CENTRAL NEWFOUNDLAND

Central Newfoundland elicits fewer wows per square kilometer than the rest of the province, but that’s because huge chunks of the region are pure bog-land and trees. The islands of Notre Dame Bay – particularly Twillingate, when icebergs glide by – are exceptional exceptions.

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TERRA NOVA NATIONAL PARK

Backed by lakes, bogs and hilly woods, and fronted by the salty waters of Clode and Newman Sounds, Terra Nova National Park (709-533-2801; www.pc.gc.ca/terranova; Hwy 1; adult/6-16yr/family per day $5.45/2.70/13.60) is spliced by the Trans-Canada Hwy (Hwy 1) running through its interior. It’s not nearly as dramatic as the province’s other national park (see Gros Morne, Click here), though it does offer moose, bear, beaver and bald eagles, as well as relaxed hiking, paddling, camping and boat tours.

Make your first stop the Visitor Information Centre (709-533-2942; Hwy 1; 9am-7pm late Jun–Aug, 10am-5pm mid-May–late Jun & Sep–early Oct, 9am-4pm Thu-Mon early Oct–mid-May), which has oodles of park information, ranger-guided programs and marine displays with touch tanks and underwater cameras. It’s located 1km off Hwy 1 at Salton’s Day-Use Area, 80km east of Gander.

Sights & Activities

Terra Nova’s 14 hiking trails total almost 100km; pick up maps at the visitors center. Highly recommended is the Malady Head Trail (5km), which climaxes at the edge of a headland cliff offering stunning views of Southwest Arm and Broad Cove. Sandy Pond Trail (3km) is an easy loop around the pond – your best place to spot a beaver.

The epic Outport Loop (55km) provides access to backcountry campgrounds. The loop in its entirety is rewarding, but be warned: parts are unmarked, not to mention mucky. A compass, a topographical map and ranger advice are prerequisites for this serious route.

There are canoe rentals (709-677-2221; per hr/half day $15/40; 10am-6pm mid-Jun–early Sep) at Sandy Pond, where you can also swim. Inquire about the Sandy Pond–Dunphy’s Canoe Route (10km), a great paddle with only one small portage.

At Burnside, 15km from the park’s western gate, boats leave for the Beothuk archaeological sites sprinkled throughout the water passage known as Bloody Reach. Also in the region is Salvage, a photographer’s-dream fishing village with well-marked walking trails. It’s near the park’s north end on Rte 310, about 26km from Hwy 1.

Tours

Sleeping

Camping is the only option within the park itself. Those with aspirations of a bed should head to Eastport; it’s near the park’s north end on Rte 310, about 16km from Hwy 1. For camping reservations (recommended on summer weekends), call Parks Canada (877-737-3783; www.pccamping.ca; reservation fee $10.90) or go online.

Backcountry camping (free permit required, campsites $15) There are seven backcountry sites: four of them sit along Newman Sound’s southern shore and are reached by paddling, hiking or drop-off by Ocean Watch Tours; the rest are inland and accessed by canoe.

Malady Head Campground (campsites $16-19) Located at the park’s northern end, Malady Head is fairly basic (though it has showers) and quiet.

Newman Sound Campground (campsites $18-28) This is the park’s main (noisier) campground, with a grocery store, Laundromat and bicycle rentals.

Doctor’s Inn B&B (709-677-3539; www.doctors-inn.nf.ca; 5 Burden’s Rd, Eastport; r $70-95; May-Oct) Yes, there really is a doctor in this big old rambling house, as well as a flowery patio, gazebo and five fine rooms with private bathrooms. This is certainly the brightest spot in an otherwise dreary little town.

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GANDER

Gander (population 9600) sprawls across the juncture of Hwy 1 and Rte 330, which leads to Notre Dame Bay. It is a convenient stopping point, but doesn’t have much else to offer.

Gander essentially germinated from its airport. The site was chosen by the British in the 1930s because of its proximity to Europe and its fogless weather. Most recently, Gander gained attention for its hospitality to the thousands whose planes were rerouted here after the September 2001 terrorist attacks in the USA.

There is a Visitors Centre (709-256-6558, 709-256-7110; www.gandercanada.com; 8am-8pm mid-Jun–Sep, 8:30am-5pm Mon-Fri Oct–mid-Jun) on Hwy 1 at the central exit into town.

For aviation fanatics, the North Atlantic Aviation Museum (709-256-2923; www.naam.ca; Hwy 1; adult/6-15yr $4/3; 9am-6pm late Jun–early Sep, to 5pm Mon-Fri early Sep–late Jun) has exhibits detailing Newfoundland’s air contributions to WWII and the history of navigation. Just east on Hwy 1 is the sobering Silent Witness Monument, a tribute to 248 US soldiers whose plane crashed here in December 1985.

Sinbad’s Hotel & Suites (709-651-2678; www.steelehotels.com; Bennett Dr; s/d $87/94) has clean, comfortable hotel rooms within the center of Gander. For meals, make it Giovanni’s Café (709-651-3535; 71 Elizabeth Dr; light meals $5-9; 7am-9pm Mon-Fri, 8:30am-5pm Sat, 11:30am-4:30pm Sun), with coffee, wraps, sandwiches and salads.

DRL Coachlines (709-263-2171; www.drlgroup.com) has its stop at the airport (709-651-3434). Buses leave for St John’s ($50, 5¼ hours) at 5:02pm and Port aux Basques ($75, 8¼ hours) at 12:48pm.

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TWILLINGATE ISLAND & NEW WORLD ISLAND

This area of Notre Dame Bay gets the most attention, and deservedly so. Twillingate (which actually consists of two barely separated islands, North and South Twillingate) sits just north of New World Island. The islands are reached from the mainland via an amalgamation of short causeways. It’s stunningly beautiful, with every turn of the road revealing new ocean vistas, colorful fishing wharves or tidy groups of pastel houses hovering on cliffs and outcrops. An influx of whales and icebergs every summer only adds to the appealing mix.

Information

Sights & Activities

Without a doubt, your first stop on Twillingate Island should be Prime Berth (709-884-2485; www.twillingatetourism.com; Walter Elliott Causeway; admission $5; 10am-5pm mid-Jun–Sep). Run by an engaging fisherman, this private fishing museum, with its imaginative and deceivingly simple concepts, is brilliant, and fun for mature scholars and school kids alike.

The Long Point Lighthouse (709-884-2247; admission free; hours vary) provides dramatic views of the coastal cliffs. Travel up the winding steps, worn from lighthouse-keepers’ footsteps since 1876, and gawk at the 360-degree view. This is an ideal vantage point for spotting icebergs in May and June.

The town of Twillingate’s museum (709-884-2825; www.tmacs.ca; off Main St; admission $1; 9am-5pm mid-May–mid-Oct) is housed in a former Anglican rectory and tells the history of the island since the first British settlers arrived in the mid-1700s. It also displays articles brought back from around the world by local sea captains. Another room delves into the seal hunt and its controversy. There’s a historic church next door.

In Little Harbour, en route to the town of Twillingate, a short trail leads to the secluded and picturesque Jone’s Cove. Toward Durrell, the Iceberg Shop (709-884-2242; Main St; admission free; 8:30am-8:30pm May-Sep), with its iceberg interpretation center, ice cream and gregarious owner, is worth a peek.

Don’t neglect a tour of the exceptionally scenic Durrell and its museum (709-884-2780; adult/child $2/1; 9am-5pm Jun-Sep), dwelling atop Old Maid Hill. Bring your lunch; there are a couple of picnic tables and a spectacular view.

On New World Island, Dildo Run Provincial Park (709-635-4520; Rte 340, Virgin Arm; campsites $13, per vehicle $5; Jun–mid-Sep) has fine picnicking and camping set in a wooded area by a bay. Due to currents, swimming is not recommended.

Tours

Fun two-hour tours (per adult/child $35/17.50) to view icebergs and whales depart daily from mid-May to early September.

Festivals & Events

The Fish, Fun & Folk Festival (www.fishfunfolkfestival.com) involves traditional music and dance, some of which goes back to the 16th century, merrily taking over Twillingate in late July.

Sleeping

Despite having about a dozen lodging options, Twillingate gets very busy in the summer. Book early.

Captain’s Legacy B&B (709-884-5648; www.captainslegacy.com; Hart’s Cove; r from $79; mid-May–Oct) A real captain named Peter Troake once owned this historic ‘outport mansion,’ now a gracious four-room B&B overlooking the harbor.

Paradise B&B (709-884-5683, 877-882-1999; www.bbcanada.com/8246.html; 192 Main St; r $80-89; mid-May–Sep) Set on a bluff overlooking Twillingate’s harbor, Paradise offers the best view in town. You can wander down to the beach below, or relax on a lawn chair and soak it all up. Oh, the three rooms are comfy too. Angle for room No 1.

Harbour Lights Inn B&B (709-884-2763; www.harbourlightsinn.com; 189 Main St; d $109-139; May–mid-Oct; wi-fi) South African hospitality greets you in this historical and popular nine-bedroom home. It’s located right on the harbor and has amenities such as TVs and Jacuzzis.

Eating & Entertainment

R&J Restaurant (709-884-2212; 110 Main St; meals $8-13; 8am-11pm) Sink your teeth into fish ’n’ brewis, shrimp, scallops or battered fish. Pizzas and burgers are also available.

All Around the Circle Dinner Theatre (709-884-5423; Crow Head; adult/under 13yr $27/13.50; 6pm Mon-Sat Jun–mid-Sep) Six of Newfoundland’s best not only cook you a traditional meal, they also leave you in stitches with their talented performances. It’s just south of the Long Point Lighthouse.

Getting There & Away

From the mainland, Rte 340’s causeways almost imperceptibly connect Chapel Island, tiny Strong’s Island, New World Island and Twillingate Island.

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FOGO ISLAND & CHANGE ISLANDS

Fogo Island (709-266-2237; www.town-fogo.ca) is larger, but the neighboring Change Islands (709-621-4181; www.changeislands.ca) have just as much character.

Sights & Activities

Settled in the 1680s, Fogo Island is an intriguing and rugged place to poke around. Backed by rocky hills, the village of Joe Batt’s Arm is a flashback to centuries past.

Nearby is Tilting, perhaps the most engaging village on the island. The Irish roots run deep here and so do the accents. The inland harbor is surrounded by picturesque fishing stages and flakes, held above the incoming tides by weary stilts. There’s also the great coastal Turpin’s Trail (9km) that leaves from Tilting, near the beach at Sandy Cove.

On the opposite end of the island is the village of Fogo and the indomitable Brimstone Head (see the boxed text, below). After you take in the mystical rock’s view, do another great hike in town: the Lion’s Den Trail (5km), which visits a Marconi radio site. Keep an eye out for the small group of caribou that roams the island.

The popular Brimstone Head Folk Festival (709-266-2218) takes place in mid-August.

The Change Islands are home to the Newfoundland Pony Refuge (709-621-4400; 12 Bowns Rd; admission free; 8am-8pm Jun-Sep, by appointment rest of yr), established to increase numbers of the native, endangered Newfoundland pony. Only 88 registered beasts of breeding age remain in the province, and this is the largest herd. The small creatures are renowned as hardy workers (especially in winter) with gentle temperaments.

