waters, beautiful anchorages, and hundreds of coves and islands, the lakes are an international cruising destination, attracting hundreds of boating enthusiasts every year. Visitors who want to get out on the water will find numerous boat tours available, from seabird tours and ecological sailing tours to elegant cruises.
The Bras d’Or Lakes’ unique tidal waters create a rich ecosystem that supports a dazzling array of wildlife. Hundreds of pairs of bald eagles nest along the lake shore and in the surrounding countryside. White-tailed deer, osprey, foxes, and raccoons are also frequently seen.
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