Trails in the Heart of PEI

The Heart of PEI is blessed with miles and kilometres of trails for your enjoyment!

By bike - Most of the roads in the Heart of PEI are quiet, with just two lanes, but many cyclists are thrilled to find that the province’s tip-to-tip Confederation Trail runs through the region. Why not bike from one historic train station to another?
The Emerald Railway Station is located a comfortable 15 kilometres from the Kensington Railway Station which is the perfect stop for shopping and dining while the town itself is fully equipped with grocery stores, pharmacies, pubs and even a bicycle repair shop.

Tourism PEI recommends the 62-km Cabot Loop, which takes you from Cabot Park through Malpeque, Kensington, French River and the intriguing Black Horse Corner! Another popular looped route leaves Kensington via Route 20, returning on the Irishtown Road for a beautifully scenic, not too hilly 37-kilometre ride.

If you want to borrow some equipment and would like some personal advice, nearby Malpeque Bay Kayak Tours also offers bicycle rentals and Outside Expeditions in North Rustico has bike rentals and custom cycling tours.

By foot - Guess what – the newly launched 700-km Island Walk passes through Kensington and the Heart of PEI! If you’re not up for a month-long journey circumnavigating Prince Edward Island on foot, why not get started with a couple of sections like the 22-km Miscouche to Kensington section or the 24-km Kensington to Bayview section. Each takes about a day and we can promise that you will get to know the Heart of PEI in a whole new way. It’s possible to arrange for pick-up or drop-offs and there are plenty of things to see and do along your stroll like visiting National Historic Site Kensington Railway Station, the Island Stone Pub, Go! Fish Eatery, L. M. Montgomery’s birthplace, and Village Pottery.

And of course, the tip-to-tip Confederation Trail also passes through the Heart of PEI. This provincial trail is built on a former railway bed that provides safe, mostly flat walking, easily accessed from various points. You can also reach the John Hogg Kensington Public Forest via the Confederation Trail out of Kensington. Note that some sections of the Confederation Trail would be accessible for strollers, assist walkers or wheelchairs.

And of course, we could not forget the possibility of beach walking along the many miles of spectacular Island shoreline – Cabot Beach Provincial Park, Darnley, Cousins Shore are just a few. Why not follow a dirt lane to the shore and see what you find!