Sleeping

Peg’s B&B (709-266-2392; www.bbcanada.com/7887.html; 60 Main St, Fogo; r $65-75; May-Nov) Right in the heart of Fogo village, Peg’s four-room place offers up a friendly atmosphere and harbor views.

Foley’s Place B&B (709-658-7288, 866-658-7244; www.foleysplace.ca; 10A Kelley’s Island Rd, Tilting; r $75; ) The four rooms in this traditional, 100-year-old home are brightly colored, modernly furnished and have en suite bathrooms.

Getting There & Away

Route 335 takes you to the town of Farewell, where the ferry sails to the Change Islands (20 minutes) and then onward to Fogo (45 minutes). Four boats leave between 9am and 8:30pm. Schedules vary, so check with Provincial Ferry Services (709-621-3150, 709-627-3448; www.gov.nl.ca/ferryservices). The round-trip fare to Fogo is $16.50 for car and driver, and $5.50 for additional passengers. It’s about $3 less to the Change Islands.

ROUND OR FLAT?

Despite Columbus’ stellar work in 1492 (when he sailed the ocean blue without falling off the earth’s edge), and despite modern satellite photos that confirm his findings of a rounded orb, the folks at the Flat Earth Society aren’t buying it. A spinning, spherical world hurtling through space would only lead to our planet’s inhabitants living a confused and disorientated life, they say.

In ‘reality,’ the stable and calming flat earth is said to have five striking corners: Lake Mikhayl in Tunguska (Siberia); Easter Island; Lhasa (Tibet); the South Pacific island of Ponape; and Brimstone Head on Fogo Island, right here in Newfoundland. So climb up the craggy spine of Brimstone Head, stare off the abyss to earth’s distant edge and judge for yourself if the earth is round or flat. If nothing else, you’re guaranteed a stunning view of Iceberg Alley.

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LEWISPORTE

Stretched out Lewisporte, known primarily for its ferry terminal, is the largest town on Notre Dame Bay. Other than for the boat to Labrador, there really isn’t much reason to visit, though as a distribution center it does have all the goods and services.

If you have to spend the night, the stark Brittany Inns (709-535-2533, 800-563-8386; www.brittanyinns.com; Main St; s/d $77/84) is about as good as you’re going to get. Several of the 34 rooms have kitchenettes.

Oriental Restaurant (709-535-6993; 131 Main St; meals $6-11; 11:30am-11pm) is a straightforward place, and you get a chance at a few vegetables.

DRL Coachlines (709-263-2171; www.drlgroup.com) stops at Brittany Inns on Main St. Departures for St John’s ($56, six hours) leave at 3:54pm and Port aux Basques ($71, 7½ hours) at 1:25pm.

Between mid-June and mid-September, the MV Sir Robert Bond (709-724-9173, 866-535-2567; www.labradormarine.com) runs a weekly vehicle-and-passenger service to the Labrador towns of Cartwright (adult/child five to 12 years $73/36.50, per car/motorcycle $118/60, 24 hours) and Happy Valley-Goose Bay (adult/child five to 12 years $118/59.25, per car/motorcycle $194/97, 46 hours, including a seven-hour stop in Cartwright). The boat leaves Lewisporte on Friday at noon. This ferry route will likely vanish should the Labrador highway between Cartwright and Goose Bay ever get completed.

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GRAND FALLS-WINDSOR

The sprawl of two small pulp-and-paper towns has met and now comprises the community of Grand Falls-Windsor. The Grand Falls portion, south of Hwy 1 and near the Exploits River, is more interesting for visitors.

The Visitors Centre (709-489-6332; www.grandfallswindsor.com; Hwy 1; 9am-8pm Mon-Fri, 10am-8pm Sat & Sun late May–mid-Oct) is just west of town at exit 17.

Sights

The Mary March Provincial Museum (709-292-4522; cnr St Catherine & Cromer Aves; adult/under 19yr $2.50/free; 9am-4:45pm May–mid-Oct) is accessed from exit 18A south and is worth visiting. Exhibits concentrate on the recent and past histories of Aboriginal peoples in the area, including the extinct Beothuk tribe. Admission also includes entry to the Loggers’ Life Provincial Museum (709-292-4522; exit 17, Hwy 1; 9am-4:45pm late May–mid-Sep), set next to Rush Pond near the visitors center. Here you can experience the life of a 1920s logging camp – smells and all!

Overlooking Grand Falls is the Salmonid Interpretation Centre (709-489-7350; adult/5-11yr/12-18yr $5/2/3; 8am-dusk mid-Jun–mid-Sep), where you can watch Atlantic salmon start their mighty struggle upstream to spawn. Unfortunately, they do so under the pulp mill’s shadow. To get there, cross the river south of High St and follow the signs.

Sleeping & Eating

Hill Road Manor B&B (709-489-5451, 866-489-5451; www.hillroadmanor.com; 1 Hill Rd; r $99-119) Elegant furnishings, cushiony beds that will have you gladly oversleeping and a vibrant sunroom combine for a stylish stay. Kids are welcome.

Kelly’s Pub & Eatery (709-489-9893; 18 Hill Rd; meals $7-11; 9-2am) Hidden neatly behind the smoky pub is this great countrified spot. It makes the best burgers in town and the stir-fries are not too shabby either.

Getting There & Away

DRL Coachlines (709-263-2171; www.drlgroup.com) has its bus stop at the Highliner Inn (709-489-5639; exit 17, Hwy 1 Service Rd). Departures for St John’s ($63, 6½ hours) leave at 3:15pm and Port aux Basques ($67, seven hours) at 2:14pm.

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CENTRAL SOUTH COAST

Route 360 runs 130km through the center of the province to the south coast. It’s a long way down to the first settlements at the end of Bay d’Espoir, a gentle fjord. Note there is no gas station on the route, so fill up on Hwy 1. St Alban’s is set on the west side of the fjord. You’ll find a few motels with dining rooms and lounges around the end of the bay.

Further south is a concentration of small fishing villages. The scenery along Rte 364 to Hermitage is particularly impressive, as is the scenery around Harbour Breton. It’s the largest town (population 2080) in the region and huddles around the ridge of a gentle inland bay.

Southern Port Hotel (709-885-2283; www.southernporthotel.ca; Rte 360, Harbour Breton; r $80-85) provides spacious, standard-furnished rooms; even-numbered ones have harbor views. Two doors down is Scott’s Snackbar (709-885-2406; mains $7-15; 10:30am-11pm Sun-Thu, to 1am Fri & Sat), serving burgers and home-cooked dishes; it’s licensed.

Thornhill Taxi Service (709-885-2144, 866-538-3429) connects Harbour Breton with Grand Falls ($35, 2½ hours), leaving at 7:15am. Government passenger ferries serve Hermitage, making the western south-coast outports (Click here) accessible from here.

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NORTHERN PENINSULA

The Northern Peninsula points upward from the body of Newfoundland like an extended index finger, and you almost get the feeling it’s wagging at you saying, ‘Don’t you dare leave this province without coming up here.’

Heed the advice. This area could well be crowned Newfoundland’s star attraction. The province’s two World Heritage sites are here: Gros Morne National Park, with its fjord-like lakes and geological oddities, rests at the peninsula’s base, while the sublime, 1000-year-old Viking settlement at L’Anse aux Meadows stares out from the peninsula’s tip. Connecting these two famous sites is the Viking Trail (877-778-4546; www.vikingtrail.org), aka Rte 430, an attraction in its own right that holds close to the sea as it heads resolutely north past Port au Choix’ ancient burial grounds and the ferry jump-off point to big brooding Labrador. It’s no wonder many people base their entire Newfoundland trip around this extraordinary region and usually end up coming back for more, year after year.

The region is gaining hugely in tourism, yet the crowds are nowhere near what you’d get at a Yellowstone or Banff. Still, it’s wise to book ahead in July and August.

It’s a five- to six-hour drive from Deer Lake to St Anthony. Bus transportation is possible, if a bit irregular, along the entire route.

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DEER LAKE

There’s little in Deer Lake for the visitor, but it’s a convenient place to fly into for trips up the Northern Peninsula. Rocky Harbour is 71km north on Rte 430, while Hwy 1 connects Deer Lake to Port aux Basques (268km) in the south and Gander (299km) to the east.

The Visitors Centre (709-635-2202; 9am-7pm) sits right on Hwy 1.

B&Bers can hunker down at Watkins House (709-635-3723; 17 Phillip Dr; r $45-60); follow the signs off exit 15 from Hwy 1. Driftwood Inn (709-635-5115; www.driftwoodinn.ca; 3 Nicholsville Rd; r $84-107) is also a hospitable option, with Jungle Jim’s (meals $8-12; 11am-11pm) downstairs. It’s convenient to the airport (from which a taxi costs about $7) and the Irving Big Stop gas station (709-635-2130) on Hwy 1, where DRL Coachlines (709-263-2171; www.drlgroup.com) stops. Note that DRL’s bus isn’t synchronized with shuttle services heading up the Northern Peninsula from Corner Brook (Click here), but if you call ahead they may work things out for you.

Deer Lake Airport (YDF; 709-635-3601; www.deerlakeairport.com), off Hwy 1, is a great option if you are centering your travels on the province’s west coast. Flights arrive regularly from St John’s, Halifax, Toronto and even London. Avis, Budget and Hertz rent cars at the airport; for costs and contact information, Click here. Be sure to reserve well in advance, as the local fleet is limited.

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GROS MORNE NATIONAL PARK

This national park (709-458-2417; www.pc.gc.ca/grosmorne; adult/6-16yr/family per day $8.90/4.45/17.80; day-use facilities mid-May–mid-Oct) stepped into the world spotlight in 1987, when Unesco granted it World Heritage designation. To visitors, the park’s stunning flat-top mountains and deeply incised waterways are simply supernatural playgrounds. To geologists, this park is a blueprint for our planet and supplies evidence for theories such as plate tectonics. Specifically, the bronze-colored Tablelands are made of rock that comes from deep within the earth’s crust. Nowhere in the world is such material as easily accessed as in Gros Morne (it’s usually only found at unfathomable ocean depths). Such attributes have earned the park its ‘Galapagos of Geology’ nickname.

There is enough to do in and around the park to easily fill several days. The hiking, kayaking, camping, wildlife-spotting and boat tours are fantastic.

Orientation & Information

Several small fishing villages dot the shoreline and provide amenities. Bonne Bay swings in and divides the area: to the south is Rte 431 and the towns of Glenburnie, Trout River and Woody Point; to the north is Rte 430 and Norris Point, Rocky Harbour and Sally’s Cove. Rocky Harbour is the largest village and is quite central, as are Norris Point and Woody Point.

Park admission includes the trails, Discovery Centre and all day-use areas. It also goes toward the cost of a campsite.

Sights

Dominating the southwest corner of the park are the unconquerable and eerie Tablelands. This massive flat-topped massif was part of the earth’s mantle before tectonics raised it from the depths and planted it squarely on the continent. Its rock is so unusual that plants can’t even grow on it. You can view the barren golden phenomenon up close on Rte 431, or catch it from a distance at the stunning photography lookout above Norris Point.

West of the Tablelands, dramatic volcanic sea stacks and caves mark the coast at Green Gardens.

