Rose Blanche Lighthouse, Newfoundland

Hints of autumn had been evident in small ways over the previous weeks - cooler breezes, fall rains and a shifting of colours in the landscape. However, it was on the drive to the Rose Blanche lighthouse that we noticed how autumn colours dressed the hills and valleys, bright pops of orange and red against yellow and blue.

The Rose Blanche lighthouse was originally built in 1871 and restored in 1999. The day was gorgeous as we toured the granite lighthouse and surrounding rocky coastline. The sun shone brilliantly, reflecting off the water like diamond sparkles, the sky and ocean differing shades of blue.

Beach Days: Codroy Valley Provincial Park, Point Rosee and JT Cheeseman Provincial Park, Newfoundland

The final days of September were spent on the beach, soaking in the warming rays of glorious fall sunshine. It wasn’t swimming weather. It could have been, I suppose, but we opted to walk the beaches barefoot and loll about on the warm sand instead. Over the course of several days we visited three different beaches: Codroy Valley Provincial Park, Point Rosee and JT Cheeseman Provincial Park. What splendidly luxurious and relaxing days!

Codroy Valley Provincial Park

Point Rosee

JT Cheeseman Provincial Park

Cape Anguille Lighthouse, Newfoundland

The lighthouse at Cape Anguille is a beauty. Tall and white with a red cap on top, it has eight sides and reaches 58 feet high. It is an operational lighthouse, flashing a white light every five seconds. Not really noticeable during the daytime on the beach, the area surrounding the lighthouse is a great place for watching waves crash to the shore. It feels remote but there are villages nearby.

There are several buildings within sight, including the restored light-keeper’s home, which currently functions as an inn. Who wouldn’t love to make this home base while exploring the region?

Codroy Valley, Newfoundland

Located in the southwest corner of Newfoundland, the Codroy Valley is made up of 15 villages, the Codroy River and the Long Range Mountains. It’s gorgeous. We soaked in the warmth of late autumn sunshine and explored this glacier valley. A hike to the top of the mountains was cut short when we ran across warm animal droppings. Yes, we were a little freaked out. It wasn’t the first time on this trip, nor would it be the last.

Corner Brook and Grand Codroy Camping, Newfoundland

From Bonavista on the east coast of Newfoundland, we scooted across the province to the west coast towards the ferry to Nova Scotia in Channel Port-Aux-Basques. Not in any hurry, as our ferry wasn’t for many days, we first made a quick stop in Corner Brook, with its distinct lumber mill aroma, and then continued on to the Grand Codroy Valley. We made Grand Codroy Camping our home base for a few days as we explored the beautiful region, with its vast landscapes of mountains and lakes and ocean beaches. The campground had a inspirational forest walk, with sign posts dotted around with motivational quotes, that we thoroughly enjoyed. The scents of the forest made one of the girls exclaim that it smelled like ‘a hundred Christmases altogether’.

Chap’s Garage - a must see for memorabilia fans

Bonavista, Newfoundland: Ryan Premises and the Harbour

Bonavista and its harbour played an important role in the fishing and sealing industries in Canada beginning in the 16th century. Fishermen from Spain, Portugal, France and England traveled across the ocean to reap the bounty of the nearby fishing grounds that teemed with wildlife.

The Ryan Premises, once owned by fish merchant James Ryan, is a preserved example of a large merchant operation. Now a national historic site, it features five buildings that tell the tale of the region’s fishing past.

Fishing remains an important commercial industry in Bonavista, as seen by the many fishing vessels in the harbour, each with their own unique character and name.

Bonavista, Newfoundland: Lighthouse and Dungeon Provincial Park

This land is your land…from Bonavista… A familiar song to many Canadians. And here we are, in Bonavista, where John Cabot first stepped into the New World in 1497, exclaiming ‘O buon vista’ (Oh happy sight), or so they say. He’s not wrong about the views though, they are a happy sight. And most especially so for a crew of men who had been at sea for such a long time.

We also hiked in Dungeons Provincial Park, taking in the sweeping coastline with its jagged, jutting rock formations called sea stacks, exploring Berry Head Arch and visiting with the local wildlife - the sheep and cows and horses and goats that roam free within the park boundaries.

Bonavista Lighthouse

Dungeon Provincial Park

The local wildlife in Dungeon Provincial Park

A shepherd and his sheep in Dungeon Provincial Park

The trail to the John Cabot statue

John Cabot statue

Berry Head Arch