Cape Breton’s farmstead trail

April 15, 2025

To tighten the weave it would be washed, shrunk, and then worked, or ‘milled’—beaten rhythmically on a hard surface. Gaelic songs and fiddle tunes would set the rhythm of the milling, and dozens of hands would make the work pass quickly. These ‘milling frolics’ became community gatherings, bringing together several generations for song, laughter, food, drink, and, of course, milling cloth.

These days, not many people weave their own cloth for everyday use, but the milling frolic remains a beloved community gathering, as it was at the Skye Glen Hall on a sunny afternoon this past October. This lively milling frolic in Skye Glen, part of the annual island-wide Celtic Colours festival, was just one part of an ordinary busy day on Route 252—freshly minted ‘Cape Breton’s Farmstead Trail’—captured by Cape Breton photographer Steve Wadden.

Stretching from the Mabou Highlands to Skye Mountain, the scenic Route 252 meanders through the Skye, Mull, and Mabou river valleys, connecting Trunk Route 19 (the scenic Ceilidh Trail) outside of Mabou with the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 105) in Whycocomagh.

Often overlooked as just a vital thoroughfare, the 252 has grown into a destination unto itself.

The route features rich natural environments, including The Landing—the mouth of the Mabou River. Brimming with trout, bass, eagles, and other wildlife, this is a popular spot for anglers, kayakers, and cyclists, walkers, runners, and ATVers on the renowned Celtic Shores Coastal Trail that criss-crosses the river’s deltas.

There are three community halls along the route, including the Skye Glen Hall with its milling frolics, the Brook Village Hall with its popular summertime Monday night square dances, and the Hillsborough-Glendyer Hall with its much-loved Saturday night Jams throughout the winter, and Tuesday morning breakfasts all year-round.

Cape Breton’s Farmstead Trail is also home to a number of thriving businesses, including, true to its moniker, many successful farms of all sizes. These include the Skye Glen Creamery, which produces milk, cheese, and gelato on-site; the Screen Door Apiary; the Cape Breton Tea Company; Six Little Farmers, a family-run farm that welcomes the public to pet its animals and explore its corn maze; several inns and other accommodation options; and perhaps the anchor of the entire 252, the Brook Village Grocery, and old-time community general store that’s been a mainstay in the area for decades, and purveyor of the finest selection of cheeses— both European and Canadian—on the island.

But, more than a bustling stretch of road through picturesque countryside, the 252 truly embodies the spirit of the milling frolic. It’s a gathering of neighbours, that mixes the tradition and practicality that has sustained rural communities for ages with the joy and whimsy of music and movement, making Cape Breton’s Farmstead Trail one of Inverness County’s hidden gems.