At the wharf in Norris Point is the Bonne Bay Marine Station (709-458-2550; www.bonnebay.mun.ca; adult/5-18yr $5/4; 9am-5pm late May–early Sep, by appointment rest of yr), a research facility that’s part of Memorial University. Every half-hour there are interactive tours, and the aquariums display the marine ecological habitats in Bonne Bay. For kids, there are touch tanks and a rare blue lobster.

Further up the coast past Sally’s Cove, waves batter the rusty and tangled remains of the SS Ethie. The story of this 1919 wreck, and the subsequent rescue, was inspiration for a famous folk song.

The Long Range Mountains continue to loom large over the Viking Trail as you head north along the coast. When you’re hit with a sudden feeling of disbelief, you have reached Western Brook Pond, the park’s premier fjord. Its sheer 700m cliffs plunge to the blue abyss and dramatically snake into the mountains. See right for information about the excellent boat tours.

Nearby at Broom Point is a restored fishing camp (Rte 430; admission free; 10am-6pm mid-May–mid-Oct). The three Mudge brothers and their families fished here from 1941 until 1975, when they sold the entire camp, including boats, lobster traps and nets, to the national park. Everything has been restored and is now staffed by guides.

Only 20km north, the gentle, safe, sand-duned beach at Shallow Bay seems almost out of place, as if transported from the Caribbean by some bizarre current. The water, though, provides a chilling dose of reality, rarely getting above 15°C.

Inquire at the visitor centers about the free interpretive programs, guided walks and evening presentations put on by park staff throughout summer.

Activities

Hiking and kayaking can also be done via guided tours (right).

HIKING

Twenty maintained trails of varying difficulty snake through 100km of the park’s most scenic landscapes. The gem is the James Callahan Gros Morne Trail (16km) to the peak of Gros Morne, the highest point in the area at 806m. While there are sections with steps and boardwalks, this is a strenuous seven- to eight-hour hike, and includes a steep rock gully that must be climbed to the ridgeline of the mountain. Standing on the 600m precipice and staring out over 10 Mile Pond, a sheer-sided fjord, can only be described as sublime.

Green Gardens Trail (16km) is almost as scenic and challenging. The loop has two trailheads off Rte 431, with each one descending to Green Gardens along its magnificent coastline formed from lava and shaped by the sea. Plan on six to eight hours of hiking or book one of the three backcountry camping areas, all of them on the ocean, and turn the hike into an overnight adventure. A less strenuous day hike (9km) to the beach and back is possible from this trail’s Long Pond Trailhead.

Shorter scenic hikes are the Tablelands Trail (4km), which extends to Winterhouse Brook Canyon; Lookout Trail (5km), which starts behind the Discovery Centre and loops to the site of an old fire tower above the tree line; Lobster Cove Head Trail (2km), which loops through tidal pools; and Western Brook Pond Trail (6km), the park’s most popular trail, which is an easy hike to the western end of the fjord and back.

The granddaddies of the trails are the Long Range Traverse (35km) and North Rim Traverse (27km), serious multiday treks over the mountains. Permits and advice from park rangers are required.

If you plan to do several trails, invest $12 in a copy of the Gros Morne National Park Trail Guide, a waterproof map with trail descriptions on the back, which is usually available at the visitors centers.

KAYAKING

Kayaking in the shadow of the Tablelands and through the spray of whales is truly something to be experienced. Tour operators Long Range Adventures (single/double per day $45/55) and Gros Morne Adventures (single/double per day $50/60) provide rentals for experienced paddlers. See below for contact details.

SKIING

Many trails in the park’s impressive 55km cross-country ski-trail system were designed by Canadian Olympic champion, Pierre Harvey. Contact the Main Visitor Centre for trail information and reservations for backcountry huts.

Tours

Most tours operate between June and September; book in advance. Kayaking is best in June and July.

Festivals & Events

Sleeping

While Rocky Harbour is central and has the most options, don’t overlook the surrounding communities.

BUDGET

Gros Morne Hostel (709-458-3104, 709-458-7732; www.grosmornehostel.com; Sally’s Cove; dm/r incl breakfast $22/45) The Long Range Adventures folks (above) rent out two extra rooms in their house: one has four dorm beds, the other a queen-size bed. It’s tight quarters, but the hosts’ goodwill smooths out the roughness. Free bike use for guests.

Aunt Jane’s Place B&B (709-453-2485; www.grosmorne.com/victorianmanor; Water St, Woody Point; r with/without bathroom $70/60; mid-May–mid-Oct) This historic house oozes character. It sits beachside, so you may be woken early in the morning by the heavy breathing of whales.

Four developed campgrounds (877-737-3783; www.pccamping.ca; campsites $18-25, reservation fee $10.90) lie within the park: Berry Hill (mid-Jun–mid-Sep), the largest, is most central; Lomond (late May–mid-Oct) is good and closest to the southern park entrance; Trout River (early Jun–mid-Sep) is average and closest to the Tablelands; and Shallow Bay (early Jun–mid-Sep) has ocean swimming (and mosquitoes). There’s also a primitive campground (campsites $15; yr-round) at superb Green Point. Numerous backcountry campsites ($10) are spread along trails; reserve them at the Visitor Centre.

MIDRANGE

Anchor Down B&B (709-458-2901, 800-920-2208; www.theanchordown.com; Pond Rd, Rocky Harbour; r $75-90; ) The home and its five rooms are pretty simple, but guests have raved about excellent hospitality and cooking from the friendly hosts.

Gros Morne Cabins (709-458-2020; www.grosmornecabins.com; Main St, Rocky Harbour; 1-/2-bedroom cabins $109/139) While backed by tarmac, these cabins are fronted by nothing but ocean. Each of the 22 beautiful log cabins has a kitchen and pullout sofa for children. Bookings can be made next door at Endicott’s variety store.

Middle Brook Cottages (709-453-2332; www.middlebrookcottages.com; off Rte 431, Glenburnie; cottage $115-129; Mar-Nov) These all-pinewood, spic-and-span cottages are both perfectly romantic and perfectly kid-friendly. They have kitchens and TVs, and you can splash around the swimming hole and waterfalls behind the property.

TOP END

Sugar Hill Inn (709-458-2147; www.sugarhillinn.nf.ca; 115-119 Sexton Rd, Norris Point; r $89-135, ste $175-225; Mar-Oct) Slide into the sauna or hot tub after a day in the Tablelands, then savor a gourmet meal in the scenic guests-only dining room. All that’s left to do is retire to your corner of luxury for a well-deserved snooze.

Eating

Good eats exist within all of the park’s many communities.

Earle’s Video & Convenience (709-458-2577; Main St, Rocky Harbour; mains $6-12; 9am-11pm) Earle is an institution in Rocky Harbour. Besides selling groceries and renting videos, he has great pizza, moose burgers and traditional Newfoundland fare that you can chomp on the patio.

Lighthouse Restaurant (709-453-2213; Water St, Woody Point; mains $8-14; 9am-8pm May-Sep, later Fri & Sat) The ladies at this diner cook up a storm in back and deliver Gros Morne’s best fish-and-chips, cod tongues and other Newfie dishes, along with cold beer.

Java Jack’s (709-458-3004; Main St, Rocky Harbour; mains $8-19; 7:30am-8:30pm May-Oct, later Jul & Aug) Jack’s provides Gros Morne’s best coffees, wraps and soups by day. By night, the upstairs dining room fills hungry, post-hike bellies with fine seafood, caribou and vegetarian fare.

Old Loft Restaurant (709-453-2294; Water St, Woody Point; mains $15-21; 11:30am-9pm Jul & Aug, to 7pm May, Jun & Sep) Set on the water in Woody Point, this tiny place is popular for its trad- itional Newfoundland meals and seafood.

Getting There & Around

For shuttle and bus services to Rocky Harbour, Woody Point and Trout River from Corner Brook, Click here.

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PORT AU CHOIX

Port au Choix, dangling on a stark peninsula 13km off the Viking Trail, houses a large fishing fleet, quirky museum and worthy archaeological site that delves into ancient burial grounds.

Sights & Activities

The Port au Choix National Historic Site (709-861-3522; www.pc.gc.ca/portauchoix; Point Riche Rd; adult/6-16yr $7.15/3.45; 9am-6pm Jun–early Oct) sits on ancient burial grounds of three different Aboriginal groups, dating back 5500 years. The modern visitors center tells of these groups’ creative survival in the area and of one group’s unexplained disappearance 3200 years ago.

Phillip’s Garden, a site with vestiges of Paleo-Eskimo houses, is a highlight. Two trails will take you there. One is the Phillip’s Garden Coastal Trail (4km), which leaves from Phillip Dr at the end of town. From here you hopscotch your way over the jigsaw of skeletal rock to the site 1km away.

If you continue, it’s another 3km to the Point Riche Lighthouse (1871). A plaque next to the tower recounts the many French and English conflicts in the area between the 1600s and 1900s. In 1904, France relinquished its rights here in exchange for privileges in Morocco (ah, the days when the world was a Monopoly board). The lighthouse is also accessible via the visitors center road.

The other way to reach Phillip’s Garden is via the Dorset Trail (8km). It leaves the visitors center and winds across the barrens through stunted trees, passing a Dorset Paleo-Eskimo burial cave before finally reaching the site and linking to the Coastal Trail.

At the edge of town is Ben Ploughman’s capricious Studio Gargamelle/Museum of Whales & Things (709-861-3280; www.bensstudio.ca; Rte 430; adult/student $3/2; 9am-5pm Mon-Sat Jun-Sep). His engaging and humorous manner complements the ever-evolving whale museum he’s creating, which includes an impressive, wired-together whale skeleton. Have a look at his artwork – Crucifixion of the Cod is a classic.

Sleeping & Eating

Jeannie’s Sunrise B&B (709-861-2254, 877-639-2789; www.jeanniessunrisebb.com; Fisher St; r $55-79; ) Jeannie radiates hospitality through her spacious rooms, bright reading nook and demeanor as sweet as her breakfast muffins. Rooms at the lower end of the price spectrum share a bathroom.

Anchor Café (709-861-3665; Fisher St; mains $12-18; 11am-9pm) You can’t miss this place – the front half is the bow of a boat – and don’t, because it has the best meals in town. The luncheon specials offer good value and the dinner menu has a wide array of seafood.

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ST BARBE TO L’ANSE AUX MEADOWS

As the Viking Trail nears St Barbe, the waters of the gulf quickly narrow and give visitors their first opportunity to see the desolate shores of Labrador. Ferries take advantage of this convergence and ply the route between St Barbe and the Labrador Straits (Click here). At Eddies Cove, the road sadly leaves the coast and heads inland.

As you approach the northern tip of the peninsula, Rte 430 veers off toward St Anthony, and two new roads take over leading to several diminutive fishing villages that provide perfect bases for your visit to L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site. Route 436 hugs the eastern shore and passes through (from south to north) St Lunaire-Griquet, Gunners Cove, Straitsview and L’Anse aux Meadows village. Route 437 heads in a more westerly direction through Pistolet Bay, Raleigh and Cape Onion.

Sights & Activities

L’ANSE AUX MEADOWS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

The premise may seem dull – visiting a bog in the middle of nowhere and staring at the spot where a couple of old sod houses once stood – but somehow this Viking site (709-623-2608; www.pc.gc.ca/lanseauxmeadows; Rte 436; adult/6-16yr/family $10.40/5.20/26; 9am-6pm Jun–mid-Oct) lying in a forlorn sweep of land turns out to be one of Newfoundland’s most stirring attractions.

