Newfoundland

<p>I'm going to be spending a couple of weeks- maybe a day or two longer- in Newfoundland in June . I have maps, and guidebooks. Does anyone know areas or places that I just shouldn't miss, photographically?</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

If you have a car, there's lots to photograph. The road to Trout River, off Rt. 430, Gros Morne provincial park including the boat ride, the drive out to Twillingate, the town of Trinity, St. John's harbor from Signal Hill park, the boat tour on Witless Bay are all worthwhile, especially in good weather. I think June may be early for icebergs running aground along the northern coast or drifting down the Strait of Belle Isle but the tourist information offices keep track of any sightings. If you're arriving by ferry from Nova Scotia the port of Port Aux Basques is worth a few shots as you pull in to the dock. The drive up to St. Anthony past many little fishing ports is also scenic. Maybe you shouldn' try to do it all in a week but plan to return several more times. Like anywhere else the natives may get bored after a while but if you're "from away" the differences are always very interesting. I'm jealous.

<p>Charles. Thanks. I'll be spending 14-16 days on Newfoundland and a few more on Nova Scotia, where we've been a couple of times before. We'll be flying into St John's and picking up a rental car. Like anywhere we go, there's always a chance we'll go back and sometimes I or we do. Depends how much we like it and what the photography potential seems to be from on the ground. </p>

<p>BTW, whilst I usually rent 4wd vehicles they seem thin on the ground in Newfoundland. Is that because you don't actually need high clearance/rough road capability there?</p>

<p>David, they've actually paved some of the roads.</p>

<p>I’ve driven down many an unpaved Newfoundland road without issue (usually a logging access road). Let common sense work for you, and you will not need a 4wd vehicle.<br /> <br /> Newfoundland offers lots of landscape/seascape/quaint village photographic opportunities. Use any inclement weather to your advantage photographically. <br /> <br /> In the east part of the island, St. John’s is currently booming. The city and harbour offer lots of photographic opportunities. There is lots of night life on George St, thanks to the largest university Atlantic Canada. Signal Hill, Cape Spear (locally spoken, sounds like “case beer”) Lighthouse, and Cape St. Marys offer great landscape opportunities. There’s also the fossil beds at Mistaken Point, about 500 Million years old.<br /> <br /> Nearby at Bay Bulls are whale and bird watching tours; I’ve taken the O’Brien’s bird tour which was great for Puffin watching. If you are so inclined to photograph signage, there are unusual town names Come By Chance, Dildo, Blow Me Down, Conception Bay (last time I was there in June, there were icebergs in Conception Bay)………..<br /> <br /> Crossing the island by road (which would be inland for the most part) can be somewhat remote and mind numbing. Spruce trees start looking the same in no time. If you do head across the island (just before Gander), a very worthwhile detour is up route 320 to Greenspond, NL. A beautiful little community on it’s own island. I spent a afternoon there one September photographing the Targa Newfoundland that runs through there.<br /> <br /> The Long Range Mountains on the western coast are my favourite And specifically Gros Morne National Park. Lots of landscapes/seascapes/village photo opportunities. If you are into hiking, you’re set. Also some waterfalls can be accessed from (relatively) level trails. Take a tin can and bang it on the occasional rock, you’re going to want to avoid photographing the local bears up close.<br /> <br /> Still out west, there are the Tablelands to the south of the park. This is a spectacular slab of the earth’s mantle that was pushed up about 700 Million years old. The result is a desert like an eerie yellow-brown landscape. The rock has no nutrients, so even after all those years, no trees grow on it. Un-weathered, the rock is actually green (who knew?).<br /> To the north side of the park is Western Brook Pond, and freshwater fjord carved by glaciers the last ice age. You can hike into the fjord and take a boat tour. There are also some lava tubes just offshore in that area, similar to the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland.<br /> <br /> I can almost guarantee you’ll see moose, fox, and other critters. Keep an eye out for locals selling rabbits along the side of the road. Speaking of which, you will find Newfoundlanders very warm and very friendly.<br /> <br /> Hope some of this helps.</p>

<p>Thank you for the responses so far. </p>

<p>I'm planning away and have one significant dilemma, and thats whether, photographically, its worth driving the very considerable distance up the northern peninsula to St Anthony's, Anse aux Meadows etc. It seems like its a 450 mile round trip, and I'm interested in scenery and old ports, old buildings etc but not the slightest in history per se. Its a photography trip. My inclination is to conclude from the topography and photographs I've seen that it probably isn't worth it; that I'm unlikely to see much that I won't have covered off already in other parts of the island and so I might be better off spending the two/three days it'll take to drive up there, look around, and get back somewhere less car-intensive. Any views? </p>

When I was there in the 60's the pavement ended at Deer Lake and the Anse Aux Meadows site was just lumps under the sod. But there are several accessible fishing villages along the way and the ferry from St. Barbe to the Quebec Labrador border was very tempting. As is the ferry ride to the French owned island of St. Pierre and Miquelon from the eastern end of Newfoundland. And if you're going to Gros Morne anyway, you are already part way there. Maybe the best plan is to save the northern trip and Gros Morne for the return from St. John's and see how much time you have left. Good luck.

<p>I did 2 weeks a few years ago. Only went up the peninsula as far as Gros Morne, which is worth it. My basic advice is just head up the smaller peninsulas. We saw tons of whales and some bergs. Met great locals and ate some nice slabs of fried cod in greasy spoons. Your timing should be good for bergs. <br>

Newtown Church <br>

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