We were very, very lucky on weather and had fabulous weather our two days on the Cabot Trail and our one day on Bras d'Or Lake. We had lots of rain flanking those days! We did the Cabot Trail clockwise, turning left once we crossed the causeway. The night before we headed to CBI, we stayed at Sea Kindly B&B in Egerton; lovely place with delightful proprietors and we recommend it highly, just be aware that restaurants are a good 15 min. drive away (not a big problem). We took the Sunrise Trail from there to Antigonish. Once on CBI, we stopped in Pleasant Bay for dinner at the Rusty Anchor and can recommend it...we had the lobster/snow crab special. We hiked the Skyline Trail and were disappointed not to see moose, but did enjoy the trail and the views. Spent that night in Oakwood Manor B&B, a very nice place in a beautiful setting. Had lunch the next day at Water's Edge Cafe in Baddeck and enjoyed eating outside. Took a great sail on the Amoeba. Loved the Alexander Graham Bell museum: very well done. Spent 2 nights at A Paradise Found B&B in Sydney. Sydney itself isn't as pretty as Baddeck (not by a long shot) but it is a convenient location and we thought the B&B was great! Beautiful home, delicious breakfast, great hospitality and as a consequence, quite a nice comraderie among the guests. Did the Miner's Museum and loved the tour of the mine lead by a former mine worker. Also enjoyed Louisbourg Fortress in spite of rain, which actually seemed fitting. It did stop long enough for them to fire a cannon. Next day, headed back to Halifax via the Bras d'Or Scenic Drive (Rt. 4). Stopped for lunch in Auld Cove at the Mariner's Room in the Cove Motel. We have no complaints really; found people very friendly and helpful. Scenery is just spectacular. Some of the roads are on the rough side so you do need to be careful with your driving. Now, if I could just have seen a bull moose!!!

That sounds like you had a great trip.
Too bad for the rain, but it sure does fit with the Louisburg part in making it feel very authentic.
I enjoyed your details.

Good trip report. Thank you. Lots of details.

should also add that I found weather warmer than I expected, which was the very same experience I had summer 2007 for southern Nova Scotia....SO, my suggestion for late August/early Sept. is take lots of short sleeved tees and be prepared to layer with jackets/etc. I would have been better off not taking any long sleeved tees.

I did a wonderful home exchange outside Halifax, NS, in 1992. The scenery at Cape Breton is the most gorgeous scenery I have ever seen anywhere. I would go back in a heartbeat. While the house was in Bedford, we drove to both Cape Breton and PEI on that trip.