Its historic significance is absolute: it’s the home of the first Europeans to land in North America. They were Vikings from Scandinavia and Greenland, who sailed over some 500 years before Columbus. That they settled, constructed houses, fed themselves and even smelted iron out of the bog to forge nails, attests to their ingenuity and fortitude. That it was all accomplished by a group of young-pup 20-somethings, led by Leif Eriksson, son of Eric the Red, is even more impressive.

The remains of the Vikings’ waterside settlement – eight original wood-and-sod buildings, looking pretty much as they did in AD 1000 – are what visitors can see, plus three replica buildings inhabited by costumed docents. The latter have names such as ‘Thora’ and ‘Bjorn’ and simulate Viking chores such as spinning fleece and forging nails.

THE SEAL HUNT DEBATE

Nothing ignites a more passionate debate than Canada’s annual seal hunt, which occurs in March and April off Newfoundland’s northeast coast and in the Gulf of St Lawrence around the Îles de la Madeleine and Prince Edward Island.

The debate pits animal rights activists against sealers (typically local fishers who hunt seals in the off-season), and both sides spin rhetoric like a presidential press secretary. The main issues revolve around the following questions.

  • Are baby seals being killed? Yes and no. Whitecoats are newborn harp seals, and these are the creatures in the horrifying images everyone remembers. But it’s illegal to hunt them and has been for 20 years now. However, young harp seals lose their white coats when the seals are about 12 to 14 days old. After that, they’re fair game.
  • Are the animals killed humanely? Sealers say yes, that the guns and/or clubs they use kill the seals humanely. Animal activists dispute this, saying seals are shot or clubbed and left on the ice to suffer until the sealers come back later and finish the job.
  • Is the seal population sustainable? The Canadian government says yes, and sets the yearly quota based on the total seal population in the area (estimated at 5.5 million). For 2007, the harp seal quota was 270,000. The 2006 quota was 325,000. Activists say the quotas don’t take into account the actual number of seals killed in the hunt, such as those that are ‘struck and lost,’ or discarded because of pelt damage.
  • Is the seal hunt really an important part of the local economy? Activists say no, that it represents a fraction of Newfoundland’s income. The province disagrees, saying for some sealers, it represents up to one-third of their annual income. And in a province with unemployment near 16%, that’s significant.

The only thing for certain in this debate is that Paul McCartney is an unloved man in Newfoundland. When he arrived in 2006 with then-wife Heather Mills to protest the hunt – but refused to meet with Newfoundland’s premier to discuss the issue – locals took a very dim view of the ex-Beatle.

For further details on the two perspectives, see the websites of the Newfoundland government (www.fishaq.gov.nl.ca/sealfactsheet) and the Humane Society of the United States (www.protectseals.org).

Allow two or three hours to walk around and absorb the ambience, as well as browse the interpretive center. While there, be sure to see the introductory film, which tells the captivating story of Norwegian explorer Helge Ingstad, who rediscovered the site in 1960, ending years of searching.

Also worthwhile is the 3km trail that winds through the barren terrain and along the coast surrounding the interpretive center.

NORSTEAD

Can’t get enough of the long-bearded Viking lifestyle? Stop by Norstead (709-623-2828; www.norstead.com; Rte 436; adult/6-12yr/family $8/4/25; 9am-6pm Jun–late Sep), just beyond the turnoff to the national historic site. It’s a re-creation of a Viking village with costumed interpreters (more than at L’Anse aux Meadows) smelting, weaving, baking and telling stories around real fires throughout four buildings. Sounds cheesy, but they pull it off with class. There’s also a large-scale replica of a Viking ship on hand.

Sleeping

Straitsview, Gunners Cove and St Lunaire-Griquet are all within 12km of the national historic site.

Tickle Inn (709-452-4321; www.tickleinn.net; Rte 437, Cape Onion; r incl breakfast $65-75; Jun–late Sep) This delightful seaside inn, built in 1890, is surrounded by a white picket fence, oodles of grass and your own private beach. Sit in the parlor, feel the warmth of the Franklin woodstove and enjoy great home-cooked meals.

St Brendan’s Motel (709-623-2520; www.stbrendansmotel.com; Rte 436, St Lunaire-Griquet; s/d $70/75; Jun–mid-Oct) The pine-green exterior of this 11-room motel doesn’t look like much, but the rooms (with TV, coffeemaker and refrigerator) are snug and the setting peaceful.

Snorri Cabins (709-623-2241; www.snorricabins.com; Rte 436, Straitsview; cabins $75; May-Nov) These cabins offer simple comfort and great value. They’re perfect for families, with a full kitchen, sitting room and a pull-out sofa.

Dockside Motel (709-877-2444; www.docksidemotel.nf.ca; Rte 430, St Barbe; r & cabins $75-120) This place is literally next door to the ferry landing in St Barbe and has 15 rooms, 10 cabins and a restaurant.

Valhalla Lodge B&B (709-623-2018, 877-623-2018; www.valhalla-lodge.com; Rte 436, Gunners Cove; r $80-90; mid-May–late Sep) Set on a hill overlooking the ocean, this lodge is only 8km from the Viking site. Put your feet up on the deck and watch icebergs in comfort. This very view inspired Pulitzer Prize–winning author E Annie Proulx as she wrote The Shipping News here.

DRIFTING DOWN ICEBERG ALLEY

Each year 10,000 to 40,000 glistening icebergs break off Greenland’s glaciers and enter the Baffin and Labrador currents for the three-year trip south to Newfoundland’s famed ‘Iceberg Alley.’ This 480km-long, 98km-wide stretch of sea runs along the province’s north and east coasts and is strewn with ’bergs in late spring and early summer. Fogo and Twillingate Islands in Notre Dame Bay and St Anthony on the Northern Peninsula are some of the best places for sightings. Even St John’s is graced with a few hundred of the blue-and-white marvels most years (though sometimes the waters remain barren due to climate and current shifts).

To see where the behemoths lurk, check www.icebergfinder.com, the provincial tourism association’s website showing where the ’bergs are floating; you can get weekly email updates on their locations and plan your trip accordingly. Also, the Canadian government’s website www.ice-glaces.ec.gc.ca provides daily iceberg bulletins.

Locals harvest some smaller ’bergs, and if you ask in restaurants you may get a piece along with your drink. Considering the glacial ice may be more than 15,000 years old, it is indeed an ice cube to savor.

Eating

Fishermen’s Galley (709-623-2431; Rte 436, St Lunaire-Griquet; sandwiches $4-8, mains $10-19; 11am-9pm) Operated by a fisherman and set on the water, this pinewood-paneled dining room serves comforting seafood casseroles and cod burgers, along with fajitas and vegetarian stir-fry.

Northern Delight (709-623-2220; Rte 436, Gunners Cove; meals $9-15; 8am-10pm late Apr–mid-Oct) Dine on local favorites such as turbot cheeks and pan-fried cod, fresh lobster and mussels, or just have a ‘Newfie Mug-up’ (bread, molasses and a strong cup of tea). There’s live music on various evenings.

Norseman Restaurant & Art Gallery (709-623-2018; Rte 436, L’Anse aux Meadows village; dinner mains $12-22; 9am-10pm mid-May–late Sep) This casual, waterfront room may well be the best restaurant in Newfoundland. Relish the butternut squash soup, peruse a few vegetarian options or sink your teeth into tender Labrador caribou tenderloin. Norseman chills all its drinks with iceberg ice. Patrons who order lobster hand-pick their dinner by donning rubber boots and heading out front to the ocean, where the freshly caught crustaceans await in crates.

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ST ANTHONY

Yeehaw! You’ve made it to the end of the road, your windshield has helped control the insect population and you have seen two World Heritage sites. After such grandeur, St Anthony may be a little anticlimactic. It’s not what you’d call pretty, but it has a rough-hewn charm. And the hiking and whale- and iceberg-watching inspire.

Grenfell is a big name around here. Sir Wilfred Grenfell was a local legend and, by all accounts, quite a man. This English-born and -educated doctor first came to Newfoundland in 1892 and, for the next 40 years, traveling by dog-sled and boat, built hospitals and nursing stations and organized much-needed fishing cooperatives along the coast of Labrador and around St Anthony.

Sights & Activities

A number of local sites pertaining to Wilfred Grenfell are subsumed under Grenfell Historic Properties (combined admission adult/family $6/12). The Grenfell Interpretation Centre (709-454-4010; West St; 9am-6pm Jun–late Sep, to 5pm Mon-Fri late Sep–May), opposite the hospital, is a modern exhibit recounting the historic and sometimes dramatic life of Grenfell. Its handicraft shop has some high-quality carvings and artwork, as well as embroidered parkas made by locals – proceeds go to maintenance of the historic properties. It also serves as the town’s information center. Out back, near the Dockhouse Museum and playground, try to spot the odd footprint from Grenfell’s beloved dog-sled team in the exterior walls of the carpentry building.

Grenfell’s beautiful mansion is now the Grenfell Museum (9am-6pm Jun-Aug, to 5pm Sep), located behind the hospital. Past the wrap- around porch, dyed burlap walls and antique furnishings envelop memorabilia including a polar bear rug and, if rumors are correct, the ghost of Mrs Grenfell.

The main road through town ends at Fishing Point Park, where a lighthouse and towering headland cliffs overlook the sea. The Iceberg Alley Trail and Whale Watchers Trail both lead to clifftop observation platforms – the names say it all.

Tours

Northland Discovery Tours (709-454-3092, 877-632-3747; www.discovernorthland.com; 2½hr tours adult/5-12yr/13-17yr $48/20/25; 9am, 1pm & 4pm late May–late Sep) offers highly recommended cruises for whale or iceberg viewing that leave from the dock behind the Grenfell Interpretation Centre on West St. The best ’berg viewing is in May and June; whales swim by in July and August. If you tend to get seasick, medicate before this one.

Sleeping & Eating

Fishing Point B&B (709-454-2009; l.budgell@nf.sym patico.ca; Fishing Point Rd; s/d with shared bathroom $50/60) This tiny, old-fashioned place clings to the rocks en route to the lighthouse and offers the best harbor view in St Anthony. Get up early, grab some coffee and watch the boats head out to sea. The four rooms share two bathrooms.

Wildberry Country Lodge (709-454-2662, 866-454-2662; www.adventure-tourism.com; Rte 430; r incl breakfast $75-95) Owner Lyndon Hodge hand-built this rustic, nine-room lodge himself, and it’s an absolute winner. Hodge attempts to tread gently on the land (for instance, the on-site restaurant sources only local ingredients), and he knows the region like the back of his hand having lived here all his life. Wildberry is around 20km from St Anthony, along Route 430.

Lightkeeper’s Café (877-454-4900; Fishing Point Park; meals $8-20; 11:30am-9pm mid-Jun–Sep) This little gem of an eatery sits in the shadow of the lighthouse and is often graced by the sight of icebergs and whales. The chowder and scallops are legendary.

Getting There & Away

Flying to St Anthony is technically possible, but the airport is nearly an hour away. If you’re leaving St Anthony by car, you have two options: backtrack entirely along Rte 430, or try the sections of Rte 432 that run down the east coast and Hare Bay. This will meet up with Rte 430 near Plum Point, between St Barbe and Port aux Choix.

