Eastern PEI: to and from Souris by bike

On our memorial ride from Nova Scotia to Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, we biked between the PEI ferry terminals in Wood Islands and Souris, taking a different route in each direction. On the way to Souris, we took the most direct route covering the 91 km in two days. On the way back, we took a longer route on the Confederation Trail through St. Peter’s Bay and Eldon covering 158 km in three days. We didn’t do much other than bike, eat and sleep, but we loved (almost) every minute of it.

Read on to learn more about

• accessing the island
• the routes we took
• where we stayed
• what we ate

If you don’t really care about the details, jump ahead to the summary and the slideshow of our pictures.

Accessing the Island

To get to and from Prince Edward Island, we took the Northumberland Ferries. We were a bit worried before our trip because the ferry was having some mechanical issues, but thankfully they had two ferries running when we went so there was a crossing every 90 minutes or so.

We got dropped off and picked up at the terminal in Caribou, Nova Scotia. Unfortunately, there is no public transit option to get here, but thankfully we have a great support team who happen to have a bike rack.

The cost to go to PEI is $0! In fact, they only charge you to leave the island and it is cheap. We paid $44 for both us and our bikes. The walk-on rate is $23/person, so we actually saved $1/each by bringing our bikes.

As foot passengers we were the first ones on the ferry and we were provided straps to secure our bikes. There are not many services on the ferry but the crossing is just over an hour in length.

The Route We Took

We covered 249 km during our five days on PEI. We spent as much time as possible on the Confederation Trail, but also took a few secondary roads and braved one section of the Trans Canada Highway.

We had been warned that the Confederation Trail was “boring” and there were definitely sections of it that were, but it was so peaceful and in great shape. We only encountered one slightly sandy section between Lake Verde and Uigg on Day 4, but otherwise it was hard packed red crusher dust trails. There were gates at every road crossing keeping ATVs out and plenty of picnic areas along the route. We would definitely ride on the trail again!

Day 1 – Wood Islands to Brudenell Provincial Park (42 km)

Leaving the ferry in Wood Islands, we continued straight on the Trans Canada Highway then turned right onto Route 4 then immediately left towards the Wood Islands Market.

The Wood Islands Market is a road stop with a visitor center, a liquor store, a restaurant and a candy shop. It is also a departure point for the Confederation Trail, heading north.

We biked on the Confederation Trail for about 5 km before merging with Route 315 which took us over Mount Vernon. We were pretty worried about this section because there was no shoulder and it was a climb, but it was better than expected. The traffic gave us lots of space and the hill was very gradual. It was still a bit scary when big trucks passed because they created big gusts of wind.

We arrived in Montague and took shelter under a gazebo to have lunch. There was no table, but we improvised and had a quick rest before heading to Copper Bottom Brewing. After a nice beer on the patio we picked up some vegetables at the Sobeys and then got on the Confederation Trail for the remaining 14 km of the ride to Brudenell River Provincial Park. The trail was in great shape and it was so nice to be off the road!

Day 2 – Brudenell Provincial Park to Souris (49 km)

We needed to catch the ferry by 1 pm, so we had an early start leaving Brudenell Provincial Park. We did the first 7 km on the Confederation Trail and then took Route 4 from Cardigan to Dingwells Mills. From there we merged onto Route 2 to complete the trip to Souris. We were both a bit anxious about the road sections, but there was a nice wide shoulder the entire way.

It was foggy when we left, but there was absolutely no wind so we made good time. We had a quick break at the Central Kings Waterfront Park which had a covered picnic table and wharf. We then stopped at Toby’s Takeout near Rollo Bay for ice cream. It was 10 am and they weren’t open yet, but the nursery employee must have seen that we were desperate!

We then finished the final part of the trip into Souris. Route 2 from Dingwell Mills to Souris was much busier than the road from Cardigan to Dingle Mills, so we were quite happy to see the boardwalk in Souris. We stopped for some groceries at the Co-op and then enjoyed lunch on the boardwalk before heading to the ferry.

