Roaches Line

Our drive from Terra Nova to Roaches Line was not the best fun I’ve had!  It was very windy and the van was getting knocked around a lot.  Just one of the joys of travelling in an old Westfalia!  Regardless, we made it safely.  The RV park we went to was carved out of the side of a hill with 3 terraces.  We were on middle terrace and there was no one around us.  Most of the park is taken up with permanent sites and there are only a few transient areas.  A longish walk to the facilities, just like being in a marina on a sailboat.  It was quiet, and we were in a full service site. For our needs it was fine, after all, we were there to explore!

The first full day (my birthday) it absolutely bucketed down rain so we looked for indoor things to do. There was an interpretive museum in a little place called Cupids, so we headed there first. The small museum is focused on the founding of Cupids and they had a unique way of presenting it. You can simply walk through yourself, but they have an interpretive tour that is well worth it! It’s presented by three actors, all in period dress, who talk about “their” life in Cupids. It goes through the founding of Cupids in the 1700’s, then to the 1800’s and young men and the sea, and on to the 1900’s and the war years, it was extraordinary. The actors gave us their stories, with an unvarnished look at life, their joys, and their fears. It really brought the past to life.

Next stop was Brigus, just down the road, for a stop at the Quay restaurant for a birthday lunch. Great food, and a really relaxed atmosphere. We lingered over lunch for an hour or so then did a slow drive through the historic parts of Brigus. Somehow the village has kept a lot of its original character with small streets winding up from the harbour with houses right on the edge of the road. Many have been refurbished (and are lived in). We stopped at one place to walk through an 80 foot tunnel built for Captain Abram Bartlett to allow him access to his ship in the deep water harbour of Brigus. Bartlett is a famous Newfoundland explorer who spent 50 years mapping the far north coastline among other notable achievements (and controversy) . Again, lots of bits of history waiting to be found if you look for it here!

After Brigus, we continued our wee tour and ended up at the Baccalieu Trail Brewing Company. I’d had one of their beers for lunch and was curious. We sat looking out over the harbour as the rain and mist continued and sampled a few of their craft beer. We also spent a lot of time talking to the a couple of the staff about the brewery, and life in the area. When they found out it was my birthday, one of their servers rushed off to get me a special treat. She came back with a 4-leaf clover in plastic. Her yard apparently has a lots of them.

That evening, after we finished dinner we had an incredible thunder storm. Lightening struck the RV park, but not us!

The next day we headed north, up the peninsula, to go for a hike on the Pirate Path out of Harbour Grace. The 7.2 km out and back hike was along the coast and wound up and down through the trees and along the rocks, passing a few lookouts until we got to the tip of the point. The day had been somewhat hazy in the morning, but by the time we got to the last lookout, the sky was clear. Temperatures were back up to the low 20’s, so comfortable.

One the way back, we stopped for a look at an abandoned wreck in the harbour and also find out a bit of the history of the airport at Harbour Grace.

The wreck, the SS Kyle, was built in England and launched in 1913. She was primarily used as a ferry for people and goods between Carbonear (just north of Harbour Grace) and Labrador. The Kyle also transported troops from Newfoundland to Canada during the war. In 1967 she broke her mooring at the head of the bay, drifted in a ran aground, where she sits still. There have been several ideas about restoration but the poor SS Kyle is probably now too far gone for that!

The other major monument is an old DC3 airplane. There’s a lot of aviation history in Harbour Grace and notable was that Amelia Earhart fuelled up there on her first solo transatlantic flight. This was a stepping off point for transatlantic flights in the early 1900’s. Some made it, and some were lost, but all were celebrated as daredevil heroes of the day!

Our last stop of the day was the Newfoundland Distillery Company. Cathy had tried one of their gins at our lunch stop in Brigus the day before, so we were curious. They distill gin, rum, and Newfoundland Whisky, all very good! We bought a selection to have for the occasional treat when we get home.

Our trip to this part of Newfoundland has drawn to a close. St. John’s, the provincial capital, is our next stop for 2 nights. We’re meeting up with Cathy’s brother and sister in-law again before we head further south on Sunday.