The Viking Express bus Click here picks up at the Irving Station (709-454-2601; Main St) across from the Vinland Motel on West St, leaving for Corner Brook ($56, seven hours) at 10am Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.

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WESTERN NEWFOUNDLAND

Western Newfoundland presents many visitors with their first view of The Rock, thanks to the ferry landing at Port aux Basques. It’s big, cliffy, even a bit forbidding with all those wood houses clinging to the jagged shoreline against the roaring wind. From Port aux Basques, pokey fishing villages cast lines to the east, while Newfoundland’s second-largest town, Corner Brook, raises its wintry head (via its ski mountain) to the northeast.

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CORNER BROOK

Corner Brook is happenin’ baby – Jean-Claude Van Damme parks his yacht in the harbor, and Oprah just bought a place out by the ski resort! Or so the rumors go as development comes to the handsome Humber Valley. One thing is certain: the new Humber Valley Resort is selling condos in its 1110-unit luxury property for $1.15 million. So maybe the vibe will ratchet up one of these days. For now, Newfoundland’s second-largest town (population 23,000) remains pretty sleepy, though skiers, kayakers and anglers will find plenty of action.

Orientation & Information

Corner Brook splashes up the hills at the eastern end of Humbert Arm’s 40km-long waters. The smoke-belching pulp and paper mill, the town’s lifeblood, marks the center point of downtown. The primary commercial streets run nearby, including Main, Park, West and Broadway Sts.

Sights & Activities

Marble Mountain (709-637-7616; www.skimarble.com; Hwy 1; day pass $47; 10am-4:30pm Tue-Thu, 9am-9:30pm Fri, 9am-4:30pm Sat-Mon mid-Dec–early Apr) is the lofty reason most visitors come to Corner Brook. Located in the Humber Valley 8km east of town, it offers Atlantic Canada’s best skiing. Marble has 35 trails, four lifts, a 488m vertical drop and annual snowfall of 16ft. There are snowboarding and tubing parks, as well as night skiing on Fridays. The region caters to cross-country skiers at Blow-Me-Down Cross-Country Ski Park (709-639-2754; www.blowmedown.ca; sunrise-9pm early Dec–Apr), about 6km southwest of downtown.

If skiing doesn’t get the adrenaline flowing, try snow-kiting (a windsurfing-meets-snowboarding endeavor). The patient folks at My Newfoundland Adventures (709-686-2222, 800-686-8890; www.mynewfoundland.ca) teach how to do it, no experience required. Just bring warm clothes for the 3½-hour lesson ($129), and off you’ll zip across the tundra. The company is located at Marble Mountain’s base.

When the white stuff has departed, the Steady Brook Falls Trail (500m) leads from the ski area’s rear parking lot, behind the Petro-Canada station, to a cascade of water that tumbles more than 30m. Fishing and kayaking in the nearby Humber River are also popular. Inquire at the Marble Inn (below) to get outfitted.

A tribute to James Cook for his work in surveying the region in the mid-1760s, the Captain James Cook Monument (Crow Hill Rd, off Atlantic Ave), a national historic site, is northwest of downtown. Cook’s names for many of the islands, ports and waterways, such as the Humber Arm and Hawke’s Bay, remain today. While the clifftop monument is admirable, it’s the panoramic view over the Bay of Islands that is the real payoff. The route here is convoluted, but well-marked.

Another scenic walk is the Corner Brook Stream Trail (2km), which gently follows the stream’s banks and part of Glynmill Pond. It starts in the parking lot of the Glynmill Inn (opposite).

Within historic Humbermouth Station, the Railway Society of Newfoundland (709-634-2720; Station Rd, off Humber Rd; admission $2; 9am-8pm Jun-Aug) has a good-looking steam locomotive and some narrow-gauge rolling stock that chugged across the province from 1921 to 1939.

The Corner Brook Arts & Culture Centre (709-637-2580; www.artsandculturecentre.ca; University Dr) features a 400-seat performing-arts facility and an art gallery (admission free; 9am-5pm) of local works.

Sleeping

Bell’s Inn (709-634-1150, 888-634-1150; www.bellsinn.ca; 2 Ford’s Rd; r incl breakfast $80-110) Gordon Bell’s rambling green house tops a hill that’s a 15-minute walk from downtown. The eight smallish comfy rooms all have private bathrooms; Nos 1 and 4 have harbor views. Sip your morning coffee on the breezy veranda.

Marble Inn (709-634-3007, 877-497-5673; www.marbleinn.com; 21 Dogwood Dr, Steady Brook; r $99-129, cottages $129-199; ) Located on the Humber River across from Marble Mountain, this locally owned inn provides outdoor enthusiasts with peaceful snoozing in the main lodge’s rooms or in the surrounding cedar cottages. Seasonal activities on site include salmon fishing, kayaking and river rafting; a free shuttle bus carts guests to the ski hill.

Glynmill Inn (709-634-5181, 800-563-4400; www.glynmillinn.ca; 1 Cobb Lane; r $102-112, ste $126-136) Lawns, gardens and graciousness surround the Tudor-style Glynmill. It was originally built for the engineers supervising the pulp mill’s construction in the 1920s, at that time the largest project in the history of paper making. The inn retains an elegant but down-to-earth ambience.

Eating & Drinking

Thistle’s Place (709-634-4389; Millbrook Mall, Main St; sandwiches $5-9; 9am-6pm Mon-Sat; ) Walk through the front flower shop to reach the smoked meat, curried chicken and wholewheat veggie wraps at this wee café out the back. Coffees, cakes, breakfasts and internet access ($2 per 15 minutes) are also available.

Gitano’s (709-634-5000; Millbrook Mall, Main St; tapas $6-10, mains $17-25; 11:30am-2pm & 5-10pm Mon-Thu, 11:30am-2pm & 5pm-midnight Fri, 5pm-midnight Sat, 5-10pm Sun) Behind Thistle’s and owned by the same family, Gitano’s dishes up Spanish-themed mains such as estofado (stewed sweet potatoes, chickpeas and figs over couscous), tapas (try the Newfie shrimp rolls) and pastas. Live jazz wafts through on weekends.

13 West (709-634-1300; 13 West St; dinner mains $20-30; 11:30am-2:30pm & 5:30-9:30pm Mon-Fri, 5:30-9:30pm Sat & Sun) Inventive meals grace the plates at this bistro, such as linguini smothered in scallops, cashews, curried cream sauce and chutney. The lunch specials (about $11) with dessert are a steal. Vegetarians even get a couple of choices.

Shopping

Newfoundland Emporium (709-634-9376; 7 Broadway) Step over Moose, the owner’s moose-sized Newfoundland dog, to get at the local crafts, music and literature found here.

Getting There & Away

Corner Brook is a major hub for bus services in Newfoundland. Most operators use the bus station (709-634-4710) in the town center, adjacent to the Millbrook Mall shopping center. The exception is DRL, which stops at the Confederation Dr Irving station (709-634-7422) across from the visitors center. Those hoping to make connections between the stations will require a taxi. Reservations are essential for all services.

DRL Coachlines (709-263-2171; www.drlgroup.com) buses heading eastward to St John’s ($93 cash only, 10½ hours) depart at 11:25am. At 5:55pm services leave for Port aux Basques ($38, three hours). Stew’s (709-886-2955, 709-634-4710) runs a shuttle van to Burgeo ($33 cash only, two hours) departing at 3pm Monday through Thursday and at 4pm Friday. Eddy’s (709-634-4710) shuttles travel to Stephenville ($17, 1¼ hours) four times daily. Gateway (709-695-3333) shuttles operate weekdays, departing for Port aux Basques ($30, three hours) at 3:45pm. Returns depart from Port aux Basques at 8am.

Martin’s (709-453-2207) shuttles operate weekdays, departing for Woody Point ($14, 1½ hours) and Trout River ($16, two hours) at 4:30pm. Returns depart Woody Point and Trout River at 9am. A different Martin’s (709-458-8201) shuttle departs for Rocky Harbour ($18, 1½ hours), also at 4:30pm weekdays. Returns depart Rocky Harbour at 9am.

The Viking Express (709-634-4710) bus to St Anthony ($56, seven hours) departs at 4pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Stops include Deer Lake ($10, 45 minutes) and Rocky Harbour ($18, two hours).

The Star Taxi (709-634-4343) shuttle picks up from various hotels en route to Deer Lake Airport ($18, 45 minutes) three to five times daily.

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AROUND CORNER BROOK

Blomidon Mountains

The Blomidon Mountains, heaved skyward from a collision with Europe around 500 million years ago, run along the south side of the Humber Arm. They’re tantalizing for hikers, providing many sea vistas and glimpses of the resident caribou population. Some of the trails, especially ones up on the barrens, are not well marked, so topographical maps and a compass are essential for all hikers.

One of the easiest and most popular trails begins at a parking lot on the left side of Rte 450 (500m from the Blow Me Down Brook bridge). The trail can be followed for an hour or so; for more avid hikers it continues well into the mountains, where you’re on your own.

Blow Me Down Provincial Park (709-681-2430; Rte 450; campsites $13, per vehicle $5; mid-May–mid-Sep) has beaches and scenery. The park lies near the twisty end of Rte 450, which heads west from Corner Brook for some 60km.

Stephenville

As the drive into town past deserted hangars, piles of tires and tract housing portends, Stephenville is in the running for Newfoundland’s least appealing town. There’s not much reason to stop, except for the Stephenville Theatre Festival (709-643-4982; www.stf.nf.ca). It sweeps into town during July and August toting along the Bard, Broadway and – to stir the pot – some cutting-edge Newfoundland plays.

Port au Port Peninsula

The large peninsula west of Stephenville is the only French area of the province. It became known as the French Shore in the early 1700s. Today, the culture is strongest along the western shore between Cape St George and Lourdes. Here children go to French school, preserving their dialect, which is now distinct from the language spoken in either France or Québec.

In Port au Port West, near Stephenville, the gorgeous Gravels Trail (3km) leads along the shore, passing secluded beach after secluded beach. Nearby in Felix Cove, stop at Alpacas of Newfoundland (709-648-9414; admission free; Rte 460) and meet the fluffy namesake critters.

Barachois Pond Provincial Park

This popular park (709-649-0048; Hwy 1; campsites $13, per vehicle $5; mid-May–mid-Sep), sitting just south of Rte 480 on Hwy 1, is one of the few in the province to offer a backcountry experience. From the campground, the Erin Mountain Trail (4.5km) winds through the forest and up to the 340m peak, where there are backcountry campsites and excellent views. Allow two hours for the climb.

Not far away are a couple of leisurely nature trails and a nice swimming area.

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PORT AUX BASQUES

It’s all about the ferry in Port aux Basques. Most visitors come here to jump onto the Rock from Nova Scotia, or jump off for the return trip. That doesn’t mean the town isn’t a perfectly decent place to spend a day or night. Traditional wood houses painted brightly in aqua, scarlet and sea-green clasp the stony hills. Laundry blows on the clotheslines, boats moor in backyard inlets and locals never fail to wave hello to newcomers.

Port aux Basques (occasionally called Channel-Port aux Basques) was named in the early 16th century by Basque fishers and whalers who came to work the waters of the Strait of Belle Isle.

The town is a convenient place to stock up on food, fuel and/or money before journeying onward.

