In the summer of 2023, we set off to explore one of Canada’s most stunning provinces—Newfoundland. I had always unreasonably imagined it as something between Iceland and New Zealand—rolling green hills, short trees, and dramatic landscapes. Newfoundland intrigued me more than any other province, so I intentionally saved it for last (well, almost—Yukon is still waiting).
The plan was to fly into Deer Lake, rent a car, and drive across the island, eventually flying out of St. John’s. Deer Lake itself is a small town—not exactly a must-see destination, but it serves as the gateway to one of Canada’s most famous national parks, Gros Morne. This massive park has everything from hiking trails to boat tours, offering endless ways to explore its rugged beauty. We picked one of the easier and most popular hikes—the 4 km Tablelands Trail. The massive red and orange rock formations felt like something out of this world—like I had stepped onto a different planet, or maybe a dinosaur would pop out at any moment.
It was a great warm-up to start our trip.
From there, we drove to Lobster Cove Lighthouse and wandered along a trail leading to the rugged coastline. That’s where I spotted the biggest rose hip berry I’ve ever seen—size of a crab apple.
Our next stop for the day was the Gros Morne Coastal Trail—a scenic 6 km round-trip hike along the rugged shoreline. The views were stunning, with the endless ocean stretching out to the horizon. The trail itself wasn’t difficult, with barely any elevation gain. It started as a wide, well-marked path, but somewhere in the middle, it narrowed, became less defined, and eventually turned into a rocky beach.
At first, we thought it was just part of the trail, but after stumbling over giant round stones for way too long, we realized we had probably missed a turn. The last three-quarters of the hike were more of a balancing act, trying not to twist an ankle on the uneven terrain.
Eventually, we made it to the end and found ourselves at a trailer campsite.
I’m not really into camping, but I have to admit, this one was pretty nice. It had an incredible ocean view, and among the usual trailers and tents, I noticed some surprisingly comfortable-looking house tents. I might even consider trying one of those for a night or two—maybe.
After the hike, we headed to Rocky Harbor, the small but charming seaside town where we would spend the night. After dinner, I took a walk down the main street, lost in thought about the unexpected turns life takes. Growing up on the other side of the world, I could never have imagined traveling this far, yet here I was, wandering through this quiet town.
As I walked, I passed a street preacher passionately delivering his sermon to no one, locals picking clams on the beach, a playground oddly neighboring a cemetery, and a seagull watching the sunset. The whole evening felt strangely surreal.
