Hike and Kayak Newfoundland: Coast, Coves and Wildlife

The Trip

Discover the breathtaking scenery of Newfoundland hiking the spectacular East Coast Trail, considered one of the world’s best coastal hikes, and kayaking the coast and coves. We’ll see lighthouses and search for whales, puffins, and countless bird species. We’ll hike two days, paddle two days, and have two combo hiking/sightseeing days. Accommodations varied including 3 nights in a guesthouse in an authentic colorful working fishing village with local home-cooked meals!

Newfoundland is the Canadian Province on the edge of North America. With stunning coastal beauty and colorful seafaring communities Newfoundland has been called "the place where land, water, and sky embrace like old friends." Bright-painted clapboard houses sit alongside worn nets and lobster traps while whale pods patrol the emerald coast and sea birds flutter overhead in the salty fresh breeze.  The scenery is breathtaking! We will see towering cliffs, deep fjords, waterfalls, dense greenery, and dramatic sea-stacks (rock formations), arches and ocean caves. The opportunities to see marine mammals and sea birds are unparalleled. We will spend two days hiking sections of the 336-kilometer /208 mile East Coast Trail with spectacular ocean views, two days kayaking along the Avalon Peninsula in stable double kayaks, and two days hiking and sightseeing in St. John’s and the surrounding area. Each day we will pack a lunch and set off hiking or paddling, returning each evening to our accommodations. 

The Sierra Club acknowledges the province of Newfoundland and Labrador as the ancestral homeland of many indigenous peoples including the Beothuk on the island of Newfoundland. We also acknowledge with respect the diverse histories and cultures of the Mi’kmaq, Innu and Inuit.

DAY 1: Welcome to Newfoundland and St. John’s! 

We meet at our Hi St. John’s accommodations at 1:00 p.m. for a brief group “meet and greet” before our Quidi Vidi Loop hike (9 – 12 km; 5.6 – 7.4 miles; +/- 623’ elev.; 3-4 hours). We walk along Quidi Vidi Lake north of St. John’s to the old fishing village of Quidi Vidi (pronounced Kiddy Viddy), home to Newfoundlands’ largest microbrewery (Quidi Vidi’s Iceberg beer made with 20,000-year-old iceberg water not to be missed), and an acclaimed restaurant in one of the oldest buildings in North America. We then head over to the Sugarloaf Path for the “solid” hike up to the top of Bowdens Highland for incredible views of the village with St. John’s in the distance. The walk back to St. John’s follows a gorgeous coastal path, crossing the National Historic Site of Signal Hill and the Battery of St. John’s Harbor. Map Link:   https://tinyurl.com/32zbjyxf

Upon return, we enjoy our first meal together, our Welcome Dinner (included), at a choice restaurant in St. John’s (possibly St. John's Fish Exchange).

After dinner, we meet as a group to answer questions and review the plans for the week ahead.  You are then welcome to explore St. John’s or retire to prepare for an early start on Monday.

DAY 2: Hike Cape Spear to Petty Harbour (11.5 km; 7.2 miles; 210’ elev. gain; 4 – 6 hours) followed by Puffin and Whale Watching Boat Tour.

Today we prepare and enjoy an early breakfast at our hostel accommodations, pack our picnic lunches, and be ready for our 8:15 am pick up for transport in two vans roughly half-hour to Cape Spear, the easternmost point of Canada and North America, excluding Greenland (Geographically speaking Greenland lies on the eastern edge of the North American tectonic plate, making it technically part of the North American continent, BUT its major cultural influences come from Europe so it is generally considered a little bit of both North America and Europe).

At Cape Spear, we gaze at the magnificent views of the coastline and St. John’s and view the Cape Spear Lighthouse perched on a rugged cliff. The Cape Spear Lighthouse, constructed in 1836, is the oldest surviving lighthouse in Newfoundland and an iconic symbol of Newfoundland and Labrador’s mariner history. The Lighthouse consists of a stone light tower surrounded by the lightkeeper’s residence. In 1955 a new lighthouse tower was built on the site using the active light from the original lighthouse.

We then enjoy a beautiful hike to Petty Harbour with a variety of terrain, hills, long views, boardwalked bog crossings, two river crossings, and excellent bird viewing areas. Bring your windbreakers...the continent’s edge is windy! Upon finishing our hike around 2:00 p.m. we are transported half hour to Bay Bulls for our Atlantic Puffin and Humpback Whale Watching Boat Tour adventure to see puffins and whales, seabirds dive for food, and bald eagles soar overhead. Then back to St. John’s where we meet as a group to discuss our next day's plans, followed by dinner on your own and time to relax and enjoy St. John’s.

