10 Days in Newfoundland Island, Canada - Part 1

It’s where the beauty stretches through the vast coastline & time slips millions of years back

UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES

Watch the video from the trip.

Hiking through the stunted shrubbery and ending up with the vast expanse of the ocean; driving along the long coastline with clear and unobstructed views; surreal encounters with the wildlife; standing on a contemporary work of art and listening to the waves; getting hugged and greeted by the islanders; walking on 100-million years old rocks, where signs of early life stare right at your face. The island of Newfoundland offers such unforgettable and enjoyable experiences.

The following is our 10 day experience on this island.

A BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF THE NEWFOUNDLAND ISLAND TRAVEL MAP

KMs Driven: 3760

Hiking/Walking: 50-54 KM

DAY 1: ACCLIMATIZING IN ST. JOHN'S

We settled in and got ourselves familiarized with the surroundings etc.

DAY 2: UP NORTH TO SKERWINK, BONAVISTA & DUNGEON PROVINCIAL PARK

SKERWINK TRAIL

A beautiful 5.3 km hiking trail, which is almost 2hr drive from St. John's. The difficulty level is moderate. Elderly people though might find some parts of the trail difficult, as there are some steep hills.

When you visit this trail, you will realize why it has been awarded certificate of excellence by Trip Advisor and was selected as one of the top 35 walks in North America and Europe by Travel and Leisure Magazine. Volunteer staff did a fantastic job of maintaining the trail. Definitely, one of the best trails I hiked!

CAPE BONAVISTA

Cape Bonavista is a beautiful headland showcasing the lighthouse built in 1843. The lighthouse is one of the few in the world, where you can still climb up the tower. Unfortunately, we were a few minutes late.

DUNGEON PROVINCIAL PARK

Just a 10 minute drive south of Cape Bonavista, is Dungeon Provincial Park. The rocks are over 600 million years old. Over 10,000 years of coastal erosion has produced beautiful sea caves. The Dungeon formed due to the collapse of sea cave's roof, which produced this unique feature called Gloup.

This was our final stop for the day and we finished the day with a nice fish & chips meal at Oceanview restaurant in Bonavista.

DAY 3: SHELTERING FROM THE RAIN IN ST. JOHN'S

It rained all day. We used the opportunity to do grocery and cook some food.

DAY 4: THE MOST EASTERLY POINT IN NORTH AMERICA & THE IRISH LOOP

Day 4: Our first stop was Cape Spear Lighthouse, which is a 20 minute drive south east of St. John's . From there we drove south along the Irish loop towards Mistaken Point, which was our 2nd stop. Our final destination was Saint Vincent's, which is… — Day 4: Our first stop was Cape Spear Lighthouse, which is a 20 minute drive south east of St. John's . From there we drove south along the Irish loop towards Mistaken Point, which was our 2nd stop. Our final destination was Saint Vincent's, which is further west of Mistaken Point.

CAPE SPEAR NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

Cape spear is the most easterly point in North America. It is located in the Avalon Peninsula. The lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse in Newfoundland and Labrador. It was built in 1836. You only have to walk 5500 km in a straight line from Cape spear, to see Canada's Western point, which is Kluane National Park.

MISTAKEN POINT ECOLOGICAL RESERVE AND UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE

A 2 hour drive south through the Irish loop from Cape Spear took us to the Edge of Avalon Interpretive Centre. You can only do guided tours to the Mistaken point. The site is of great significance because of more than 500 million years old fossils found here, which offer a glimpse into the earliest signs of life. You might be wondering, why the name "Mistaken Point"? This is because the sailors, due to the fog, would mistake it for Cape Race, which is almost 20km east of Mistaken Point. Please bring cash if you can to donate & appreciate the wonderful work these guides are doing.

SAINT VINCENT'S BEACH

Driving further west on scenic route 10, took us to the Saint Vincent's beach. This was our final stop. The place has a nice seating area. We stopped here, had our meal and enjoyed the beautiful ocean. We met a local guy at the beach, who told us that in the summer, you could see the whales just a stone throw away from here.

DAY 5: GROS MORNE NATIONAL PARK - A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE

Day 5: We embarked on a 7 hour journey from east (St. John's) to west (Gros Morne National Park), with no evidence of a diminishing zest. We knew we were in for something very best.

ROCKY HARBOUR & GROS MORNE NATIONAL PARK

Day 5 was primarily dedicated to just a 7 hour drive from St. John's to Rocky Harbour in Gros Morne National Park. Our drive took us through Terra Nova National park, Gander and a few other towns. The town of Rocky Harbour is in the heart of Gros Morne National Park. It is at a comfortable distance from all the scenic attractions found in the park.

Gros Morne national park earned UNESCO world heritage site status in 1987, because of its natural beauty and geological wonders. It is over 1800 square kilometres. It has a lot to offer in terms of outdoor activities, be it hiking, walking, boat tours, exploring wild life or just relaxing on a beach. Its landscape is more than 100 million years old and is stunningly beautiful.

A beautiful view of Gulf of St. Lawrence. This was the moment after the 7 hour drive. A moment to reflect, a moment to unwind and to leave everything behind. You are looking at Gulf of St. Lawrence. The same Gulf of St. Lawrence that you see from Sk… — A beautiful view of Gulf of St. Lawrence. This was the moment after the 7 hour drive. A moment to reflect, a moment to unwind and to leave everything behind. You are looking at Gulf of St. Lawrence. The same Gulf of St. Lawrence that you see from Skyline Trail in Cape Breton Island. A sense of Deja Vu.