Shelburne, the once famous United Empire Loyalist Capital of Canada, settled by American refugees at the time of the Revolution. Ride along the restored waterfront and visit an 18th century store (Ross-Thomson House). At Liverpool there is an alternative of continuing with Tour #1 to Annapolis or going on Tour #10 to the city of Halifax. Perhaps you would like to complete a circuit of the entire western half of Nova Scotia by joining tours #1, #10, #8 or #11, #7 and #5 or #6. Hwy. 8 at Liverpool takes you inland to Annapolis Royal through farm and forest lands, past Kejimkujik National Park where you can swim in the freshwater lakes, rent a canoe for a wilderness trip, or hike the quiet wooded trails. From Kejimkujik to Annapolis Royal is an easy 50 km, and you can coast the last 6 of them. On your way down this hill you will pass through the village of Lequille where there is a small hydroelectric plant housed in a 17th century style building. It was constructed from detailed drawings published in France in 1763 and is thought to resemble the grist mill erected at this site by Poutrincourt in 1607. Annapolis Royal was originally settled by the French in 1605 and the whole area came to be called Port Royal; it changed hands several times during the succeeding century, finally becoming British for the last time by a peace treaty in 1713. The British renamed the village and the fortress after their Queen Anne. There are many historic sites around Annapolis Royal, such as Fort Anne, the Habitation, and the Historic Gardens. If you ride out on the causeway across the mouth of the Annapolis River you will find the unique Fundy Tidal Power Project, a prototype for plans to harness the Fundy tides. Across the causeway, a left turn takes you through Granville Ferry and then to the site (about 12 km, 7 mi.) of the original Port Royal "Habitation", which has been reconstructed and is now a national historic park. At Annapolis Royal there is also the alternative of riding eastward, deeper into the Annapolis Valley, on tours #5 and #6 or #7. Leave Annapolis Royal on Hwy. 1, riding toward Digby, but turn left at Deep Brook on a paved road to Bear River. As you turn off you will start up a 100 meter hill, but when you see the view on the other side's long descent into Bear River, you will know that it was well worth the climb. At Digby there is an option to ride down Digby Neck on Tour #4. The "longest main street in Canada" starts at Weymouth and ends at Yarmouth, a continuous string of Acadian villages. It has the largest wooden church in North America and a French Language University at Church Point. This is the centre of the French Acadian culture in Nova Scotia. If you wander around you will be surprised at the facility with which the residents switch back and forth between (Acadian) French and (South Shore) English. At several spots along the route there is no reasonable alternative to riding on one of the 100 series highways, the N.S. equivalent of freeways. This has been kept to a minimum.
Route Details for Tour #1 Starting in Yarmouth, from the N.S. Tourist Information Centre, near the ferry terminal, corner of Forest and Main st. Ride north on Main St.
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RIGHT turn on Starrs Rd. (Hwy. 3).
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1.0
Yarmouth airport on right
3.5
2.2
LEFT turn, stay on Hwy. 3, follow signs
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3.9
12