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Fortune Bay North Shore |
Driving to the Fortune Bay North Shore
Take Route 362 where your first stop is in the quaint community of Pool's Cove. The
Bay du Nord Canadian Heritage River empties at this location.
Stay at the local
Bed and Breakfast and explore this area. The
ferry
to the isolated community of Rencontre East departs from here and provides an excellent
opportunity to explore a portion of the area's the rugged coastline. In Rencontre East
take the opportunity to walk to Rencontre Lake and make arrangements to travel to the top
of the lake. This is a beautiful ride as you are surrounded by steep cliffs on either side
for the four mile boat ride. At the top of the lake is a sandy beach where you can relax
in relative isolation.
On your return continue along Route
362 to Route 363 which takes you through barrens interspersed with large rock outcroppings
providing a very scenic drive. In addition along this route, you will notice a large
deposit of dispersed rocks. Also known as Erratics, these rocks were the result of glacial
ice scraping along the surface of the land thousands of years ago. If you take the time to
explore around these Erratics you may discover some relatively unique shapes and
combinations of rocks.
Turing left onto Route 363 you will visit the Communities of St. Jacques and Belleoram. St. Jacques was home to the famous Grand Bank schooner Marion, which was lost at sea and it still remains a mystery as to what really happened. In the graveyard lies Dr. Conrad Fitzgerald, who originally came to Newfoundland to serve as the doctor for the Newman and Company which had a strong presence on the South Coast of Newfoundland. Later he provided his services throughout the south coast of the province in his yacht the Albatross. Each year the South Coast Folk Festival is held in St. Jacques and provides visitors with a taste of traditional Newfoundland music.
Further up the road is the community of Belleoram.
Home to the famous Ironskull Folk Festival (named
for the mountain across the harbour) Belleoram has a strong link to traditional
Newfoundland music. A recording studio located in the town has ensured that this music
lives on. While in Belleoram visit John Cluett House.
Built in the 1840s it is representative of the Salt Box style homes that were once, and
still are prevalent throughout Newfoundland. Also, visit the St. Lawrence Anglican Church
and see why it was once considered the Cathedral of the South Coast. For the more
adventurous, hike to Ironskull and discover a
breathtaking panoramic view of the Fortune Bay North Shore.
Turning right onto Route 363 takes you to the Communities of English Harbour West, Mose Ambrose, Boxey, Wreck Cove and Coombs Cove. Visit J. Petite & Sons Museum where you will discover artifacts reflecting the age of the traditional Grand Bank Schooner Fishery. Stop at Yarn Point Knitters and prepare for those cold winter nights with a variety of knit wear. Stroll down to Blue Pinneon and explore along the beach or hike out to Stones Head near Boxey and get a view of the coastline and surrounding communities. At the end of a long day of touring, rest up at one of the local Bed & Breakfasts.
Other Scenes Of The Fortune Bay North Shore Area
For more information, contact:
Coast of Bays Corporation
P.O. Box 310
St. Alban's, NL
A0H 2E0
Tel: 709.538.3552, Ext. 3