Blogs

This is the exact time of year when you might want to start planning your visit to Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve. Not that later in the summer isn’t a good time… or even early fall, but it’s over the next month or two that the perfect storm might just appear.

The Humber Valley Hikers has started its 2012 hiking season with a fine hike to Cedar Cove near Little Port in the Bay of Islands. Judie Gushue is an avid hiker and coordinator of the Humber Valley Hikers. She lives in Corner Brook and we chatted to her while walking the 1.8 km (1 way trail) to Cedar Cove on Sunday, May 13. "I am pleased that we had 16 hikers out for our first hike of the season" said Judie.

In Beulah Oake you’ll see the spirit of real Newfoundland…strong, fun-loving and determined. There has never been a loaf of ‘store-bought’ bread on her table. She bakes it all — no mean feat for a woman who is managing an inn on her own in her mid-70′s...

We meet people every day. Some who change our lives forever, some we can’t remember five minutes after being introduced, and some we don’t realize are famous in their own right until afterward.

There’s a very important tip you need to know if you’re planning a trip to Newfoundland and Labrador. It’s so important, that not knowing this tidbit of information can add an element of surprise to your dining experience while on the island. This important piece of info is simply this...

We had enjoyed dog sledding with Les Skis Doux in Wiltondale earlier in March (see our post dated March 4, 2012) and were keen to head out again with Elaine and her dogs. For Snow West 2012 they had arranged to be at the base of Marble Mountain and this is an ideal place to get a feeling of dog sledding.

On Friday, March 23, 2012 we decided to head to the Ocean View Hotel in Rocky Harbour in Gros
Morne National Park to see executive chef, Steve Watson, do his magic with a block of ice and watch him in the kitchen preparing Newfoundland mussels. This event is part of Snow West 2012 which is running in various locations in Western Newfoundland from March 21-24, 2012.

Newfoundland and Labrador has an enduring Irish culture, which is why we go all out celebrating St. Patrick's day, but some of our Irish history is really quite mysterious, stretching back thousands of years...

There’s one place I’ve always wanted to visit on St. Patrick’s Day. Not because I expect to find a jolly little leprechaun with a bountiful pot of gold, but because it's the closest you can get to Ireland right here in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Rooms' Junkosphere exhibit, brainchild of artist and dancer/choreographer Nicola Hawkins, is a commentary on how we create, process and throw away all the junk from our accumulated lives - and the impact it has on our fragile environment.

Newfoundland and Labradorians are known for their heaping food servings and boy did we eat this past weekend...

It's not often that mere mortals can afford to stay in the same luxurious lodgings where royalty once slept. And when those accommodations also boast intriguing links to the ocean liner Titanic, the chances seem remote indeed.

What a great afternoon ! The sun was out, the sky was blue and we were going zip lining at Marble Mountain. We met our guides Reg Flynn and Daniel Kean at the Marble Zip Tours (MZT) office (conveniently located at the base of Marble) for the 2 pm tour. We had enjoyed zip lining with MZT previously but had not experienced their newest zip line which brings you back to the base of Marble Mountain via their longest and fastest zip line yet!

Cold. Exhilarating. Totally absurd. Perhaps that’s the best way to describe the polar dip I took in Appleton as part of the town’s annual Winterfest.

Dog sledding was more exercise and more challenging than we originally thought. It was also a whole lot of fun! Elaine Pinard (owner of Les Skis Doux) has been taking people dog sledding for the past six winters from her base in Wiltondale at the entrance to Gros Morne National Park.

Last winter we had a chance to join Darren Park for a great trip to the North Arm Hills, which are located along the North Shore of Bay of Islands near Corner Brook. These mountains are visible in the distance as you drive along the south shore of the Bay of Islands but are generally inaccessible unless you take a snowmobile trip.

Last year Hazel Findlay embarked on an expedition to climb the rugged cliffs of Devil’s Bay, Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada. The result was a trip that fully tested both their patience and equipment. Read on for her account of the expedition, and be sure to check out The North Face Facebook Page for a behind the scenes video of Hazel on the trip.

It’s a balmy -7 degrees here in Grand Falls-Windsor at the moment. And the thought of the bitter cold seeping through my veins is not something I’m embracing today.

On February 11, Corey and I attended an evening of fine dining at St. Christopher's Hotel with a fabulous menu created and prepared by Eric Kinch & Pauline Gilliam.

We recently were invited to Airport Nordic Ski Club located just outside of Gander, Newfoundland to do some ski clinics with some of their ski instructors and jackrabbit leaders. While we were there we also had a chance to view their scenic trail system with several of their members showing us the way.