Discover Guysborough County

Guysborough County combines waterfront trails with insights into the region’s history and culture. When planning your trip, you can focus on specific interests: Would you like to hike and watch birds, paddle on a lake, or explore historic sites and events? The different offerings each have their own focus and help you shape your stay to suit your preferences.

Trails, Water, and Views

The Guysborough Waterfront Trail starts at the end of Main Street in Guysborough. Along its 3.5-kilometre route, it offers opportunities to enjoy the views and watch birds. The trail also features historic landmarks, including Nicolas Denys’ fishing and trading post and the ramparts of a village fort. The Guysborough Nature Trail, meanwhile, is part of the Great Trail, also known as the Trans Canada Trail.

At Boylston Provincial Park, you can paddle a canoe or kayak on the freshwater of Irving Lake. For a longer route, the Radar Base Trail runs between Queensport and Cole Harbour. The easy, 9-kilometre one-way route follows a 150-year-old road and connects coastal communities on Chedabucto Bay with those on Tor Bay. When planning your outing, note that the stated route is one-way rather than a loop.

Local History and Cultural Insights

Sherbrooke Village is the largest site of the Nova Scotia Provincial Museum. More than 25 historic buildings and costumed interpreters define the village. One- or multi-day learning camps on Hands On History, blacksmithing, and songwriting are also offered. In Goldenville, the Interpretive Centre tells the story of the old mining community from 1861 to 1942 through photographs, objects, and conversations with interpreters.

The Whitman House Museum focuses on the history of Canso and eastern Guysborough County. Its exhibits include objects from Canso Harbour. Museum guides also take visitors to the widow’s walk on the roof, where they can see Canso from above. Canso is also home to part of the Canso Islands National Historic Site: the visitor centre is on the waterfront, while the interpretive trail runs across Grassy Island. The island is a 15-minute boat ride away.

Port Bickerton Lighthouse marks the entrance to Port Bickerton Harbour. It is located at the western end of Barachois Head on Nova Scotia’s Eastern Shore and has been an important part of the local community since the first lighthouse was built in 1901. ArtWorks East offers another way to explore regional culture. It is a collective of visual artists and craftspeople from Guysborough County, with exhibition and sales locations for their work in Guysborough and Canso.

Events and Practical Information

The Stan Rogers Folk Festival, also known as Stanfest, takes place every year on the last weekend of July on the outskirts of Canso. In Larry’s River, a festival celebrating Acadian culture is held annually during the second week of August. If an event is central to your trip, these different dates can help you plan your visit.

For travel between Port Bickerton and Country Harbour, the free cable ferry Theodore O’Hara, also known as the Country Harbour Ferry, connects the two communities. It carries 12 vehicles. In summer, it runs every 15 minutes; during the rest of the year, it departs from the Country Harbour side hourly and from the Port Bickerton side every half hour. Check the schedule before you travel so you can account for seasonal departure times in your plans.

Whether you’d rather spend time on trails, visit museums and historic sites, or plan your trip around an event, these options offer different ways to explore Guysborough County.

Discover more destinations: Guysborough, Liscomb, Canso, Fishermans Harbour, Little Dover, Lunenburg County, Colchester County, Shelburne County.

For the main travel overview: Nova Scotia.