Travelling to Guysborough, NS (Canada)

Guysborough, Nova Scotia doesn’t have much media coverage as a must-see destination while travelling in the Maritimes. I happened to like it quite a bit, although it might have something to do with the exceptional experience I had staying at the DesBarres Manor Inn

Guysborough Country spans quite an area on the eastern shore of Nova Scotia, south of Antigonish and Pictou, and east of Halifax. The town of Guysborough is a small community at the head of Chedabucto Bay.

I took a walk along the town’s main street, which has some really cute buildings from the early 1900s. They’re all now being used as modern businesses, including a post office, pub, pizza eatery and retail store.

The picturesque Mulgrave Road Theatre is a bit disappointing, though: it’s a travelling theatre troupe that spends most of its time out of town. Too bad, as the building is so charming!

That short main street is the gist of the community, but I was also lucky enough to be in town during a concert. J.P. Cormier, a Canadian Celtic/bluegrass musician, was rocking out his “JP’s Musical Relief Tour” at the Chedabucto Place Performance Centre (the lovely school theatre).

For $5 and a can of non-perishable food for the food bank, him and his wife Hilda Chiasson-Cormier put on a great show of guitar, piano and even violin! The small but appreciative crowd tapped their toes and clapped their hands throughout the evening.

If you’re in town, make sure to spend some time at the Old Courthouse Museum (right beside the DesBarres Manor Inn). Built in 1842/43, it’s also the visitor’s centre and displays local artefacts, handcrafts and tools from earlier settlements.

The rooms were once the grand jury box, judge’s and barrister’s rooms, and the judge’s bench and witness stand are still intact.

What I liked:

As with the small communities in Nova Scotia, great people.

There is a hiking path, the 26 km Guysborough Nature Trail. It’s part of the Trans Canada Trail that spans every province in Canada. This portion goes all the way west to Country Harbour and is unmonitored.

If you want water, head to the harbour and rent a boat or just hang out in the afternoon until the fresh lobster comes in. Yum.