The week of June 22 brings nightly live music to the northern Highlands, with Bruce Courtney, Norman MacDonald, and Deron Donovan holding court all week at The Markland Lobby, and Saturday evening closes with something truly singular: Mary Louise Bernard leads Grandmother Moon at Freshwater Lake, an Indigenous ceremony celebrating women's teachings under the full moon in Cape Breton Highlands National Park.
Three local Cape Breton musicians — Bruce Courtney, Norman MacDonald, and Deron Donovan — bring the warmth of the island's musical tradition to the Markland Lobby each evening. Together they also perform as part of Trail Bound, a local band celebrated on the northern tip of Cape Breton, sharing laughs, stories, and vibrant Cape Breton music nightly from 7 to 9 pm starting in June.
Deron Donovan is a Nova Scotia singer-songwriter and guitarist born and raised in Ingonish, Cape Breton, who blends original compositions with Celtic, folk, country, and rock-and-roll classics. He has performed regularly at Cape Breton venues including the Keltic Lodge and the Markland, and released his album "In Yer Prime" in 2020.
This Indigenous ceremony celebrates women's teachings during the full moon, led by Mary Louise Bernard. It's rooted in Mi'kmaw culture and the concept that Grandmother Moon watches over the earth's waters.
Arrive on Monday and settle in with the relaxed rhythm of the northern highlands. The Cabot Trail — Canada's most celebrated scenic drive — sets the tone immediately, its 298 km of ocean cliffs, river valleys, and boreal highlands demanding at least one unhurried loop. On Monday evening, head to The Markland, where Bruce Courtney, Norman MacDonald, and Deron Donovan take the lobby stage at 7:00 p.m. — the kind of intimate, unplanned-feeling session that Cape Breton does better than anywhere.
Tuesday and Wednesday are made for exploring on foot and by gondola. Start mornings with breakfast at the Clucking Hen Café & Bakery, a licensed café on the Cabot Trail between Baddeck and Ingonish serving homemade baked goods worth the detour. Then ride the Cape Smokey Gondola & Adventure Park for sweeping Atlantic views, or trade elevation for shoreline at Black Brook Beach, a sheltered cove where a small waterfall spills onto pink granite sand. Evenings return to The Markland for the ongoing lobby sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.
On Thursday, take the Middle Head Trail — an easy walk past the Keltic Lodge to a tern-nesting headland framed by two bays — before lunch at Salty Rose's & The Periwinkle Café in Ingonish, a cozy spot with locally sourced coffee and garden views. The Thursday lobby session runs again at 7:00 p.m., making it a natural end to a well-paced highland day.
Friday offers a choice worth planning around: the nightly trio returns to The Markland Lobby at 7:00 p.m., while Deron Donovan also performs at the Keltic Lodge's Arduaine Restaurant that same evening. For dinner before either show, the Coastal Restaurant & Pub in Ingonish Beach pours Cape Breton beers on tap alongside creative comfort food — a satisfying pre-show stop. Drivers coming from the Englishtown direction can shave 25 km off the loop by crossing on the Englishtown Ferry, a tiny cable ferry that remains one of the Cabot Trail's quiet pleasures.
Saturday is the week's emotional peak. In the afternoon, Ingonish Beach — with Atlantic surf rolling in on one side and a warm freshwater pond on the other — is the ideal place to spend a June afternoon. As evening arrives, Mary Louise Bernard leads Grandmother Moon at Freshwater Lake at 7:00 p.m. on the Freshwater Lake Trail inside Cape Breton Highlands National Park: an Indigenous ceremony honouring women's teachings timed to the full moon. The Markland Lobby session also runs Saturday evening for those who want to close the night with music.
The Cabot Trail loops around the northern tip of Cape Breton Island, through Cape Breton Highlands National Park, French Acadian villages, Mi'kmaq communities, and over six mountain passes. Allow at least two days to drive it properly — three is better.
Ingonish Beach is a slim sandbar that separates the cold Atlantic from the warm waters of Freshwater Lake. Swimmers can choose ocean waves on the seaward side or bath-warm freshwater on the lake side just metres away. The beach is supervised in summer and has a full bathhouse. The trailhead for the easy Freshwater Lake Look-Off is right next door.
Middle Head juts a kilometre and a half into the Atlantic between South and North Bay Ingonish, ending in a rocky tip where common and Arctic terns nest each summer. The trail begins behind the historic Keltic Lodge and follows a wide, mostly flat path through spruce woods with frequent ocean overlooks. It is one of the best places in the park for a sunrise walk and is popular with families. The final approach to the tip is closed during seabird nesting season in late spring.
Black Brook is a sheltered crescent of coarse sand and pebbles framed by pink granite headlands. A small freshwater waterfall drops onto the eastern end of the beach, a favourite photo spot. The cove is the southern terminus of the Coastal Trail, so a beach day can easily be combined with a short shoreline walk. Waves can be lively; supervision recommended for children.
Year-round gondola, zipline, and mountain bike park on the cliffs above Ingonish Ferry. The gondola alone is worth the stop — eight minutes up to a 360-degree view of the Atlantic, the Highlands, and Ingonish Beach far below.
A casual Cabot Trail pub at Ingonish Beach with comfort food that punches above its weight and a tap list that takes Cape Breton beer seriously. The pick for dinner if you're staying in the Ingonish area and want something better than typical roadside fare.
Located half way between Baddeck and Ingonish. Open daily from mid May until the end of October. Serving Breakfast, lunch and Dinner, licensed serving beer, wine, and lots of homemade baked goodies.
Foodies and nature lovers know Salty Rose’s & the Periwinkle Café is a must-visit destination for a unique and delicious dining experience. This cozy café, situated on the scenic Cabot Trail, offers a diverse menu featuring fresh, locally sourced coffee, handmade teas, specialty lemonades that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving more. Your dining experience is a feast for the eyes as well, with indoor and outdoor seating, garden views, and light and welcoming environment. Still wanting more? They offer unique features, such as on-site gift shop, handmade jewellery and features local artists and artisans. The also host live music and specialty dining events, making Salty Rose’s & the Periwinkle Café the perfect spot for a brunch, a date night, or a fun night out with friends. Salty Rose’s & the Periwinkle Café now offers overnight accommodations with beautiful and bright flower themed rooms! Don’t miss out on this hidden gem and book your next stay or dining experience today for a mouth-watering culinary adventure amidst stunning natural beauty.
The Englishtown Ferry is a short, government-operated cable ferry across St. Anns Bay between Jersey Cove and Englishtown. The crossing takes about three minutes and the boat fits roughly a dozen vehicles per trip.
Taking the ferry instead of driving around the head of the bay saves roughly 25 km and 30 minutes on the Cabot Trail. Cars pay a small toll (around $7 each way at last update) — exact change or tap card, no reservations.
The ferry runs year-round, generally early morning until late evening, on demand rather than fixed schedule. Operations pause briefly for shift changes and during severe weather. Check the Nova Scotia 511 service for live status before you commit to the route.
Cape Breton's only ski hill, with a reborn lift system and a year-round gondola for big Atlantic views. Smokey is a small mountain by Western standards but the vertical is real, and skiing with the ocean in your face is an experience you don't get many places.
Few stretches of Canadian coastline pack this much into a single week — ancient ceremony, Celtic strings, pink granite beaches, and a gondola ride above the Atlantic. The Cabot Trail in late June is the highlands at their most welcoming, and this week gives visitors every reason to linger.
Around Cape Breton
More news →