Video: Cycling the Rum Runners Trail in Nova Scotia, Canada

Home to colourful fishing villages and the mighty Atlantic coastline, there are plenty of experiences on offer than just sampling fresh seafood when travelling to Nova Scotia in Canada.

Riding the Rum Runners Rail Trail is a must-do active travel experience. The trail of the 1920s and '30s is a converted railway line, now used as an inspiring recreational route that appeals to bike enthusiasts of all abilities (with the option to choose an e-bike).

The history behind it? During the Prohibition era, smugglers took full advantage of the province’s concealed harbours, secluded coves and rugged islands to funnel alcohol into the United States, shipping and transporting barrels of booze by boat and railway between Halifax and Lunenburg.

See what it's like to cycle the Rum Runners Rail Trail
 

As you retrace the historical footsteps of daring Prohibition rum-runners, the flat gravel track takes cyclists along the region’s many highlights and past a sheltered trail through welcoming Atlantic fishing communities.

Trail highlights:

- Scrambling on the rocks beneath the iconic lighthouse of Peggy’s Cove, a must-visit Canadian site.

- Exploring the colourful streets of Old Town Lunenburg, one of only two urban communities in North America to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

- Enjoying a picnic and swimming off secluded beaches, coves and harbours.

- And, of course, feasting on the local produce (including its famous lobster) whilst also tasting the invigorating sea breeze and savoring the South Shore’s unforgettable scenery.

So if you want to add more activity to your Nova Scotia trip with the flexibility of exploring at your own pace, join the Rum Runners Trail by bike adventure.

The self-guided cycling itinerary focuses on the views, seafood, bridges, lakes and Nova Scotia's legendary hospitality while we shuttle your luggage ahead each day to handpicked B&Bs and inns located just minutes off the trails.