Exploring Quidi Vidi and Cape Spear

Another beautiful sunny day with a high of 18 forecasted! Quidi Vidi Village (pronounced Kiddie Vidi by most folks) is a small village close to St. John’s. We did a walking tour through it with our wonderful guide and friend Alan. The place is named after Quidi Vidi Lake where the Royal St. John’s Regatta is held every year in August. The village also has Newfoundland’s largest microbrewery- the Quidi Vidi Brewing Company where, of course, we stopped and sampled some of brews.

While Alan, Gary, Kern and I hiked to the “gut” which is the local name for the harbour at Quidi Vide, Diane and Heather managed to score a table for lunch at Mallard Cottage, a quaint 18th century Irish style cottage. It is also one of the oldest wooden buildings in North America and recognized as a National Historic Site also. And best of all, the food was great! Even better, they have a Cake Table where you can fill a plate with desserts for $10.00. How sweet is that!

Next stop- Cape Spear- the easternmost point in North America! It is also the trailhead and trail end for 2 parts of the East Coast Trail and we saw lots of folks hiking this trail. Maybe some day! The original Cape Spear lighthouse, built in 1836, is the oldest surviving lighthouse in Newfoundland. A new concrete one was built in 1955. It was a beautiful day with virtually no wind and the ocean was calm. Alan, who has been there numerous times, said it was the 1st time he had seen the weather conditions so calm there! Lucky us!

Then onto Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove, a small town of about 960 people but most famous for being the birthplace of Alan Doyle.

Back home to Alan and Heather’s for dinner together and then we watched a documentary on the Gander response to 9/11 and the creation of Come From Away.

A great day was had by all.Read more