Lawrencetown Bike Trip

Sunny weather in May, no fog in Lawrencetown, not a drop of rain, a tailwind in both directions and no bike issues, i.e. PERFECTION! What a great way to celebrate a birthday and honour “V” on mother’s day. She loved the Salt Marsh Trail and we think of her every time we ride it!

Our trip was three days and two nights. We stayed in an AirBnB that was a stone’s throw from Lawrencetown Beach and was the perfect spot for this adventure. The waves weren’t great for surfing, which is what Lawrencetown is known for, but we went on several beach walks and took in the sights and sounds of the ocean. In total our trip was close to 100 km return and consisted of riding on the Dartmouth Harbourfront Trail, the Shearwater Flyer Trail, the Salt Marsh Trail, the Atlantic View Trail and the Blueberry Run Trail.

The perks of the trip were the multi-use trails, the wildlife, the view of the salt marshes and, of course, the beaches. There are several great spots to stop for a picnic or get a delicious coffee. But before you get too excited, there were also a couple of unpleasant sections on roads that were unavoidable due to disconnected trails and impassable conditions. Thankfully, these were a small portion of the trip and we would definitely do it again.

Read on for more details, or skip forward to the slideshow.

UPDATE: Since completing this ride we’ve found a much better way to get from Halifax to the start of the Salt Marsh Trail. We’ve saved the route on Komoot, so you can give it a try.

The route and the trails

Our route mostly consisted of multi-use trails and ended up being about 92 km return. Not bad for our first trip of the summer!

From Halifax, we took the MacDonald Bridge to Dartmouth. We then went down Lyle St to Shore Dr and meandered through the parking lots until we reached the Alderney Ferry Terminal and the start of the Dartmouth Harbourfront Trail. As an alternative, there is a brand new bike lane from the bridge tolls to the Dartmouth Commons, but it requires two road crossings and spits you out on Alderney Drive. Another great option from downtown Halifax, is to take one of the ferries, and skip the bridge altogether.

From the ferry terminal, the Dartmouth Harbourfront Trail follows the train tracks by the water. We biked behind the Center for Ocean Ventures and Entrepreneurship (COVE) where we stopped for a good chat with a friend of ours. We then proceeded to the end of the trail at Woodside Ferry terminal.

Past the terminal, the trail ends, so after stopping at the Birdies Bakery for a treat, we had to go on the road. It is named Pleasant Street but it is definitely not a pleasure to ride. Although the speed limit is 60 km/h, a lot of cars go faster than that. We were also passed by a couple big scary trucks.

After 3 km of biking past the refineries, we used the crosswalk to reach Corsair Drive, where the Shearwater Flyer Trail starts.

The Shearwater Flyer Trail is an 8 km crusher dust trail that passes through the 12 Wing military base, where we saw a huge Cyclone helicopter hover over us. The trail then gradually goes downhill through the woods towards Bisset Rd and the Salt Marsh Trail.

The Salt Marsh Trail is a popular destination for a short walk or a bike ride. It is 6.5 km long, it is flat and it offers a great view on the salt marshes and islands that stretch between Cole Harbour and Lawrencetown. We saw various kinds of shore birds, an eagle and rabbits. We stopped at one of the picnic tables for a well deserved lunch. We then proceeded to the end of the trail at Lawrencetown Beach, where we were spending the night. In total, it was about 33 km, and 2 hours of riding, from Halifax to Lawrencetown.

The next day, we headed further east to Grand Desert. We started on the Atlantic View Trail which is again a mostly flat, crusher dust trail that cuts through the woods and crosses Marine Drive at several points.

However, at Causeway Rd, the Atlantic View Trail turns into Blueberry Run Trail. We realized within 100 m that this trail was not as nice as we immediately had to backtrack because of the flooded terrain. We had to bike on Marine Drive for a bit before getting back on the trail. But, past the lake where Hope for Wildlife sits, the trail was so rough that we had to go on the road again. Justine even fell in one of the sandier parts when she couldn’t get unclipped in time! Although the trail is deemed to be “shared use”, it definitely wasn’t passable with our hybrid bikes. It is maintained by a local ATV club, so it is suitable for their vehicles, for walking, or maybe for mountain bikes with shocks!

To get the last few kilometers to Grand Desert, we biked along Marine Drive. It is well paved and not very busy, but it has no shoulder. We then headed down Dyke Rd to Grand Desert Beach. There, we sat on the rocks and had a quick lunch before the sea breezes chilled us to the bone.

We then went for a coffee at Rose & Rooster before heading back to the AirBnB.

On the last day of our trip, we biked back to Halifax on the same trails through Cole Harbour, Shearwater and Dartmouth.

The beaches

Lawrencetown Beach is a sand-and-cobble beach that is a very popular surfing spot. In the summer, it is supervised and a local shop offers rental gear and surf lessons. We only saw one surfer because the waves were small, but it was still a great spot to walk and enjoy an apéro.

To the east of the beach, there is a footpath that goes up the hill from the Atlantic View Trail. Halfway up the trail, you have a great view of the beach, which would be a great spot to watch the sunset. If you follow the trail to the end, there is another lookoff that provides a great view of Half Island Point.

Grand Desert Beach, our final destination, felt remote and quiet. All you can hear is the wind in the low bushes and the crashing of the waves. It is quite exposed, though, so we felt cold very quickly when the sun hid behind a cloud.

The roads

Currently, there is no bike-friendly route that connects the Dartmouth Harbourfront Trail to the Shearwater Flyer Trail, even though they are part of the Trans Canada Trail. So you have to either bike on the sidewalk, which is forbidden, or bike on the road, called Pleasant Street. It is a 4-lane road where the speed limit is 60 km/h. It goes through the refineries and an industrial area. We recommend that you make yourself super visible and avoid rush hour. Later this month, there is a public engagement session to explore options to provide a multiuse trail for this 3 km section — we will definitely be participating!

Also, past Porters Lake, the Blueberry Run Trail was so bad that we had to bike on the road, called Marine Drive. It is a 2-lane road that is quite windy and hilly. There is no real shoulder and it has some rough edges, so it is definitely a bit stressful to ride. One day, we hope that the shoulders will be paved so that cyclists can safely enjoy this fun route with scenic views!

Recommended stops

The Salt Marsh Trail and Lawrencetown Beach have great spots for picnicking and enjoying the sun. There are also several benches along the Dartmouth Harbourfront Trail, especially near the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) in Dartmouth, where we enjoyed our lunch on our way back.

Also, there are bathrooms on the Salt Marsh Trail, near Lawrencetown Beach and on the Atlantic View Trail. We’ve marked them on the map in case you find yourself in need.

To replenish our lunch basket (and our fridge at home), we stopped at the Atlantic Dutch Shop. Justine revived her childhood memories of Oma by buying a sixth of a wheel of aged gouda while Adrien salivated over packs of candies and cookies imported from Europe.

Another pit stop for us was the Rose & Rooster Cafe in Grand Desert. We had coffee and tea along with a brownie. We bought a loaf of bread to go with the cheese.

The Seaforth Country Store also looked like a great spot to stop for supplies or a snack.

Slideshow