Motorcycle Tour Nova Scotia with the BMW R 1300 GS Adventure

I'm not telling seasoned riders anything new: The best way to explore the world is on two wheels! No other form of travel quite matches the speed of getting around with the immersive experience of diving in quite like a motorcycle. And then it happens time and again – you stumble upon a region that immediately captivates you. "Nova Scotia"? Just the name itself sparks wanderlust!

This maritime province is far more than just another travel destination: Halifax, where the first British settlers landed in 1749 and established the city as a strategic gateway to the New World. From here, Canada shipped troops and supplies to Europe in both World Wars – a port steeped in history. For us, Halifax becomes the starting point of a fascinating motorcycle journey through a region of wild beauty and unexpected intensity. Welcome to Nova Scotia – Canada's best-kept secret for motorcyclists!

The Route 333 from Halifax to Peggy's Cove reveals within the first few kilometers why Nova Scotia is considered one of the hidden gems among motorcycle destinations. What awaits European riders here is beyond imagination: a landscape of such dramatic intensity that it overwhelms the senses. Forests, water, sea, and lakes interchange so rapidly that you lose track – is that beside the road a lake or a sea inlet? Sometimes the waves give it away, sometimes the water's hues, but mostly you're caught in a state of constant awe.

Route 333 immediately proves to be one of the highlights of this tour – scenically captivating, traffic-free on this Monday, with that fluid riding feel that makes the R 1300 GS Adventure in its element. Arriving at Peggy's Cove, we naturally succumb to the temptation of climbing on the characteristic granite rocks, though here is also where Nova Scotia's tourist culture is concentrated in its purest form. Yet, away from this hotspot, even in peak season, a tranquility is revealed that makes European conditions fade away.

A photo stop at Queensland Beach demonstrates the full ambivalence of this coast: white sandy beaches with a Caribbean aesthetic, yet water temperatures that only the hardy or Mediterranean tourists spoiled by perfect conditions would dare to venture into. We navigate between peninsulas and inland areas, pass through the picture-perfect towns of Chester and Mahone Bay, until Lunenburg appears before us – a sight of such picturesque perfection that you feel you've reached a true destination.

Parked next to the Smoking Restaurant, with the R 1300 GS Adventure in the shadow of colorful wooden facades, we enjoy barbecue cuisine with an Atlantic view and the intense colors that earn Lunenburg its UNESCO World Heritage status. We consciously vary the return journey with the sun behind us – where the morning tempted us inland, we now choose detours onto further peninsulas. The light traffic during the week, the constant views, and the fluid traffic flow allow us to virtually glide alongside the Atlantic.

After this first day in Nova Scotia, we are filled with deep gratitude for being guests here – and simultaneously with anticipation for what the coming days will bring. For if this gentle start is already so overwhelming, what might the Cabot Trail hold in store for us?

Here’s the tour to follow on Calimoto.

As a motorcycle journalist, I'm accustomed to rating each day by its abundance of curves and riding challenges. However, today was, to be honest, rather modest from a purely motorcycling perspective. We consciously chose to explore this region of Nova Scotia because of its rich history and fascinating natural phenomena. And with the BMW R 1300 GS Adventure, long stretches just fly by while you soak in the vastness of Nova Scotia at leisure.

The day began with an hour-long ride north to Burntcoat Head Park – a place that proves natural spectacles can sometimes outshine the perfect curve. Here, we witnessed the world-record tidal range, one of the few places on Earth where you can observe the tide’s rise and fall with the naked eye. A 16-meter difference in water level over six hours gives even seasoned motorcycle journalists goosebumps. Walking on the exposed seabed, knowing that in a few hours 160 billion tons of Atlantic water will surge over it, is an experience that puts any curve radius into perspective.

Back on the R 1300 GS, we followed the Evangeline Trail through the Annapolis Valley – Nova Scotia’s heart of agriculture and wine culture. On the other side, we used our phones to delve into the Acadian history and the drama endured by the skilled farmers and settlers from France. In Grand-Pré, a UNESCO World Heritage site, history becomes tangible: in 1755, over 10,000 Acadians were deported here – "Le Grand Dérangement," as the French call it. The tragedy of an entire culture that preserved its identity despite displacement.