Day 3 – Souris to St. Peter’s Bay (40 km)

Immediately after getting off the ferry from Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine we joined the Confederation Trail. We stopped in town for some groceries – again at the Co-op – and then continued on the trail. It was literally the same view for 39 of the 40 km to St. Peters Bay. While monotonous at times, it was really quiet and enjoyable. We stopped at the one viewpoint at Larkin’s Pond, but otherwise just biked at a steady pace through the forest. When we arrived in St. Peters Bay we crossed the boardwalk arriving at the Landing where we rewarded our selves with ice cream.

We then took Route 2 for about 1 km to St. Peters Bay campground, but in hindsight we could have accessed the campground from the trail (and avoided a big hill).

Day 4 – St. Peter’s Bay to Eldon (71 km)

Our longest day of our entire trip was from St. Peter’s Bay to Eldon. We didn’t really want to bike this far, but there were not many accommodation options in the area.

The first 10 km between St. Peters Bay and Morell was the most beautiful segment of our entire PEI trip. The trail offers great views of the bay and has a number of wooden bridges to cross over. We stopped in Morell for groceries at the Co-op and then at the visitor centre for the bathroom. We happened to pick up a map of the Confederation Trail and learned that there was a new section that we could take to avoid the secondary road we were planning to ride on. The employee said it was in good shape so that made us feel better about the day. We then continued on to Mount Stewart where we stopped for lunch at the junction of three trails. We also had some treats from the bakery.

We then headed south towards Pisquid where we had to ride on Route 21 for about 1 km. It had no shoulder and a big hill, so we were relieved to find the trail again. This section of the trail was new! It was in great shape, but there wasn’t much to see, just trees, trees and more trees.

Near the 50 km mark, when moral was low, we found ice cream at Flavours! It was the key to getting us through the last 20 km which were on a combination of a sandy trail and Highway 1. Definitely a tough way to end the day so we were relieved to arrive at Wild Pines Cabins.

Day 5 – Eldon to Wood Islands (38 km)

Leaving Wild Pines, we had to backtrack on Route 1 for about 1 km before taking Route 207 toward Belfast. The plan was to merge onto the Confederation Trail as soon as possible, but the road had very little traffic and the rolling hills were a welcome change from the monotony of the trail. We ended up staying on the road for the first 12 km before merging on the trail near Melville and taking it the rest of the way to Wood Islands.

At the Wood Islands Market we stopped into the visitor centre and grabbed some chips and fudge before heading along Route 4 to Northumberland Provincial Park. We had seen online that the campground was full but we knew they had an overflow site so we decided to risk it. Upon arriving, we asked to see the site – it was beautiful, but wet. And, we were both ready to be done with the mosquitoes so we decided to spend the day on the beach and catch the ferry back to Nova Scotia later that afternoon.

After lunch, we were looking to see if there was anything to do in the area and noticed there was a winery about 5 km away. So we hopped back on our bikes and made one last stop before heading back to Wood Islands.

Where we stayed and almost stayed

On the way to Souris, we stopped for the night in the Brudenell campground. Then, on the way back to Wood Islands, we spent a night in St. Peters Bay and another in Wild Pines Cabins near Lord Selkirk campground. We had also planned to stay at Northumberland Campground but it was full.

Brudenell River Provincial Park

We spent our first night in the campground at Brudenell River Provincial Park. The campground has an open area (sites 1-25) and more wooded areas (sites 26 to 92). We stayed at site 82 which was great — a short walk to the bathroom and lots of privacy. The campground has a pool on site, kayak rentals and horse rides, but we didn’t have enough time to enjoy these luxuries.

The mosquitoes were bad at the site so we went to the main area for apéro, dinner and breakfast. Unfortunately there was no wind so even in the open the mosquitoes were relentless. We found a couple picnic tables inside the community centre that allowed us to relax without all the biting and buzzing. The spot was great for preparing meals because there was a full sink, washrooms and a great view. Unfortunately the building was closed in the morning (pre-7 am) but we ate at one of the outdoor picnic tables.

