The Annapolis Valley is on the western side of Nova Scotia, following the Bay of Fundy's shoreline from Digby to Grand Pré. "The Valley" as it is known, is separated from the chill winds and fogs of the Bay of Fundy by the North Mountain, an eroded volcanic ridge some 120 km long which defines the coastline with its 120-215 metre (400' - 700') bulk like wall. To the south, the central massif of the South Mountain rises a similar 215 metres; between them lies the flat and fertile Annapolis Valley, a 10 - 15 km wide oasis of farmland and tranquillity within Nova Scotia's rocky and forested mainland. Spring comes earlier in the Valley than in the rest of the Maritimes, and it is one of the three principal apple-growing areas in Canada, along with Niagara and the Okanagan.

At the western end of the Valley, the sea enters through a gap in the North Mountain range to create the Annapolis Basin. The Bay of Fundy's 8 metre (25') tidal range is constrained at Annapolis Royal, where a causeway across the mouth of the Annapolis River houses Canada's only Tidal Power Generating Station. Annapolis Royal, which was settled in 1605, is the oldest European settlement in Canada. Its restored English and French fortresses, its formal Botanical Gardens, and its many Victorian bed-and-breakfasts, make Annapolis Royal a good starting place for a cycling tour of the Valley. You have a choice of several parallel roads, all of which follow the floor of the Valley. Highways 1 and 101 take the majority of automobile traffic, leaving rural routes 221 and 201 quiet and sleepy, with gentle rises along the base of the mountains that allow spectacular views across the valley.

On a warm summer day, though, the cycle tourist may find the road along the Fundy Bayshore several degrees cooler, due to the proximity to the Fundy tides. The road along the coast from Delap's Cove to Margaretsville follows the shoreline for the most part, allowing the rider to witness the range of the Fundy tides, which recede almost a kilometre in places when the tide is out. Port Lorne, Port George, and Margaretsville are among the most beautiful of the small communities that hug the shoreline, and campgrounds at Delap's Cove and Port George allow the cyclist to spend the evening watching the sun set over the ocean.

The road climbs and descends the gradual slope of the North Mountain a few times, offering views (on a clear day) of New Brunswick, 60 km away. There are several places where connecting roads go over the top of the mountain into the Valley, providing thrilling 150 metre (500') descents to the valley floor. Route 221 along the base of the North Mountain passes through numerous small farming communities and orchards on its way to Centreville, Sheffield Mills, and Canning. From Canning, Route 358 climbs the mountain again to The Lookoff, which offers an overview of the Valley above Kentville and Wolfville. Route 358 then continues down the slope to the shore at Scots Bay, where spectacular views may be had of Cape D'Or on the far side of the bay, and to Cape Split. A two-hour hiking trail leads from the road's end at Scots Bay to the rugged cliffs at Cape Split, where the rushing tides cause tremendous whitewater currents around the base of the cliffs. The volcanic cliffs in this area offer the rockhound the chance to find banded agates and violet amethysts. Other scenic small Bayshore communities such as Harbourville, Halls Harbour, and Canada Creek are well worth the effort of the climb over the slopes of the North Mountain. The provincial park campground at Blomidon offers a wonderful view to the east over the Minas Basin, where the world's highest tides of 12 to 15 metres (40 to 50') twice daily flood and drain the extensive mud flats of the Bay.

Coming back from Scots Bay and Blomidon, there is a network of quiet roads along the Minas shore through Medford, Kingsport, and Starr's Point, which lead to the university town of Wolfville, possibly the prettiest town in the province. From there, the cycle tourist can turn back down the Valley for a return trip to Annapolis Royal, or go cross-country to Halifax, and the South Shore areas of Chester and Lunenburg.

Information
Three excellent cycling publications on cycling in Nova Scotia are available: The Nova Scotia Bicycle Book, by Gary Conrod is a thorough and entertaining guide to cycling throughout the province. It is available from Atlantic Canada Cycling, Box 1555, Halifax, NS B3J 2Y3 or phone (902) 423-2453. Nova Scotia By Bicycle, by Walton Watt contains descriptions and maps of 22 tour routes within the province, and is available from Bicycle Nova Scotia, Box 3010 South, Halifax, NS B3J 3G6 or phone (902) 423-4345. Long-time cycletourist David Dermott has a "virtual book" on cycling in Nova Scotia on the Internet; consisting of seven or so segments on the different regions of the province, it can be traced down through cycling.org from a number of sources. Resources: the cycletourist can obtain free tourism information and maps by phoning Tourism Nova Scotia at 1-800-565-0000. For those wanting detailed maps, a book of topographical 1:250,000 scale maps, called A Map of the Province of Nova Scotia, is available for $14.95 from the Nova Scotia Government Bookstore; call (902) 424-7580.