Orientation & Information

When leaving the ferry, turn left after crossing the bridge and head southeast along Caribou Rd to reach the town center. You’ll find postal and banking services along the crooked roads in this older section of town. Other services – grocery stores, gas stations, the hospital and visitors center – are on the opposite side of town, to the northwest.

Sights & Activities

Downtown is the small Gulf Museum (709-695-7604; 118 Main St; adult/family $4/7; 9am-5pm Mon-Fri early Jul–late Aug), stuffed with shipwreck artifacts. The showpiece is the astrolabe. This striking brass navigational instrument, made in Portugal in 1628, is designed on a principle discovered by the ancient Greeks to allow for charting of the heavenly bodies. The device is in remarkable condition and is one of only about three dozen that exist in the world.

To the west of town is Grand Bay West Beach (Kyle Lane). The long shore is backed by grassy dunes, which are breeding grounds for the endangered piping plover. The Cormack Trail (11km) leaves from here and flirts with the coast all the way to John T Cheeseman Provincial Park.

Scott’s Cove Park (Caribou Rd), with its restored boardwalk, candy-colored snack shacks and boat-shaped amphitheater, is the place to mingle with townsfolk and listen to live music. The Railway Heritage Centre (709-695-7560; off Hwy 1; tours $3.50; 10am-8pm Jul & Aug) also makes an appealing stop.

Sleeping

With all the ferry traffic, reservations are a good idea.

Heritage Home B&B (709-695-3240; www.bbcanada.com/2665.html; 11 Caribou Rd; r with shared bathroom $45-65; May-Oct) Up on the bluff overlooking the harbor, the five-room Heritage Home is the closest lodging to the ferry (a 10-minute walk). Cottony quilts and glossy wood furnishings fill the small sunny rooms.

Caribou B&B (709-695-3408; www.bbcanada.com/2225.html; 42 Grand Bay Rd; r $55-65; May-Sep) It’s similar to Heritage Home in ambience, but three of the five rooms have private bathrooms. The partridgeberry breakfast muffins compensate for the extra distance from the ferry.

St Christopher’s Hotel (709-695-3500, 800-563-4779; www.stchrishotel.com; Caribou Rd; r $93-103; ) This is the most professional digs in town, with a small fitness room and a fine seafood restaurant called the Captain’s Room (meals $10 to $16; open from 7am to 2pm and 4:30pm to 10pm). Odd-numbered rooms have harbor views.

Hotel Port aux Basques (709-695-2171, 877-695-2171; www.hotelpab.com; 1 Grand Bay Rd; r $95-100, ste $130) The closest competition to St Christopher’s, this hotel is older but has more character. For those in need of pampering, the suites will do the trick. Kids stay free.

Eating

Alma’s (709-695-3813; Mall, Grand Bay Rd; meals $4-12; 8am-7pm Mon-Wed & Sat, to 9pm Thu & Fri) Follow the locals into this no-frills family diner for heaping portions of cod, scallops, fishcakes and berry pies. It serves breakfasts, burgers and sandwiches, too.

Harbour Restaurant (709-695-3238; 121 Caribou Rd; meals $6-12; 8am-midnight Sun-Thu, to 1am Fri & Sat) While you’ll get better food and service elsewhere, you can’t beat the harborside view here. Pizzas and donairs (spiced beef in pita bread) share the menu with fried chicken.

Tai Hong (709-695-3116; 77 High St; meals $7-12; 11am-10:30pm) Vegetarians, this standard Chinese fare is as good as it gets (though vegetables are scarce).

Price Chopper (709-695-7689; High St; 8:30am-6pm Mon, Tue & Sat, to 9pm Wed-Fri, 11am-5pm Sun) Stockpile groceries at the Chopper.

Getting There & Away

The Marine Atlantic ferry (800-341-7981; www.marine-atlantic.ca; adult/5-12yr $27.50/13.75, per car/motorcycle $78/39.50) connects Port aux Basques with North Sydney in Nova Scotia. It operates year-round, typically with two sailings daily during winter and three or four sailings between mid-June and mid-September. Departure times vary day by day. Daylight summer crossings take approximately six hours, while winter and night sailings are about seven hours. A four-berth cabin will set you back $99.

DRL Coachlines (709-263-2171; www.drlgroup.com) has a stop at the ferry terminal (709-695-4216). Buses leave at 8am for Corner Brook ($38, 3½ hours) and St John’s ($130, 13½ hours); cash only.

If you’re hoping to make connections in Corner Brook for the Northern Peninsula, you’re best catching the Gateway bus Click here.

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AROUND PORT AUX BASQUES

Cape Ray

Adjacent to John T Cheeseman Provincial Park 14km north of town is Cape Ray. The coastal scenery is engaging, and the road leads up to the windblown Cape Ray Lighthouse (admission free; 10am-9pm Jul & Aug). This area is the southernmost known Dorset Paleo-Eskimo site, dating from 400 BC to AD 400. Thousands of artifacts have been found here and some dwelling sites can be seen.

There are also some fine hikes in the area. The Cormack Trail will eventually stretch north from here to Flat Bay near Stephenville. The Table Mountain Trail (12km) is more like a rugged road (don’t even think about driving up it) and begins on Hwy 1 opposite the exit to Cape Ray. The hike leads to a 518m plateau, where there are ruins from a secret US radar site and airstrip from WWII. It’s not a hard hike, but allow three or four hours.

John T Cheeseman Provincial Park (709-695-7222; Rte 408; campsites $13, per vehicle $5; late May–mid-Sep) rests next to the beach and has top-notch facilities.

South Coast

Visitors often ignore Rte 470, and that’s a shame because it’s a beauty. Heading east out of Port aux Basques for 45km and edging along the shore, the road rises and falls over the eroded, windswept terrain, looking as though it’s following a glacier that plowed through yesterday.

Isle aux Morts (Island of the Dead) got its label compliments of the many shipwrecks that occurred just offshore over some 400 years. Named after a family famous for daring shipwreck rescues, the Harvey Trail (7km) twists along the rugged shore and makes a stirring walk. Look for the signs in town.

Another highlight is the last settlement along the road, Rose Blanche, an absolutely splendid, traditional-looking village nestled in a cove with a fine natural harbor – a perfect example of the classic Newfoundland fishing community. From here follow the signs to the restored Rose Blanche Lighthouse (709-956-2052; www.roseblanchelighthouse.ca; adult/student/family $3/2/7; 9am-9pm May-Oct). Built in 1873, it’s the last remaining granite lighthouse on the Atlantic seaboard. The Hook, Line & Sinker (709-956-2005; meals $6-10; 11am-9pm) café is right next door and is a delightful spot for lunch or dinner.

For those without a vehicle, Gateway (709-695-3333) offers flexible van tours from Port aux Basques that visit Rose Blanche. Prices start at $75 and go up depending on how many villages you want to visit en route. For those planning to launch their trip to the South Coast Outports from Rose Blanche, the one-way fare is $45.

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SOUTH COAST OUTPORTS

If you have the time and patience, a trip across the south coast with its wee fishing villages – called outports – is the best way to witness Newfoundland’s unique culture. These little communities are some of the most remote settlements in North America, reachable only by boat as they cling to the convoluted shore. An anomaly is Burgeo, connected by an easy road trip; it has an unspoiled, isolated feel, yet good amenities for travelers. But hurry: the outports are dwindling as government pressure and lack of employment force residents to relocate to more accessible areas.

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ORIENTATION & INFORMATION

Burgeo (population 1700) is the largest town and acts as a service center. It’s also the only one accessible by road, other than the journey-starting and -ending towns of Rose Blanche (above) and Hermitage. The tiny outports in between include Lapoile, Grand Bruit, Ramea (an island), Grey River, François and McCallum.

The visitors center in Port aux Basques has tourist information on the region. Several outports have a combined website (www.bbsict.com) with lodging and activity information.

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SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES

When the sun is out and the sea shimmers between endless inlets and islands, Burgeo is a dream. Climb the stairs to Maiden Tea Hill and look out in admiration. The 7km of white-sand beaches at Sandbanks Provincial Park may be the best in the entire province (at least the piping plover who dawdle there think so).

Boat tours (2hr per person $25) and sea-kayak rentals & tours (per half-day single/double kayak $40/50, guide per hr $20) are available from Burgeo Haven B&B.

Author Farley Mowat lived in Burgeo for several years, until he penned A Whale for the Killing and pissed off the locals. The book tells the story of how Burgeo’s townsfolk treated an 80-ton fin whale trapped in a nearby lagoon. Let’s just say the whale’s outcome was not a happy one. Locals can point out the lagoon and Mowat’s old house, though expect to get an earful about it.

The other outports are great areas for remote camping, hiking and fishing; ask locals about arranging a guide.

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SLEEPING & EATING

Other than in Burgeo, you’ll likely have to bunk with a local family, which is easy enough to line up. The locals are very helpful.

Sandbanks Provincial Park (709-886-2331; off Rte 480, Burgeo; campsites $13, per vehicle $5; late May–mid-Sep) Two-thirds of the 25 campsites here are nestled in the forest, while the remainder are in a grassy area. The flies can be brutal.

Blue Mountain Cabins (709-492-2753; www.bluemountaincabins.ca; Grand Bruit; s/d $70/75; Jun-Oct) There are just two cottages here. Meals are offered to guests at modest prices, and the host can arrange hiking trips.

Burgeo Haven B&B (709-886-2544; www.burgeohaven.com; 111 Reach Rd, Burgeo; s/d/ste $70/80/90; wi-fi) Right across from Maiden Tea Hill, this large house backs onto an inlet and offers a serene setting. Some of the five rooms have views.

Gillett’s Motel (709-886-1284; www.gillettsmotel.ca; 1 Inspiration Rd, Burgeo; d $78) The sole motel in town is, well, motel-like, with all the usual room amenities (TVs, internet capabilities). It’s just fine, as is the on-site Galley Restaurant (meals $7 to $15), where you’ll eat cod likely caught that morning.

Joy’s Place (709-886-2569; Reach Rd, Burgeo; meals $6-11; 11am-11:30pm) Near Burgeo Haven B&B, Joy whips up fried chicken, Chinese dishes, burgers and pies in addition to her ever present fish dishes.

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GETTING THERE & AWAY

Lonely, 148km-long Rte 480 shoots off Hwy 1 south of Corner Brook and then runs straight into Burgeo. Note there is no gas station and barely any civilization, just glacier-cut boulders and ponds and a whole lotta moose. Stew’s shuttle van runs between Corner Brook and Burgeo.

Access to the other towns is by boat only. While the following ferries run all year, the route described here is for mid-May through September; if hours are not given, it is because departures are not regular. Schedules change, so check with Provincial Ferry Services (709-292-4302; www.tw.gov.nl.ca/ferryservices). Note that the ferries do not take vehicles (except Burgeo to Ramea).

And yes, the schedule is confusing, but with careful planning a trip through the islands is doable.

Starting at Rose Blanche, ferries leave for Lapoile ($3.75, 1½ hours) and Grand Bruit ($4.75, 2½ hours) at 3:30pm daily (except Tuesday and Thursday). On the same days there are two boats from Lapoile to Grand Bruit ($3.50, one hour). From Grand Bruit to Burgeo ($5.50, three hours), boats only leave Tuesday at 8:45am.