St. Peter’s Bay Campground

In St. Peter’s Bay we stayed at the community campground which is situated between Route 2 and the Confederation Trail. The campground is essentially an open field with lots of seasonal trailers but there is direct access to the trail so it is extremely convenient. It is about 1 km from the main town centre.

Unfortunately, most of the tent sites are located next to the noisy Route 2 but there is one – Site 83 – that is tucked in next to the forest. It had several wooden posts blocking the edge of the site which was perfect for stringing up a clothesline.

While at the campground we went for a quick swim in the pool, did some laundry and played some crib. They had washer toss available for loan but it was being used by someone else at the time.

Wild Pines Cabins

Our most enjoyable night of the trip was definitely at Wild Pines Cabins. We had been planning to stay at Lord Selkirk Campground near Eldon, but the forecast was calling for heavy rain and thunderstorms. The cabins just opened earlier this year in 2023 and normally require a three-night minimum stay, but when we contacted the owner he kindly gave us an available cabin for one night.

The price was $138 (tax included) so definitely a splurge, but well worth it. We were able to use the communal kitchen and a real pot to make dinner and had a night without swatting the mosquitoes. We also woke up dry and refreshed!

While we were there we did wander down the road to Lord Selkirk Campground. It would have been pretty exposed during a rainstorm but otherwise would have been a nice place to stay. While visiting the campground, Adrien played mini-golf for the first time!

Northumberland Provincial Park

We were planning to spend our last night at Northumberland Provincial Park, but for the first time on this trip, not booking ahead backfired – it was full! We learned at the visitor centre in Wood Islands that they had an overflow area so we went to the campground to check it out. It was actually very nice – right on the Northumberland Strait next to a shelter and a fire pit but it was very wet from the rain the night before. It looked like a breeding ground for mosquitoes and we could literally see the ferry back to Nova Scotia so we changed our mind and left PEI a day early.

What we ate

For the most part, we cooked our meals ourselves with whatever we could find from the local grocery stores. We stopped in Montague, Souris (twice), Morell and Eldon for chips, veggies and a few other random ingredients. The only place we couldn’t find a good grocery store was near Wood Islands. When we asked at the visitor centre, the employee said: “Oh yeah, there is a store just over in Murray River”. That was 20km away…

Of course, we did treat ourselves to several ice creams. Near Rollo Bay we came across Toby’s Farm Market at 10 am after biking 40 km. The ice cream parlour wasn’t open yet but the nursery employee must have seen that we were desperate so scooped some cones for us! We also had ice cream at St. Peters Bay Landing and Flavours near Vernon Bridge.

We ate our one restaurant meal at Rick’s Fish n Chips in St. Peter’s Bay. We both enjoyed seafood – fish cakes and fish and chips – while sitting in the garden on a nice evening. On our walk to the restaurant, we noticed a long line of 100+ people who seemed to wait to go into the fire hall. One of the attendants explained to us that it was a wake for James “Jimmy” MacAulay, the former high school principal and prominent benefactor of the village. The person waved around and said: “he built all this.”

And lastly, we enjoyed some local beverages on our first day and our last day. In Montague, we stopped at Copper Bottom Brewing for some tasty beers. Then on our last day we did a wine tasting at Rossignol Estate Winery. The winery was opened by an adventurer who did many bike trips so it seemed like the fitting end to our PEI trip. We found the wine to be average but the views and the experience were worth it.

Long story short (TL;DR)

A lot of details in there, so here is the short version

• Biked 240 km in 5 days — 2 days before going to the Magdalen Islands, and 3 days on the way home;
• Most of the ride was on the Confederation Trail. It was boring in parts but in great shape. The section from Mount Stewart to St. Peter’s Bay was the most enjoyable;
• The roads were okay. The secondary roads (Route 315, 21 and 207) had no shoulder but had limited and respectful traffic. The main roads (Routes 1, 2 and 4) had shoulders but much more traffic. Route 1 was the worst and we would avoid it in the future.;
• Spent 2 nights camping, and one night in a glamping cabin;
• We ate a lot of ice cream and some delicious seafood.

Slideshow

An overview of our trip in slideshow form. Mostly in chronological order.