Southern Shore | Newfoundland

Newfoundland Southern Shore Cycle Trip

Day 1 | 29 km

Leave Grates Cove in the late afternoon, stop for a fish and chip supper at Gasland in Old Perlican then continue south on Route 80 into Brownsdale where we will camp for the night.

Day 2 | 69 km

Ride south on Route 80 to Green’s Harbour and stay at Golden Arm RV Park in Green’s Harbour.

Day 3 | 72 to 97 km depending on where we camp for the night

Ride south on Route 80 to Whitbourne and enter the T-Railway.  

We might camp along the trail at around 72 km; or camp at Arnold’s Cove (97 km); or camp at Bellevue Beach (80 km).

Day 4 | 52 to 79 km, depending on where we camped last night

Ride the T’Railway to Route 210 then take this highway onto the Burin Peninsula and camp past Swift Current in the now closed Pipers Hole Provincial Park.  

Day 5 | 86 km

Continue along Route 210 then on Route 212 to Bay L’Argent and camp at the town camping spot.

Day 6 | 0 to 27 km, depending on where we camp

Take ferry from Bay L’Argent to Pool’s Cove (Ferries depart at 9:15 am; second one at 11:30 am).

Camp near Pool’s Cove or somewhere along Route 362 or Route 360 towards Harbour Breton.

Day 7 | 40 to 67 km, depending on where we camped last night

Ride the rest of the way into Harbour Breton.  Camp at Deadman’s Cove RV Park.

Day 8 | 70 km

Ride to Hermitage and stay somewhere near ferry dock.

Day 9 | 0 km cycling

Take ferry to McCallum (Ferry departs at 12:30 pm) Camp somewhere in McCallum.

Day 10 | 0 km cycling

Take ferry to Francois. (Ferry departs at 4:30 pm) Camp somewhere in Francois.

Day 11 | 0 km cycling

Stay in Francois for another night.

Day 12 | 0 km cycling

Take ferry from Francois to Burgeo (ferry departs at 7:30 am; second one at 9:45 am). Camp at Sandbanks Provincial Park.

Day 13 | 75 km

Ride halfway up the Burgeo highway (Route 480). Camp along the highway in a gravel pit.

Day 14 | 60 km

Continue riding northwest along Route 480. Camp at Barachois Pond Provincial Park.

Day 15 | 60 km

Take the TCH south to Route 490 which we will take into Stephenville Crossing to pick up the T-Railway.  Ride the trail and camp along the way.

Day 16 | 41 km

Ride the T’Railway through Corner Brook.  Come out onto the Trans-Canada Highway and at Steady Brook exit from the highway.  Camp in Steady Brook at George’s Mountain Village Cabins and Campground.

Day 17 | 20 km

Ride along quiet roads alongside the Trans-Canada Highway into Pasadena.  From here you can continue on to Gros Morne National Park or catch the daily bus that stops at a gas station in Pasadena and can take you to St. John’s. Call them to check about bicycle carriage.

Day 5 | 86 km

Today’s ride traverses the center of the Burin Peninsula, crossing panoramic maritime barrens, one of the main ecoregion characteristics of this province. Keep an eye out for rough-legged hawks and the migratory Midland caribou, whose young are threatened by black bear, coyote and bald eagle populations. The rocks you see strewn about the barrens are glacial erratics; boulders dropped by melting glaciers 10,000 years ago.

The highway starts out at sea level in Swift Current and rises and falls in a series of hills to heights of up to 200 meters.

Head back out to the highway, turn right and ride over the bridge that crosses Piper’s Hole River.  The first hill of today starts almost immediately and rises past a lookout on the left (at 1.6 km) to the top of the hill at 3 km (130 meters)

Following this are a series of rises;

  • 1 km – a hill starts and reaches peak of 155 meters at 4.2 km, then flattens out
  • 5.4 km – a hill starts again and reaches peak of 173 meters at 7.2 km and flattens out somewhat but continues to rise gradually until it reaches a height of 200 meters at 10.9 km

After this the highway continues on a fairly level course for awhile

  • 19.8 km – The highway descends to 120 meters at 20.4 km then rises again to reach 175 meters at 23.2 km
  • 23.4 km – pass Sandy Harbour River Interpretive Walk
  • 31.4 km – After a nice downhill, pass the cut-off for Route 214 that travels southeast to Davis Cove and Monkstown
  • 32.7 km – reach the bottom of the hill (107 meters) and then head uphill again.  This hill is fairly steep.  
  • 34.4 km – reach the top of the hill at 182 meters
  • 36.4 km – pass the cut-off for Route 211 that travels west to Terrenceville and Grand Le Pierre
  • The road then becomes level and even slightly descending
  • 39.7 km – the next hill starts at 140 meters.  Reach the top of 158 meters at 41.4 km

Following this is a series of rises with level or gently descending roadway between;

  • 45.4 km – uphill starts at 140 meters and rises to 170 meters at 45.9 km
  • 54.4 km – uphill starts at 150 meters and rises to 173 meters at 58 km
  • 63.1 km – uphill starts at 135 meters and rises to 143 meters at 66.1 km
  • 66.7 km – uphill starts at 125 meters and rises to 178 meters at 67.9 km
  • 70.6 km – turn right at the cut-off for Route 212 that leads to Bay L’Argent
  • 71.4 km – uphill starts at 130 meters and rises to 160 meters at 72.4 km
  • 73.8 km – uphill starts at 127 meters and rises to 136 meters at 74.1 km and then to 142 meters at 75 km

Now the reward!  A big downhill that takes us down to sea level at 77.4 km

  • 80.6 km – turn right toward Bay L’Argent.  
  • 80.9 km - This junction is the home of an Ultramar Gas Station and Dairy Bar and a PharmaPlus Drug Store.  It might be a good idea to use the washroom here!
  • 81.5 km – the highway rises to 27 meters and then falls gently back to sea level and runs along the edge of the bay
  • 84.5 km – turn left to Bay L’Argent and the Rencontre East ferry
  • 84.7 km – There is a small picnic area on the right which is known as the “RV Park” but has no water or sewer services.  We can camp here.  Notice the Berry Hill Trail on the other side of the highway a short way back.  This might provide an outdoor bathroom for us for the evening!

Continuing along into town for supplies;

  • 85.3 km – pass the well water site on the left where we can replenish our water supplies
  • 85.4 km – Reid’s Convenience Store which has lots of ingredients for our supper.

Also we’ll need to have food for breakfast tomorrow morning and lunch in Rencontre East.

  • 85.5 km – turn right on Water Street and head to the white building on the right with yellow curbs surrounding the parking area.  This is the ferry dock where we will depart in the morning for Rencontre East and Pools Cove.