DAY 3: Kayak at Cape Broyle and Transfer to Belle Maison, Port Kirwan

Today we prepare and enjoy another early breakfast at the hostel, pack our picnic lunches, and be ready for our 8:15 a.m. pick up for transport in two vans roughly one hour to Cape Broyle for our first-day paddle. Cape Broyle has a sheltered harbor well suited to kayaking. We will spend some time covering safety and familiarizing ourselves with the kayaks and gear. No kayak experience is necessary though you will want to be agile enough to get in and out of the boat. We will see a waterfall, rock formations, sea birds, eagle nests, and sea caves. We will stop for lunch and enjoy looking out over the ocean in search of whales. Expect to paddle approximately 10 miles weather conditions and group skill level and ability dependent. After lunch, we return to our launch site and help load the boats after which we are transported roughly half an hour to the charming Belle Maison, our accommodations for the next three nights.  After check-in and getting settled we meet to discuss the next day’s activities. Belle Maison's dinner is at 7:00 p.m.

NOTE:  Belle Maison is known as Belle Maison Dine and Dream! Breakfast, lunch, AND dinner are included in our Belle Maison stay. The Belle Maison Snack Shack is a common area hiking groups love! We self-cater our breakfast and pack our lunches from the well-stocked Belle Maison Snack Shack supply of healthy homemade delicious foods. Dinner is fine dining, an epicurean experience, in the main house with an abundance of local seafood and produce and lots to choose from. There is always a daily fish special as well as a “plat du jour” and a vegetarian option.

DAY 4: Spurwink Island Path (~ 16 km; 10 miles; 260’ Elev.; 6 – 9 hours)

After our “Belle Maison Breakfast” and packing our bag lunches we set off to see the massive sea arch at Berry Head located on the Spurwink Island Path. This is the single photo that stops people in their tracks. Chunks of the stratified archway continue to fall to the ground, while the reflecting ocean window is sublime on a summer day. We have the option to hike the full distance southwards from Aquaforte back to Belle Maison or to do an out-and-back hike to the archway from Belle Maison. Both options offer similar hiking distances, but the out-and-back option avoids the north section, a rugged hike through dense forest with few coastal views. Upon our return to Belle Maison in Port Kirwan, we have time to relax before our Group Meeting to discuss our Thursday paddle. After we are rewarded with another delicious home-cooked meal as we reflect on our day’s adventure.

DAY 5: Another glorious kayak day (weather and group to determine our ideal paddle)

After another “Belle Maison Breakfast” and packing our bag lunches we set off at 8:15 am for our second all-day paddle adventure. Our paddle today will be chosen weather and group-dependent. Again, expect to paddle roughly 10 miles. Again, after lunch, we will return to our launch site and help load the boats before being transported back to our Belle Maison accommodations for some downtime before our Group Meeting to discuss the next day’s activities followed by dinner at 7:00 p.m.

DAY 6: Hike Renews to Cappahayden (10 KM; 6.2 MILES; 3-5 HOURS); stop in Ferryland to view lighthouse (1.2 miles, 1 hour RT to Lighthouse); return to St. John's for farewell dinner

After yet another, our final, “Belle Maison Breakfast” and packing our bag lunches we set off in vans about a 10-minute ride for our Renews to Cappahayden hike (10 km; 6.2 miles; 3 – 5 hours). We walk through grassy meadows and mixed woods and then cross numerous brooks to a fantastic lookout point overlooking The Forge, a monumental cinder block of rock that waves break over in rough seas. This is just one of many impressive lookout points to be found on today’s hike. The hike also features views of Renews Harbor a thriving cormorant colony nesting on Renews Island, and more waves breaking over rocks and sea-washed ledges.

Following our hike we have about a half-hour ride to Ferryland, a quiet fishing village, population 371, where we hike to the end of a long peninsula jutting into the sea to view the lighthouse, a historical landmark, for which Ferryland is known (roughly one-hour round-trip). Ferryland was first visited by Portuguese and French fishermen early in the 16^th century. The name Ferryland was probably derived from the Portuguese farelhão (“small promontory”).

After we’ll ride in our vans 1 ¼ hours to our Hi St. John’s accommodations, arriving by 4:30 p.m. with time to relax before our Farewell Dinner at a choice St. John’s restaurant.

DAY 7: End of journey and say goodbyes

This morning, our final morning ends our journey and our trip as we say our goodbyes. Cabfare from the airport to Hi St. John’s is ~$25 Canadian or ~$19 US and is not included in the trip price. Depending on our individual flight schedules and post-trip plans, you may or may not join us for a final simple breakfast at our Hi St. John’s accommodations before heading off.

Getting There

We recommend you arrive in St. John’s a day or two early as you will want to visit, on your own, The Rooms, a museum of Newfoundland and Labradors’ art, heritage, and history which will give you a deeper appreciation of this remote area. The Rooms is open Saturday 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. but does not open Sunday until noon. Our trip starts Sunday at 1:00 p.m. after lunch, with our group meet and greet at our accommodations, Hi St. John’s, 8 Gower Street, St. John’s.

You will need a passport to enter Canada from the United States.

