A Scenic Bear River Drive

A scenic Bear River Drive will provide beautiful scenery in any season. The beauty of this quant little village nestled between the hills with its river running through the center is a photographer's dream.

Visit this area in the fall and your breath will be taken away by the vibrant reds, oranges and golds of the changing leaves.

I am starting this scenic drive at the stop lights in Annapolis Royal and heading south up Upper St. George Street and onto Route #8.

Just up the road a few kilometers, in Lequille, you will see the Lequille Country Store on your right. This is a great little store if you want to stop for gas, soft drinks and snacks for your drive.

Just past the Lequille Country store you will see the Old Trunk 8 junction off to your right, take this road. I have included a short side trip down the Dugway Road over "Three Bridges" and to the Lequille Grist Mill. This is a replica of the first Grist Mill in North America built by NS Light & Power.

Backtrack a bit back onto the Old Trunk 8 and follow along it to the "General's Bridge". At one time this whole road was full of different mills on the river with the last one located close to the area of the "General's Bridge".

Here the Old Trunk 8 will continue off to the left and back out onto Route #8. But to continue with our scenic Bear River drive you will go straight up the hill which turns into the Clementsvale Road.

After you start up the hill you will be entering part of the Bear River Indian Reserve. This reserve extends through to Bear River, Nova Scotia.

Shortly after you reach the top of the hill, which by the way is the South Mountain, you will cross over the Lequille Canal. This canal goes from Grand Lake to the top of the hill by the Lequille Grist Mill, where it is piped down to the Allain River.

The drive along the Clementsvale Road is a pretty one in any season, but best in the fall. It goes through

        The Canal in Lequille in the Fall
    Seen Along the Scenic Bear River Drive

the woods, by lakes and still waters and through little communities.

Just before the "Princedale Bridge" road you will pass by a little lake close to the road. I have included a pretty picture of this area on the Google Map above.

Both the Princedale road and the Virginia road on your left will take you through more country passing by several great lakes for swimming and fishing. You can follow these roads and will eventually be taken back to Route #8 if you wish.

On the other side, to your right you will pass by several roads including the Fraser Road, the Power Lot road and the Quarry Road which will take you to the "Clementsport Road" or "River Road as we call it. All of these are a nice drive however if you wanted to go back this way I would suggest you wait a bit and turn at the Clementsport Road junction. This road is very windy, but very pretty as most of it follows along the brook.

Again you will come to several roads which junction off to your left or right and all of these roads will provide you with more great scenery if you really feel like exploring.

Before you know it you will start

Drive Along the Clementsvale Road        
Part of the Scenic Bear River Drive        

down a big hill. Be prepared, this is quite a steep hill and at the bottom you will be in Bear River.

Once you are down the hill and into Bear River look for the Wharf Road turning off to your right. This is only a short little road which goes in beside the Bear River Legion and takes you to a great resting area beside the river. In here is also located the big Windmill which is home to the Bear River Tourist Information Bureau. Park you car in the parking lot and get out and stretch your legs while you explore around the village.

The Mik'maw were the first people to settle here. Then in the early 1600's, Louis Hebert discovered the river which later became known as The Bear River. Many United Empire Loyalist who came to Canada after the American Revolution (1783) decided to settle here.

It was good land with plenty of trees for lumber used both for export and for ship building. Located six kilometers inland on a tidal river, Bear River used to be one of the most industrious centers of the eastern seaboard during the late nineteenth century.

At one time people referred to the town as the "Bridge". This was due to the village being situated between two counties - Digby and Annapolis. The river was the boarder between these two counties. The Annapolis part was known as Bridgeport and the Digby side was called Hillsburgh.

Today Bear River is home to approximately 1000 people of which a large percentage are artist and other creative people. Just the beauty of the area combined with the spirit of the village is enough to get the creative juices to flow.

Now we will head back out to the road and continue on with our scenic Bear River drive. You are not finished yet there is still lots more to see.

Turn right and continue over the bridge and then turn right again onto the River Road.

The River Road will provide you with lots of great scenery as it winds it's

Many buildings are built on stilts in Bear River, NS

way alongside the river. I will mention again to take this road at least once at the height of the fall leaves turning colors, it is spectacular.

At the Bear River Bridge we are going to turn off onto the highway 101 east back towards Annapolis Royal. For a longer drive, or for another day you may want to continue on the River Road as it winds it's way through beautiful Smith's Cove.

Just on the other side of the Bear River Bridge we are going to take the junction to your right onto the #1 Highway. This will take us through the community of Deep Brook and on through Cornwallis Park.

HMCS Cornwallis, commissioned in 1942 was once home to the largest Naval Training Base in the British Commonwealth. In 1966 HMCS Cornwallis was switched over to CBF Cornwallis and was the main training base for the Canada's Tri-Forces. Almost anyone you meet across Canada either was themselves or knows of someone who trained at Cornwallis. Unfortunately for this area the government decided to close the base in 1994 and move the training base to CFB St. Jean in Quebec.

After we drive past Cornwallis we will come to the very picturistic village of Clementsport built almost completely on the hills that surround the Moose River. As you drive around the first sharp corner picture several buildings lining the road on the right, directly after the Clementsport road junction. It was not all that long ago that there were buildings all along here, I remember a general store located

The Train Bridge in Clementsport, NS at Dusk  
Part of the Scenic Bear River Drive        

on this corner among others.

Now I am going to take another little detour for my scenic Bear River drive and turn off on the Old Post Road on your right. I am doing this mainly because I like to drive to the end of the road, (which turns into the Pickup road) and look at the view from up there, you can see the Annapolis Basin and Bear River Bridge along with Clementsport.

Now you can go back the way you come but take the turn back onto the Old Post Road on your right. This will bring you back out onto the #1 highway again.

Just follow the #1 highway through Upper Clements and Allains Creek back into Annapolis Royal.

The distance of this route, if you stayed on the main roads and did not take the little detours I mention is about 55 km. It can be done in just a little better than an hour, but I suggest you take your time and stop often to enjoy the scenery. Of course the little detours will take you more time also, but it all makes for a good afternoon exploring.

Do you know about anything I missed along this scenic Bear River drive that is worth visiting?

Maybe you have a favorite drive in the Annapolis Valley or Bay of Fundy Shore that you would like to share with us?

We would love to hear about it. It is easy to include your story to this web site, just click here to be taken to where you can submit your story.

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