From Burgeo you have a couple of options. One to three ferries daily go to Ramea ($3.75, 1½ hours) and one ferry goes daily to Grey River ($5.25, 2½ hours) at 1:45pm. From Grey River there are daily (except Tuesday and Thursday) sailings to François ($4.75, two hours) at 4:45pm. Ferries leave François for McCallum ($4.75, 2½ hours) and Hermitage ($6.75, four hours) at 7am Thursday. If you disembark in McCallum your next chance to reach Hermitage (1½ hours) is the following Thursday at 9:45am.

At Hermitage, you’ll have to suss out transportation back to Rte 360. You can then hook up with Thornhill Taxi Service (709-885-2144, 866-538-3429), which runs between Harbour Breton and Grand Falls, and connects with DRL in the latter.

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LABRADOR

It’s called the Big Land, and with 293,000 sq km sprawling north toward the Arctic Circle, it’s easy to see why. Undulating, rocky, puddled expanses form the sparse, primeval landscape. If you ever wanted to see what the world looked like before humans stepped on it, this is the place to head. Adding to the Great Northern effect, four huge caribou herds, including the world’s largest (some 750,000 head), migrate across Labrador to their calving grounds each year.

Inuit and Innu have occupied Labrador for thousands of years, and until the 1960s the population was still limited to them and a few longtime European descendants known as ‘liveyers.’ They eked out an existence by fishing and hunting from their tiny villages that freckled the coast. The interior was virgin wilderness.

Over the past few decades, the economic potential of Labrador’s vast natural resources has earned it a new degree of attention. Companies have tapped into the massive iron-ore mines in Wabush and Labrador City and the hydroelectric dam at Churchill Falls.

The northern coast of the province remains essentially unchanged, however, and is a great place to explore the aboriginal-influenced villages. There are no roads, so you’ll have to get there by supply ferry. Actually, a lack of roads and facilities is common throughout this behemoth region, so planning ahead is essential.

Labrador (population 27,000) is a cold, wet and windy place, and its bugs are murderous. Note that the Labrador Straits (not including the Québec portion) are on Newfoundland Time, while the rest of Labrador (starting at Cartwright) is on Atlantic Time, ie 30 minutes behind Newfoundland. Québec is on Eastern Time, which is an hour behind Atlantic Time. These variations can make ferry and airplane schedules a headache.

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LABRADOR STRAITS

And you thought the Northern Peninsula was commanding? Sail the 18km across the Strait of Belle Isle and behold a landscape even more windswept and black-rocked. Clouds rip across aqua-and-gray skies, and the water that slaps the shore is so cold it’s purplish. Unlike the rest of remote Labrador, the Straits region is easy to reach and exalted with sights such as Red Bay and Battle Harbour and a slew of great walking trails that meander past shipwreck fragments and old whale bones.

‘Labrador Straits’ is the colloquial name given to the communities that comprise the southern coastal region of Labrador. Note that your first stop in the area will not actually be in Labrador at all, as the ferry terminal and airport are both in Blanc Sablon, Québec. Once in Labrador, Rte 510 is the road that connects the Straits’ communities. South of Red Bay, it is sealed and open all year. From Red Bay north to Cartwright, it’s gravel and not open in winter, though this may change. Check with the Department of Transportation & Works (709-729-2300; www.roads.gov.nl.ca).

Blanc Sablon to L’Anse au Clair

After arriving by ferry or plane in Blanc Sablon and driving a few minutes north on Rte 510 you come to Labrador and the gateway town of L’Anse au Clair. Here you will find the Straits’ excellent Visitors Centre (709-931-2013, 877-931-2013; www.labradorcoastaldrive.com; Rte 510, L’Anse au Clair; 9am-5pm mid-Jun–mid-Oct) in an old church that doubles as a small museum. Be sure to pick up hiking trail maps for the region.

The town makes a good pre- or post-ferry base. Norm at Beachside Hospitality Home (709-931-2338; normanletto@yahoo.ca; 9 Lodge Rd; r with shared bathroom $38-45) plays the accordion for guests in the evening. Quilts await on the beds, while homemade jams await in the kitchen at this three-bedroom, two-bathroom B&B.

The modern, well-kept Northern Light Inn (709-931-2332, 800-563-3188; www.northernlightinn.com; 56 Main St; s/d $89/109) is a tour-bus favorite. The even-numbered rooms have harbor views. The dining room (mains $12-18; 7am-9pm Sun-Thu, to 10pm Fri & Sat) at the inn is your best bet for food in town. The MV Apollo (866-535-2567; www.labradormarine.com; adult/5-12yr $7.50/6, per car/motorcycle $22.75/11.50) sails the two hours between St Barbe in Newfoundland and Blanc Sablon between May and early January. From early July to mid-September, when things are at their busiest, the boat runs two or three times a day between 8am and 6pm; at other times service drops to once or twice daily. Schedules vary wildly day to day for this journey. Note that the ferry terminal in Blanc Sablon operates on Newfoundland Time and not Eastern Time, which the rest of Blanc Sablon follows.

Provincial Airlines (800-563-2800; www.provincialairlines.ca) has flights to Blanc Sablon from St John’s ($239) and St Anthony ($119). Just to confuse you, departure times from the airport are on Eastern Time versus Labrador Straits (ie Newfoundland) Time.

WORTH THE TRIP: FRANçOIS

Tiny François (www.francoisnf.com) dumbfounds as you enter its narrow waterway and are suddenly met by towering walls of rock all around. These cliffs are cut with trails that make for great, if challenging, hikes. Sea kayaking and boat tours through abandoned outports and a lost whaling station are offered by Pinnacle Tours (709-842-3336; www.pinnacletours.org). For lodging, you’ll stay with a local family. See the town website for further information, and Click here for ferry schedules.

Rental cars are available at the airport from Eagle River Rent-a-Car (709-931-2352) and National (709-461-2777).

Forteau to Pinware

Continuing northeast on Rte 510 you’ll pass Forteau, L’Anse Amour, L’Anse au Loup and Pinware.

Forteau-based Labrador Adventures (709-931-2055; www.tourlabrador.ca; tours $15-85) provides truly knowledgeable guides for Straits-oriented hikes or day tours by SUV. It also arranges all-inclusive overnight packages ($240). This is a terrific way to see the area, especially if you’re short on time or car-less. Forteau’s Overfall Brook Trail (4km) shadows the coast and ends at a 30m waterfall.

Six houses in total comprise the village of L’Anse Amour, but it holds more than its fair share of sights. L’Anse Amour Burial Mound (L’Anse Amour Rd), a pile of stones placed here by the Maritime Archaic Aboriginals, is the oldest burial monument in North America. A small roadside plaque marks the 7500-year-old site. On the same road is Point Amour Lighthouse Provincial Historic Site (709-927-5825; L’Anse Amour Rd; admission $3; 10am-5:30pm mid-May–late Sep). Taking four years to build and with 127 steps to climb, this is the tallest lighthouse in Atlantic Canada. When you reach the top, you will be bestowed with a spectacular 360-degree view of the coastline. The lighthouse keeper’s house has exhibits on maritime history. The HMS Raleigh went aground here in 1922 and was destroyed in 1926. The Raleigh Trail (2km) takes you by the site and warship fragments on the beach.

Past L’Anse au Loup is the Battery Trail (4km), which meanders through a stunted tuckamore forest to the summit of the Battery, unfurling panoramic sea views.

The road veers inland at Pinware, and skirts along the western side of the Pinware River, until it crosses a one-lane iron bridge, and then runs along the eastern side, high above the rushing whitewater. This stretch of the Pinware is renowned for its salmon fishing, and there are lodges with guiding services. About 10km before reaching Red Bay, the land becomes rocky and barren, except for the superfluity of blueberries and bakeapples (and pickers) in August.

Forteau’s family-friendly Seaview Cabins (709-931-2840; bhancock@preserves.nf.ca; 33 Main St; cabins $89-95) have been renovated recently. Four of the eight cabins are ‘luxury,’ ie larger and with water views; two have Jacuzzis. Inquire at the Seaview Restaurant (meals $6-16; 9am-midnight) across the street. While there, chow down on the famous fried chicken and fantastically tender caribou. A grocery store and jam factory are also on site.

Red Bay

Spread between two venues, brilliant Red Bay National Historic Site (709-920-2051; www.pc.gc.ca/redbay; Rte 510, Red Bay; adult/6-16yr/family $7.15/3.45/18.05; 9am-6pm early Jun–mid-Oct) uses different media to chronicle the discovery of three 16th-century Basque whaling galleons on the seabed here. Well preserved in the ice-cold waters, the vestiges of the ships tell a remarkable story of what life was like here some four centuries ago. Red Bay was the largest whaling port in the world, with more than 2000 people residing here. Have a look at the reconstructed chalupa (a small Basque dingy used for whale hunting) and some of the other relics in the museum. Then hop in a small boat ($2) to nearby Saddle Island, where there is a self-guided interpretive trail around the excavated land sites. Allow at least two or three hours for the museum and island.

Across the bay, the amazing Boney Shore Trail (2km) skirts the coast and passes ancient whale bones (they pretty much look like rocks) scattered along it. The Tracey Hill Trail climbs a boardwalk and 670 steps to the top of American Rockyman Hill for a bird’s-eye view of the harbor; it takes about 20 minutes each way.

Basinview B&B (709-920-2022; blancheearle@hotmail.com; 145 Main St; r $46-75) is a simple four-room, shared-bathroom lodging in town.

Remember, Red Bay is the end of the paved road. It’s pink gravel from here on up to Cartwright.

Battle Harbour

Sitting on an island in the Labrador Sea is the elaborately restored village and saltfish premises of Battle Harbour (709-921-6216; www.battleharbour.com; adult/6-12yr $7/3.50; mid-Jun–mid-Sep). Now a national historic district, it used to be the unofficial ‘capital’ of Labrador during the early 19th century, when fishing schooners lined its docks. Another claim to fame: this is the place where Robert E Peary gave his first news conference after reaching the North Pole in 1909.

It’s accessed by boat ($50 round-trip) from Mary’s Harbour (departures 11am and 7pm, one hour) and you can come for the day or spend a few nights. Accommodations are spread among various heritage homes and cottages, operated by the Battle Harbour Inn (709-921-6325; www.battleharbour.com; s/d/cottage incl breakfast $115/135/170; mid-Jun–mid-Sep). A store and restaurant (meals $8-18; served at 8am, noon & 6pm) are on site.

Mary’s Harbour to Cartwright

After departing Mary’s Harbour you’ll pass through Port Hope Simpson 51km up the gravel road, and then there’s nothing for 186km until Cartwright. And that, friends, is the literal end of the road. Stay tuned, though: a gravel road will supposedly be built connecting Cartwright to Goose Bay by 2009.

Cartwright-based Experience Labrador (877-938-7444; www.experiencelabrador.com; Jul & Aug) runs kayaking trips that range from day paddles (six-hour tour $120) to multiday trips (three-day tour $675) along the northern coast, where you glide by the endless sands of the Wonderstrands that mesmerized the Vikings so long ago. The company also offers walking, fishing and craft-making (quilts, hook rugs) tours.

The simple Cartwright Hotel (709-938-7414; www.cartwrighthotel.ca; 3 Airport Rd, Cartwright; r $88-130) has 10 rooms, a dining room (meals $6-17; 6am-10pm) and a lounge.