Most or many flights from the East Coast U.S. arrive at St. John’s in the evening. The cab fare from the airport to Hi St. John’s is ~$25 Canadian or $19 US and is not included in the trip price. We end the trip Saturday morning in St. John’s so you can schedule your return flight as early or late as you like. Again, your cab fare to the airport is not included in the trip price. Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

If you want to drive to Newfoundland, there is a car ferry that departs from Sydney, Nova Scotia, and arrives at the Port of Argentia, Newfoundland. The ferry takes approximately 14 hours. It is then a 2-hour drive to St. John’s. 

Accommodations and Food

At the center of North America’s oldest city, our Hi St. John’s accommodations where we stay while in St. John’s our first two nights and our last night (Sunday, Monday, and Friday nights), is inside a colorful Victorian building on one of St. John’s famous Jellybean Rows (the brightly colored row houses of downtown St. John’s built-in 1893 during the Victorian era after the Great Fire of 1892 and then renovated and painted in bright colors in the 1970s). 

Hi, St. John’s is friendly and welcoming, clean, and homey, offers a full kitchen, living area, and luggage storage, and is within walking distance of almost everything. We have three rooms to ourselves, four per room in two bunk beds. Accommodations are co-ed. Amenities include linen, individual lockers, free laundry, and free Wi-Fi. And it is very cool to be staying in an old Jelly Bean Rowhouse!

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights we have a real treat in store with our Belle Maison, Port Kirwan, Accommodations. Nestled in Bay Bulls, an authentic fishing village and one of the oldest communities in North America, Belle Maison offers a truly unique Newfoundland experience and is a haven for hikers. Our rooms are double occupancy, each offering a breathtaking ocean view, and each equipped with a private ensuite and sufficient storage space. All meals are included, ample delicious, and centered on locally sourced ingredients, fresh fish and seafood, of course. There is a snack shack, boot dryer, hiking poles to borrow, and a hot tub for unwinding after hiking or paddling. What more could we ask for?

Our first meal is dinner Sunday evening, our first night, and the final meal is breakfast Saturday morning, our last day. As with most Sierra Club trips, at our hostel accommodations in St. John’s participants will be assigned to help with breakfast and lunch preparations and/or clean-ups. We will accommodate dietary restrictions and/or preferences as best we can, but we hope to attract participants with an “open palate” attitude. Please discuss any dietary restrictions with the leader before signing up for the trip.

Trip Difficulty

This trip is moderate and suitable for novice hikers and kayakers in good condition. You should be comfortable hiking 4 – 6 hours and up to 10 miles in a day and paddling a total of 4 – 5 hours in a day or at least two hours at a time, possibly a bit longer as it is not always possible to land such that we may have to paddle a bit longer to find a comfortable place to land and launch the kayaks. Weather, wind, and waves can make both hiking and paddling more challenging, so we hope for sunny, calm days but plan for some difficulty.

The East Coast Trail covers a variety of terrain, and its location along the rugged coast of the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland is exposed to unpredictable weather. Each segment of the East Coast Trail is unique, offering a variety of trail surfaces and experiences, potentially creating challenges requiring sure footing and extra preparation. We will encounter everything from relatively flat to short, steep sections, mixed ascents, and descents up to 150 meters (492’). Most of the hike is on the well-marked trail with some boarded surfaces, exposed tree roots, and likely mud and/or rocks to tread over or around. Some sections of the East Coast Trail are slippery after rainy days, including stream crossings such that we recommend hiking poles. You will need suitable broken-in footwear with good support. We will be prepared for each day’s weather carrying gear appropriate for adverse weather (rain gear, windbreakers, sunscreen, long pants, etc.)

Equipment and Clothing

Summers in Newfoundland can be warm and pleasant, but rainy wet days are also possible. Waterproof rain pants and jackets are required. Footwear suitable for our hike is also required. The leader will send a complete clothing and equipment list prior to the trip. 

References

Start with the Newfoundland tourism website to "Get lost in the right direction”. At the very bottom of the webpage https://www.newfoundlandlabrador.com/, you should request the free guidebook!

• Marine Atlantic Ferry: https://www.marineatlantic.ca/en/plan-your-travel/ferry-rates/ Proulx, E. Annie,

• The Shipping News, Pulitzer Prize winner by Annie Proulx.

• The Shipping News is a movie filmed in Newfoundland with Kevin Spacey.

• Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World By Kurlansky, Mark

• Random Passage By Morgan, Bernice

• The Day the World Came to Town By DeFede, Jim

• The Wake by Linden MacIntyre, the story of Newfoundland’s 1929 Tsunami with giant waves up to 3 stories high!

• Newfoundland - On the Shores of Canada's Most Spectacular Coast | Free Documentary Nature
• Canada Road Trip: Best Things To Do In Newfoundland
• Expedition Newfoundland | FULL MOVIE | Travel Documentary

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from Parks Canada.

Conservation

We are committed to responsible travel and true sustainability in the face of multiple threats to our environment! We will “leave no trace” both environmentally and culturally!