We Took the Long LONG ROAD

(2022 Newfoundland Ep 12)

As the end of August neared, we could tell the NF weather was about to change.  Days were becoming shorter, nights were getting cooler and we were having to wear sweatshirts and long pants more and more.

It was time to start back toward Port aux Basques for the ferry ride to Nova Scotia.

From St Johns we drove south on the Avalon Peninsula to La Manche Provincial Park. The park is named for a nearby fishing village that was abandoned following a severe winter storm in January 1966.   Most of the remote town was washed away including a suspension bridge that connected both sides of the harbor.

We decided to visit the new bridge built by the East Coast Trail Association in 1999.   According to NF hiking time given to us by a park ranger, it was 20 minutes up a steep fire road to where the trail started and another 20 minutes down a rocky, moderately steep trail to the bridge and La Manche village ruins.  Actual hiking time was more than double that!

We hiked the fire road and met Marsha Tulk, who was picking blackberries.  Marsha is the coauthor of “Food, Culture, Place: Stories, Traditions and Recipes of Newfoundland.”  We wondered about what her plans were for the berries, and when we stopped to do our own berry picking as we returned to the campground, she was gone. Maybe we’ll find out in her next book!

The suspension bridge was an unexpected sight on the narrow, steep-sided harbor.  “La Manche” means “the sleeve” in French and seems to be a fitting name for the town.

The next day, as we drove a few miles south of La Manche, we stopped at Best Friends Restaurant and Giftshop.  The owner recommended visiting Ferryland Lighthouse and enjoying the food and view from the Million Dollar View Restaurant nearby.  (tip – ask locals about the best sights and places to eat) 

We hiked across a narrow causeway to the island location of the lighthouse.  Like many other NF lighthouses, the rugged coastline view was breathtaking.  As we returned to the parking lot, we found bushes loaded with blueberries and picked nearly a quart of berries in just a few minutes.  At the causeway, thick fog was rolling in. It was a good time to be leaving.

We stopped for dinner and to check out the view at the Million Dollar View Restaurant.  It was worth every Loonie!

The next day, we began the drive back across NF and camped near Greens Harbor for several nights.  We found a most unexpected RabbiTRAIL nearby:  in the town of Heart’s Content the first transatlantic telegraph cable linking Europe and North America was landed in 1866.  A portion of the Cable Station Provincial Historic Park is a small museum with information about the communications cable.  Most of the building houses the original electric equipment used to operate the cable.  Several large control rooms are full of components in remarkable condition!

When we continued, we decided to take an unimproved (e.g. dirt) road along the western coast of the peninsula and a paved highway back along the eastern coast.  After several miles of dusty and somewhat bumpy roads, a road sign warned “This Road Not Maintained by Department of Transportation and Works.  Use at Own Risk.”  The road ahead resembled a goat path, with deep ruts and rocks.  Based on two VERY stressful experiences driving on four-wheel drive roads in Utah in 2021 (where Max’s step rails were bent), we decided not to follow this NF RabbiTRAIL!

We backtracked to the paved highway and drove the long road to the tip of the peninsula.  We were intrigued by stone walls that marked off historical sustenance gardens in the small fishing village of Grates Cove.  We drove through the town but did not see the walls.  At a small park on the edge of town we found a trail up a hillside to an overlook.   From that vantagepoint we saw the walls!

A pod of porpoises (at least 5)
Two black rabbits

Next week:  A 9-11 Story and We Leave the Island Again