What amazed us was the intense wine culture thriving in this otherwise rugged Nova Scotia landscape. The Gaspereau Valley, with its south-facing slopes and the protection of surrounding mountains, has created a microclimate where wineries like Benjamin Bridge and Gaspereau Vineyards produce world-class wines. The winding country roads through the vineyards made up for the otherwise straight stretches – here, Nova Scotia reveals its gentle, almost Mediterranean side.

On our ride back to Halifax, we had the pleasure of visiting Sandy Lake, where just minutes from the highway exit, we explored a secluded wilderness and wrapped up our day. This showcases one of Nova Scotia's most fascinating traits: this geologically ancient landscape of the Canadian Shield, with its thousands of glacial lakes, stretches right to the doorstep of the provincial capital. What would be unthinkable in Europe – going from a bustling city straight into untouched nature – is everyday life in Nova Scotia.

Yes, today wasn't a festival of curves. But sometimes these are the days that remind you why motorcycling is more than just chasing the perfect radius. Today, we delved deep into the region, its history, and its nature! We'll have plenty of curves in the days to come.

Today's route (few curves, lots of history!): https://calimoto.com/calimotour/wolfville-r-nnYmIQBDz5

As an experienced motorcycle journalist, I thought nothing would surprise me anymore. Until today, when my son, riding pillion on the BMW R 1300 GS Adventure, commented through the headset, "Dad, I think we've crossed all of Canada today." And damn – that's exactly how it feels when people from tiny Austria venture into the vast world. Even this single leg here in Nova Scotia felt like traversing an entire universe. With a GPS indicating "next turn in 120 kilometers," we know there's nothing ahead but landscape, nature, and wilderness.

Today's tour was intense – 470 kilometers through three geological realms. From Halifax, Route 7 took us along the Eastern Shore, Nova Scotia's "forgotten coast," often overlooked even by seasoned Canada enthusiasts. Here, between Porters Lake and Tangier, lies the essence of Maritime Canada: granite cliffs jutting unchanged into the sea since the last Ice Age, with secluded coves as if no human eye had ever seen them. The stops at the waters were particularly beautiful – like at Tylors Head, where a stunning sandy beach stretched for kilometers for us alone. Here, Nova Scotia's paradox becomes evident: a land slightly smaller than Austria but with half the population of Vienna, where you can often be the only visitor on spectacular beaches.

The BMW R 1300 GS Adventure made these kilometers incredibly appealing. As the distinctive boxer sound blended with the wind, we traversed a landscape more dramatic than any Alpine pass – not through elevation, but sheer raw power and vastness. At Sheet Harbour, the first major transition occurred: the Atlantic granite coast gave way to gentler hills, a geological shift that also manifests culturally. This is where Cape Breton territory begins, Gaelic-influenced, where street names suddenly sound Scottish and Maritime English gains a Celtic accent.

The Canso Causeway at Havre Boucher marked the dramatic climax: one of the few fixed land connections between two worlds. To the left, the mainland of Nova Scotia with its endless forests and lakes; to the right, Cape Breton Island – geologically already part of the Appalachians, culturally a Scottish haven in the middle of the North Atlantic. Here, you suddenly understand why motorcyclists travel from the other side of the continent: it's not just about curves or landscapes, but about the feeling of crossing boundaries that aren't marked on any map.

The final ride along the Bras d’Or Lakes – Canada's largest saltwater lake – was like a relaxing finale after a dramatic main act. The stop at Battery Provincial Park in St. Peters revealed the strategic genius of this landscape: here, where French fortresses once controlled the passage between the Atlantic and inland waters, you become aware that you're riding through centuries of European power struggles, played out in a landscape that has outlasted both sides.

Overall, today we had a very, very long tour – but one that illustrates why Nova Scotia can become an obsession for motorcyclists. Here, you're not just riding through landscapes, but through geological epochs, cultural layers, and a solitude long unthinkable in Europe. When the GPS says "120 kilometers to the next turn," it's not a warning – it's a promise.

