Canada, Newfoundland: St. John’s & Bonavista Bike Tour

DAY 1:

Meeting, introduction, hike to Signal Hill ~5km.

Meet in St. John’s for a pre-dinner walk through the Battery to Signal Hill, the site of the first transatlantic communication and a fabulous viewpoint over St. John’s Harbour. After dinner you’ll have the chance to enjoy some Irish influenced music in one of many venues on George Street.

Meal Inclusions: Dinner.

DAY 2:

Bell Island Loop ~15km (+248m / -247m); Portugal Cove to Brigus, up to ~75km (+859m / -856m).

The day begins with a transfer to Portugal Cove, where a 20-minute ferry through the area known locally as ‘The Tickle’ at Conception Bay awaits. Spend the morning leisurely navigating Bell Island, as you rid past meadowlands in search of abrupt cliffs and sea stacks. If you’re up for a challenge, walk down to the Grebe’s Nest, a blasted tunnel carved out in the 60s by local miners who became fishermen and wanted easier access to the second beach to launch their boats. Return to the lighthouse to enjoy a picnic lunch at the Bell Island Lighthouse Café while watching for whales and seabirds. Hop on the ferry to return to the mainland. This afternoon you will enjoy a large section of the traffic-free Newfoundland T-Railway Trail Network as you bike further into rural Newfoundland on route to Brigus.

Meal Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch.

DAY 3:

Brigus to Harbour Grace ~56km (+656m / -654m); optional hike at Mad Rocks ~3km.

Bike from your inn this morning toward Harbour Grace. We recommend timing your ride today to make time for an optional hike at Mad Rocks, named after the explosions of turbulent ‘mad water’ during Altantic storms and heavy seas. Make a visit to the Madrock Café for a traditional Newfoundland touton before continuing on your ride. Arrive in Harbour Grace with time to visit the Conception Bay Museum, visit the old courthouse, or go for another short hike on Pirates Path Trail before checking into your lodging and taking in the small-town lifestyle of this coastal village.

Meal Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

DAY 4:

Transfer to Trinity; afternoon options: bike to New Bonaventure ~47km (+841m / -844m), hike Gun Hill ~2km, and/or attend the Trinity Pageant.

After breakfast, begin your ~2 ½ hour transfer to the Bonavista Peninsula, where you can ride a short challenging route to explore the Random Passage site and the enchanting, long-abandoned communities of Kerley's Harbour and Ireland's Eye. Or, you can instead choose to hike an award-winning trail with views of Trinity, rocky cliffs, caves, and wildlife. If scheduling allows, spend the afternoon in Trinity and take in the "Trinity Pageant", where the whole town transforms into a theatre set, and actors walk you through the town telling stories of how this small town functioned in the past. Most of Trinity is a national heritage site and considered an essential stop on any Canadian explorer's agenda.

Meal Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch.

DAY 5:

Trinity to Bonavista ~67km (+596m / -635m).

Ride from your lodging towards the tip of the Bonavista Peninsula. Visit Catalina, the puffin colony in Maberly, and then continue to the Cape Bonavista Lighthouse where you can usually climb up one of the few in the world where you can still explore the stone tower and see the same seal oil fueled catoptric light apparatus that was used in the 1800s. This lighthouse is one of the most photographed places in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is a wonderful location for viewing whales, icebergs and puffins. Return to your seaside lodging.

Meal Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

DAY 6:

Bonavista to Plate Cove with stops in Keels and Tickle Cove, up to ~82km (+1208m / -1112m); optional hike in King’s Cove ~4km.

Explore the cafes and art galleries before departing on your beautiful coastal ride to Keels, where you can view the Devil's Footprints. Local folklore suggests that these tracks are "impressions left where the Devil danced over Keels". Continue onwards to Tickle Cove where you can visit the Tickle Cove Sea Arches. Ride past Plate Cove to your one-of-a-kind traditional Newfoundland lodging, where you can find their gift shop full of locally made art/souvenirs, and end the trip with a delicious home-made traditional newfoundland meal.

Meal Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

DAY 7:

Return to St. John’s.

After breakfast, transfer approximately 3 hours to St. John’s.