Other than that, Cartwright is about the ferry. Passenger boats (Click here) depart for the remote villages that sprinkle the northern coast. Vehicle ferries Click here stop here on their route between Goose Bay and Lewisporte.

SCENIC DRIVE: QUéBEC’S ROUTE 138

Yes, we know: it’s the Newfoundland & Labrador chapter, not the Québec chapter. But this drive is most easily accessed from Labrador.

Route 138 (the Québec incarnation of Labrador’s Rte 510) runs down the Lower North Shore, the name given to the wild, remote chunk of La Belle Province that extends south of Blanc Sablon. From the ferry landing until the road ends abruptly 50km later at Vieux Fort, Rte 138 makes a beautiful swing past several roadside waterfalls and lookouts from which to see the crashing surf and offshore puffin colonies.

For those wanting to do more than just drive through the region, the Coaster’s Association (877-447-2006; www.coastersassociation.com) provides information on attractions and accommodations. For information on communities further south in Québec (reachable by boat or plane only), see the boxed text.

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NORTHERN COAST

North of Cartwright up to Ungava Bay there are a half-dozen small, semitraditional Inuit communities accessible only by sea or air along the rugged, largely unspoiled mountainous coast.

In 1993 on the shores of Voisey’s Bay, near Nain, geologists discovered stunningly rich concentrations of copper, cobalt and especially nickel. A giant mine has been built to extract the goods, and it is expected to pump $11 billion into the provincial economy over 30 years. This likely will open up the north – for better or worse.

Sights & Activities

The first port of call on the north coast is Makkovik, an early fur-trading post and a trad- itional fishing and hunting community. Both new and old-style crafts can be bought.

Further north in Hopedale visitors can look at the old wooden Moravian mission church (1782). This national historic site (admission $5; 8:30am-8pm Jun-Sep) also includes a store, residence, some huts and a museum collection; it’s all operated by the Agvituk Historical Society (709-933-3777).

Natuashish is a new town that was formed when the troubled village of Utshimassit (Davis Inlet) was relocated to the mainland in 2002. The move was made after a 2000 study showed that 154 of 169 youths surveyed had abused solvents (ie sniffed gasoline) and that 60 of them did it on a daily basis.

The last stop on the ferry is Nain, and it’s the last town of any size as you go northward. Fishing has historically been the town’s main industry, but this is changing due to the Voisey’s Bay nickel deposit.

From Nain, you can try to arrange boat transportation to Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve. The mountains are popular with climbers because of their altitude (some of the highest peaks east of the Rockies) and isolation. Nature Trek Canada (250-653-4265; www.naturetrek.ca/labrador; Jul-Sep) runs multiday tours in the area. The Kaumajet Mountains also make for an out-of-this-world hiking experience – inquire at the Amaguk Inn.

Sleeping & Eating

Most travelers use the ferry as a floating hotel. For those wishing to get off and wait until the next boat, it usually means winging it for a room, as only Hopedale and Nain have official lodging.

Amaguk Inn (709-933-3750; Hopedale; r/ste $115/130) This recently renovated 18-room inn also has a dining room (meals $11 to $16), and a lounge where you can get a cold beer.

Atsanik Lodge (709-922-2910; atsaniklabrador@msn.com; Sand Banks Rd, Nain; r $115-135) This large lodge and its restaurant (meals $13 to $18) are your best bet in Nain.

Getting There & Away

Air Labrador (800-563-3042; www.airlabrador.com) and Provincial Airlines (800-563-2800; www.provincialairlines.ca) serve most of the northern coast’s villages from Goose Bay.

The passenger-only MV Northern Ranger plies this section of coast from mid-June to mid-November. It leaves once per week, making the three-day (one way) journey between Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Nain, stopping in Makkovik, Hopedale and Natuashish along the way. In warmer months, it also runs south from Happy Valley-Goose Bay to Cartwright. Check with Labrador Marine (866-535-2567; www.labradormarine.com) for the ever-evolving schedule and fares.

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CENTRAL LABRADOR

Making up the territorial bulk of Labrador, the central portion is an immense, sparsely populated and ancient wilderness. Paradoxically, it also has the largest town in Labrador, Happy Valley-Goose Bay (www.happyvalley-goosebay.com), home to a military base. The town (population 8000) has all the usual services, but unless you’re an angler or hunter, there isn’t much to see or do and it is very isolated.

Goose Bay was established during WWII as a staging point for planes on their way to Europe, and has remained an aviation center. The airport is also an official NASA alternate landing site for the space shuttle.

All sights and accommodations listed here are located in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

Sights & Activities

Officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1997, the Labrador Interpretation Centre (709-497-8566; Portage Rd, North West River; admission free; 1-4pm Mon & Tue, 10am-4pm Wed-Fri, 1:30-4:30pm Sat & Sun Jun-Aug, 1-4pm Wed-Sun Sep-May) is the provincial museum, which holds some of Labrador’s finest works of art.

The Northern Lights Building (709-896-5939; 170 Hamilton River Rd; admission free; 10am-5:30pm Mon-Thu & Sat, to 9pm Fri) hosts a military museum, interesting lifelike nature scenes and simulated northern lights.

The Labrador Heritage Society Museum (709-497-8858; www.labheritage.ca; off Rte 500; admission $2; 9am-5pm mid-Jun–Aug) includes a traditional trapper’s shelter, samples of animal furs and local minerals and details on the ill-fated Wallace-Hubbard expedition into Labrador’s interior.

BONKERS FOR BAKEAPPLES

You keep hearing about it: bakeapple jam, bakeapple pie, bakeapple syrup. But what’s a bakeapple?

We’ll tell you this much: it’s not a red fruit that’s been placed in the oven. Rather, a bakeapple (sometimes called a cloudberry) is an orangey-yellow fruit similar in shape and size to a large raspberry. It grows wild on small plants in moist northern tundra and bog lands – ie Labrador. The taste is often compared to apricot and honey.

Bakeapples ripen in mid-August, and that’s when aficionados from Newfoundland pile over to the Labrador Straits and start picking. Get your fill – breakfast, lunch and dinner – at Forteau’s Bakeapple Folk Festival (adult/child $5/3), a three-day event in mid-August featuring music, dance, crafts and buckets of the eponymous fruit. Or buy bakeapple products at the Seaview Restaurant, where they’re made on site.

Sleeping & Eating

TMT’s B&B (709-896-4404; gordon.coles@persona.ca; 451 Hamilton River Rd; r per person $35) Family atmosphere and home cooking await you at TMT’s.

Royal Inn & Suites (709-896-2456; www.royalinnandsuites.ca; 5 Royal Ave; r incl breakfast $87-145) The good-looking Royal has a variety of rooms to choose from. Many of them have kitchens.

El Greco (709-896-3473; 133 Hamilton River Rd; pizzas $16-22; 4pm-1am Sun-Wed, to 3am Thu-Sat) This is a decent joint serving pizzas near the Royal Inn.

Getting There & Away

AIR

Air Labrador (800-563-3042; www.airlabrador.com) and Provincial Airlines (800-563-2800; www.provincialairlines.ca) both have flights serving Goose Bay from St John’s ($299) as well as Deer Lake ($259).

BOAT

You can reach Goose Bay by two different ferries: the vehicle carrier MV Robert Bond Click here and the passenger-only MV Northern Ranger (opposite).

CAR & MOTORCYCLE

Your options by car from Happy Valley-Goose Bay are westward along the gravel of Rte 500 to Churchill Falls and then on to the twin cities of Labrador City and Wabush. The drive from Goose Bay to Labrador City takes about 10 hours. There are no services until Churchill Falls, so stock up. The road can also be very, very rough. Before leaving, contact the Department of Transportation & Works (709-729-2300; www.roads.gov.nl.ca) for the latest conditions.

Trucks can be rented at the airport from National (709-896-5575), but due to conditions on Rte 500, you cannot buy insurance.

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LABRADOR WEST

Just 5km apart and 15km from Québec, the twin mining towns of Labrador City (population 7700) and Wabush (population 2000) are referred to collectively as Labrador West, and this is where the western region’s population is concentrated. The largest open-pit iron ore mine in the world is in Labrador City, and another operates in Wabush. The landscape is massive and the celestial polychromatic artwork can take up the entire night sky.

Information

Sights & Activities

In the same building as the visitors center is Gateway Labrador (709-944-5399; www.gatewaylabrador.ca; adult/child $3/2; 11am-9pm Mon-Tue & Thu, to 5pm Wed & Fri, noon-5pm Sat & Sun Jun–early Sep, reduced hr rest of yr) and its Montague Exhibit Hall, where 3500 years of human history and culture, including the fur trade, are represented with intriguing artifacts and displays.

The Wapusakatto Mountains are 5km from town, popping up off the vast landscape interspersed with flat northern tundra. A good, cold dry snow falls from late October to late April, so the ski season here is much longer than anywhere else in Canada. For trail information and fees for world-class cross-country skiing (the Canadian national team trains in the region), check with the Menihek Nordic Ski Club (709-944-5842; http://home.crrstv.net/menihek); for alpine skiing, check with the Smokey Mountain Ski Club (709-944-2129; www.smokeymountain.ca).

From Wabush, 39km east on Rte 500 is Lac Grand Hermine Park (709-282-5369; admission $3; Jun–mid-Sep), with a beach and fine scenery. The Menihek hiking trail (15km) goes through wooded areas with waterfalls and open tundra. Outfitters can take anglers to excellent fishing waters.

If big holes and trucks the size of apartment buildings make your heart flutter, you can tour the mines (admission $5.70; 1pm Tue & Sun Jul-Sep) by contacting the visitors center.

Sleeping & Eating

PJ’s Inn by the Lake (709-944-3438; www.pjsinnbythelake.com; 606 Tamarack Dr, Labrador City; s/d $60/70; ) Pete and Jo’s home is your home: they’ll let you use their treadmill, rowing machine and/or guitar. The B&B’s three rooms each have their own bathroom; the Green Room has a Jacuzzi.

Carol Inn (709-944-7736, 888-799-7736; carolinn@crrstv.net; 215 Drake Ave, Labrador City; r $91-96) All 20 rooms here have kitchenettes. There’s also a fine dining room (meals $20 to $30; open from 5:30pm Tuesday to Saturday), pub (meals $8 to $12; open 8am to midnight) and small pizza franchise.

Wabush Hotel (709-282-3221; www.wabushhotel.com; 9 Grenville Dr, Wabush; r $95-114) Centrally located in Wabush, this chalet-style 68-room hotel has spacious and comfortable rooms. The dining room (meals $9 to $21; open 6:30am to midnight) has a popular dinner buffet.

Getting There & Away

AIR

Air Labrador (800-563-3042; www.airlabrador.com), Provincial Airlines (800-563-2800; www.provincialairlines.ca) and Air Canada (888-247-2262; www.aircanada.com) fly into the twin cities’ airport.

CAR & MOTORCYCLE

Fifteen kilometers west from Labrador City along Rte 500 is Fermont, Québec. From there Rte 389 is mainly paved (with some fine gravel sections) and continues south 581km to Baie Comeau. Click here for information on Rte 500 heading east.

Budget (709-282-1234) has an office at the airport; rental cars may not be driven on Rte 500.


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