Here’s the link to the day's route.

When an Austrian motorcycle journalist becomes reverent at the sight of a bridge, something special must be at play. The Seal Island Bridge near Sydney did just that to me – an architectural masterpiece of steel and concrete that connects not just shores, but worlds. Gliding over it on the BMW R 1300 GS Adventure felt like entering a motorcycle sanctuary. Imposing, majestic, powerful – sometimes even a journalist is at a loss for words. After the bridge, Cabot Trail pilgrims face a decision: the Englishtown Ferry cuts a bit off the journey, but we consciously chose the NS-30 south – and it rewarded us. This is where they begin, the wide, sweeping curves that fundamentally distinguish the Cabot Trail from European alpine passes. While in the Alps or Pyrenees we grapple with tight hairpins and switchbacks, Nova Scotia invites relaxed cruising through the landscape. The foothills of the Appalachians reveal themselves here in their finest form: relatively steep ascents and descents, but on much wider roads than we're used to. The motorcycle doesn't become a sport tool, but a brush with which to paint landscapes. The BMW effortlessly weaved through this geological symphony, while to our right, the Atlantic roared in all its raw power.

At Black Brook Beach, we dared to do what even seasoned Canadians consider bold: with the water temperature at a brisk 11.5°C – as indicated by the station at the national park entrance – we plunged into the Atlantic. The shock was refreshing, but also cleansing. The cold water helped recharge our batteries, which was much needed. We encountered several construction sites with relatively long wait times. Unfortunately, these annoying roadworks are a reality in Nova Scotia. The harsh winter with its freeze-thaw cycles causes roads to crack open, and the short summer is the only chance to repair the damage – a fact motorcycle tourists must consider. From June to September, repair work is in full swing, even on legendary routes.

What fascinated me as a European was the cultural shift along the route, more dramatic than any Alpine transit. In the east and north of Cape Breton, the Scottish influence prevails, with bagpipes and Gaelic in the air. On the west coast, it becomes French-Acadian: the architecture changes, the music, even the way people garden – and the menus. Two worlds on one island. Here, I must admit a critical planning mistake as a pro: spending just one day on the Cabot Trail is blasphemy. What we experienced today was just an appetizer. To properly ride this route, plan for at least three days and choose your base wisely: not Sydney, but Baddeck should be your base. Although you miss the spectacular Seal Island Bridge, you gain Meat Cove, the stunning north coast, time for the Skyline Trail, and the Alexander Graham Bell Museum in Baddeck. Hiking boots should also be in your luggage. We enjoyed our culinary finale at the Freight Shed in Baddeck – a restaurant with authentic maritime atmosphere right on the Bras d’Or Lakes. Here, where Alexander Graham Bell had his summer residence and wrote: “I have travelled around the globe… but for simple beauty, Cape Breton outrivals them all,” we understood over salmon with a lake view why he never wanted to leave.

Today was not a Cabot Trail experience – it was a promise. A promise of what happens when you give this route the time it deserves. The combination of smooth riding, geological diversity, cultural richness, and scenic drama rightly places the Cabot Trail among the top five motorcycle routes in North America. Tomorrow, we head back to Halifax to return the bike. But in my mind, the next trip is already planned: three days, the right base, the complete route. Because what we experienced today was just a taste. The main course awaits.

Here’s our route

In Nova Scotia, European motorcyclists can expect grand adventures. One major advantage of this wonderfully intense region: it's closer than you think! Halifax is more quickly accessible by air from Europe than any other North American city. For example, the Halifax-Frankfurt route is flown in 6 hours and 30 minutes. The time difference to Nova Scotia is 5 hours during the summer. The region is accessible, the people are friendly, and the distances are manageable. Yet, the experiences there feel incredibly intense, adventurous, and wild. Discover Airlines offers convenient connections from Frankfurt in the current schedule. Great flight connections to Nova Scotia can be booked through the Lufthansa/Austrian/Swiss network.