Activities Along the Southern Shore
Looking for an active outdoor get-a-way or a quiet place to relax and read a book while sitting along the shoreline? Either way, there's no shortage of activities and locations available to our guests. We're located in Calvert, NL, which is at the centre of the famed Southern Shore region. Calvert is 72 kilometres south of the provincial capital St. John's, 7 kilometres south of Cape Broyle, and 3 kilometres north of Ferryland. Check out the gallery below, which features many of the activities that our guests have told us they love to do while visiting. Click on any image for more details.
There are dozens of whale and puffin watching excursions available within a short drive. One of our guest's favourites is O'Brien's Boat Tours located in neighbouring Bay Bulls, NL. Visit www.obriensboattours.com
The East Coast Trail is a coastal hiking experience that takes you to the outermost reaches of North America - and it passes right through Calvert! Learn more about the trail here http://www.eastcoasttrail.ca/
Lighthouse Picnics provides shore-side picnic lunches and blankets prepared at the famous lighthouse built in 1870. You'll enjoy the hand-made lunch, dessert, and lemonade while relaxing and enjoying amazing scenery – waves, whales, and seabirds are all part of the vista. Visit: www.lighthousepicnics.ca
When it comes to viewing icebergs, this is one of the best places in the world. On a sunny day, view these 10,000-year-old glacial giants from many points along the northern and eastern coasts – in every shape and size. With colours ranging from snow-white to the deepest aquamarine. Be it from the Inn's porch or one of the many boat and kayaking excursions, this is one experience you'll find no where else in North America during the spring!
Between May 1 and the end of October, you can experience exciting kayaking tours and day adventures/guided hikes that bring you close to whales, icebergs and more. With over 40 years of providing fun, safe and exhilarating experiences, Stan Cook Sea Kayak Adventures has been in business for 40 years, boasts a perfect safety record, and is located in the neighbouring town of Cape Broyle. Visit http://www.wildnfld.ca/adventures.asp
Each year this group remembers the early Irish fisherman and women who settled in this area and made the Southern Shore what it is today. They celebrate the strength and character of their forefathers through the retelling of their stories in theatre and concert. Guest enjoy traditional Newfoundland cuisine and desserts while watching the show. Visit: www.ssfac.com/dinner.html
There are dozens of boat tours and guided hikes available in neighbouring towns that will showcase the Southern Shore's incredible shoreline formed by a thousands of years of waves, wind, and undersea volcanic eruptions. Want something a little more personal? Ask the Inn's proprietor for a personal boat ride around local coves and islands (weather and schedule permitting).
There are many archaeological sites to explore down the Southern shore including one in neighbouring Ferryland and one in Mistaken Point. The latter contains the oldest and largest known fossils of complex, multi-cellular organisms from 579-560 million years ago. Access by guided tour only, 1pm daily from the Edge of Avalon Interpretive Centre. Tour is 3-4 hours and includes a 6-km return hike ‘interpretive’ before ‘hike. Visit http://www.newfoundlandlabrador.com/planyourtrip/Detail/11029333
The Witless Bay Ecological Reserve, just 10 minutes from our Inn, consists of four islands: Gull Island, Green Island, Great Island, and Pee Pee Island. Immense numbers of nesting birds nest on these islands during the seabird breeding season, roughly from 1 April through 1 September. This includes the largest Atlantic Puffin colony, which is estimated to be 260,000+ pairs of Atlantic puffins nesting during the late spring and summer.
There are plenty of trails to explore along the Southern Shore; however, we recommend planning some time to visit and/or camp at the La Manche Provincial Park, which is just minutes away from the Inn by car. This park was established because of the scenic La Manche Valley, interesting and varied habitat and vegetation, as well as the diverse bird life. Walk the suspension bridge, explore the many trails, visit the beach, or explore the waterfalls. You can spend a full day here!
The Southern Shore is alive with song, stories, and food between the spring and fall, thanks for the many festivals held each year including the Shamrock Festival, which occurs in our neighbouring town of Ferryland. Visit http://www.ssfac.com/shamrock.html for more on the Shamrock Festival and http://www.newfoundlandlabrador.com/TheLatest/FestivalsEvents?RegionIDs=431 for a wider list of events "up the shore."
We understand that even on vacation, sometimes you need to take a moment to catch up on some work e-mails, connect to friends on Facebook, or write that next blog article. For you we provide high-speed WiFi throughout the Inn; however, we recommend sitting on our front deck! If you have to write a blog post, why not do it while being inspired by the incredible view?
There are few angling destinations in the world that rival Newfoundland and Labrador. Whether you’re fishing for wild Atlantic salmon, record-breaking landlocked salmon, trophy brook trout, northern pike, whitefish or large Arctic char, you’ve come to the right place. Here you’ll find pristine rivers set against a rugged landscape, plenty of breathing room, and an abundance of trophy-sized fish.
Home to one of the last great wilderness areas in the world, Newfoundland and Labrador is the ultimate hunting destination - especially for big game. Whether you’ve got your sights set on moose, rare woodland caribou, black bear or our “Newfoundland Grand Slam” of big game hunting, you’ve come to the right place. For hunting season dates, visit http://www.env.gov.nl.ca/env/wildlife/season_dates/big_game.html
