Western Newfoundland Highlights: Cedar Cove

Growing up in eastern Newfoundland, with few ties to the western region, meant that I really spent very little time in this part of the island. I never thought I’d one day come to live here, even if only for a year (as the plan stands at this point). I’ll always love St. John’s and feel connected to the Avalon peninsula where I grew up, but there are ways that it just can’t compete to where I am now. And one of those ways is the vastness and scale of the scenery and landscape here.

You can get in your car and drive in seemingly any direction and see something unique and beautiful. Yesterday, I had one of those days where I just wanted to go see something pretty and take lots of photos. So, Tim and I headed further west to Lark Harbour, where we took a short walk out to Cedar Cove.

Photos don’t really do the place justice, but I can say that I’ve been feeling this huge drive to go to Norway lately (lately as in the last year) and this place quelled that for the time being. Yeah the scale might pale in comparison, and the beaches are rocky instead of sandy, but the seascapes and grassy hillsides feel nordic.

I didn’t appreciate this north-Atlantic island I call home when I was growing up. I honestly found it boring and really just wanted to get away. Over the last few years of travelling around the world and within Canada, I’ve really begun to appreciate all the beauty, empty wilderness, and untouched nature there is to be found here. I think I’ll find plenty to explore in western Newfoundland.

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How to get there

From Corner Brook, drive west on O’Connell Drive… and just keep going. When it ends, turn right and then left onto Route 450. It takes about 45 minutes to get to York Harbour, and Lark Harbour is just beyond. Along the way, you’ll pass Blow Me Down Mountain and Blow Me Down Provincial Park, along with some small communities.

In Lark Harbour, you’ll see Outer Bay of Islands Enhancement Committee (OBIEC) signs directing you to the hiking trails. You’ll eventually turn left off the main road, just past a gas station. The parking lot is just opposite a small wharf with fishing boats docked.

The hike begins with a steep set of stairs. From the top you’ll see signs pointing left towards Cedar Cove (you can do this hike as a loop which takes you left to the lighthouse as well). The short hike is a gentle 1.8 km each way, with boardwalks in places and boating paraphernalia/debris hanging in the trees along the way.

The majority of the path is through forest, with the last several hundred metres opening up to views of the cove and craggy coastal cliffs. Bring your bathing suit if you’re interested in a dip in the clear waters, but remember that this is the north Atlantic, not tropical Caribbean waves that are bathwater temperature.

Got any favourite scenic spots that are close to home? Share them below!