Welcome to the windy, colourful and boisterous capital of Newfoundland. You will need to find your way to your charming B&B in the centre of town (details are provided with your final documents). Spend the rest of the day exploring one of the oldest cities in North America, discovering its bright-painted heritage houses and buildings, restaurants, galleries and antique shops. Your accommodation is also close to the legendary nightlife and live music on George Street.

Meals:  Nil

After breakfast, you'll be dropped off at the trailhead in Flatrock to hike north where you'll be spending the night. You will pass some wooded tracks, a known eagle's nest to keep an eye out for, and sweeping views. Beyond these features lies Stiles Cove, where seals would haul up on sea ledges to rest and hunt in coves with streams frequented by salmon. Lookout points and side trails along the day's route overlook Shoe Cove Island, exposed rock ledges and a few gorgeous waterfalls. The trail heads west along a traditional cow path through coastal woods on Shoe Cove's steep eastern slope and crosses Shoe Cove Brook. Nearby Shoe Cove Road, constructed circa 1900, links the cove to the highway and allowed local families to homestead in the area nearby. While Shoe Cove itself was mostly used historically as a summer fishing station, cattle used to roam the community pasture between the 1960s and the early 2000s in the early operational years of Shoe Cove's chief pasture. A short distance from Shoe Cove, your B&B in Pouch Cove lies ahead, along with a warm meal.

Meals:  B,L,D

Today's hike is an out-and-back route from your B&B. This stretch of trail features steep hills, a rugged coastline, and sweeping ocean views, with the chance to spot whales and seabirds, especially in the summer. About halfway from the Biscan Cove trailhead, you'll find a lovely picnic spot where Freshwater River meets the ocean by a creek and waterfall. The Horrid Gulch viewpoint is anything but horrid, though you'll want to watch for some boggy patches along the way. The trail also passes through prime berry-picking areas and the remnants of the Cape St. Francis Lighthouse, along with a still-operational helicopter pad.

Meals:  B,L,D

After breakfast and an early morning transfer, you'll pick things up in Flatrock yet again, at the trailhead. An exposed rock face that you will encounter, called Flat Rocks, serves as the namesake for the area and is dotted with glacial erratics. The first kilometer that you will hike today comes to a point on an outcrop called The Beamer. Gulls will nest on The Beamer which makes for an interesting sight, though you will want to avoid approaching them. You will soon encounter a Second World War observation post above Fanny's Gulch before pressing onwards to a cliffside viewpoint that has split along a large quartz vein. The optional Church Cove Loop side trail provides views of a secluded waterfall, a kittiwake nesting site and the best vantage point over the multiple 'faces' of Turks Head Cliff. In passing through woods, and across streams and fields you will reach a national historic site that was active in the Seven Years War (1756-1763). In 1962, Lt. Col. William Amherst marched a British force of 1500 men that he successfully landed in the area to retake St. John's from the French during the Battle of Signal Hill as the last action of the war. Beyond this, you will pass by sea ledges eroded and shaped by the motion of the waves nearby. The trailside feature was intuitively named The Motion, after which you will cross meadow, woods and heath on the way to Middle Cove Beach and the nearby parking area. From here, you'll be brought to your charming B&B in Bay Bulls for the next three nights.

Meals:  B,L,D

After a hearty breakfast, you’ll be transferred from your accommodations in Bay Bulls to the Shoal Bay trailhead and hiking north along the Motion Path to Petty Harbour. You can almost immediately expect to pass Raymonds Gulch, host to some impressive waterfalls in the spring each year. Nesting Merlins can sometimes be found atop the tallest patches of trees along the Motion Path. The day’s hike will show evidence of ancient glacial activity in the form of glacial striations and erratics. There are veins of quartz to be found amidst the rocky outcrops that misled prospectors and minors into staking unprofitable claims. The dramatic and imposing red rock face of Burkes Head is hard to miss after a few kilometers of hiking. Otters often kit in a pond not far from the shore at Piccos Gulch, using the nearby stream as a rub or slide. After this point, sea stacks and extensive coastal shelving are clear to see from the trail. These coastal shelves are often host to an abundant cod population that dart amongst the undersea ledges. You will encounter the prominent Motion Rock which is located offshore as the namesake of this trail section. Reaching Motion Head indicates that you are nearing Petty Harbour, after which we will bring you back to your warm and friendly accommodation in Bay Bulls.

Meals:  B,L,D

You will be picked up after breakfast and taken to the trail head at Petty Harbour for your hike to Cape Spear, the most easterly point of the continent, in the shadow of the oldest surviving lighthouse in Newfoundland and Labrador, and an iconic symbol of the province’s maritime history. Your hike will feature board-walked bog crossings, a variety of terrains, two river crossings and expansive views of deep swells rolling in across the Atlantic. Before you are transferred back to your B&B in Bay Bulls, you will have plenty of time to explore the Cape Spear Lighthouse. Originally built in 1836, the lighthouse was rebuilt in 1955 using the active light of the original lighthouse.

Meals:  B,L,D

After a hearty breakfast, you take on two of the easier sections of the East Coast Trail, ending at the famous brightly-painted saltbox houses in the community of Tors Cove. With its epic views of blue ocean, rocks, field and forest, “the Cribbies” is the most photographed meadow in Newfoundland. It has one of the best views of the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve, and fairy-tale magic about the place. The trail hugs the shoreline with lovely shore and coastal views all the way to the reserve, which is a sanctuary for puffins and migrating seabirds. The area is also a popular feeding ground for humpback whales, so keep an eye out for tails and breaches. The hike concludes in Beauline East, a charming, picturesque community that preserves the island’s rich fishing heritage. While waiting for our driver to arrive and bring you to your next B&B in Port Kirwan, take a moment to admire the traditional fishing life at the covered dock, where you can observe the local culture up close.

Meals:  B,L,D

Today, sparkling turquoise waters and cliffside boardwalk await you at La Manche Provincial Park. The 50-metre/164-foot long swaying La Manche suspension bridge is another highlight of the East Coast Trail, crossing a tranquil cove that once serviced a long-abandoned fishing village. You’ll continue south along the Flamber Head Path, one of the more remote, underrated sections of the ECT. The trail rolls over wooded hills, headlands and cliff-faces with sweeping coastal views, concluding at your pick-up point in the charming little harbour community of Brigus South. You should note that the segment of trail approaching Brigus South involves some rugged terrain and can be more challenging in adverse conditions. A home-cooked meal awaits back in Port Kirwan.

Meals:  B,L,D

If there’s a single photo of your trip that will stop people in their tracks, it will be the massive sea arch at Berry Head located on the Spurwink Island Path section of the trail. Chunks of the stratified archway continue to fall to the ground below, while the reflecting ocean window is sublime on a summer day. You have the option of hiking the full distance southwards from Aquaforte back to your accommodation or to do an out-and-back hike to the archway from your accommodation. Both options result in similar hiking distances, but the latter (out and back) route avoids the north section, which is a rugged hike through dense forest with few coastal views.

Meals:  B,L,D

Beginning with grassy meadows and mixed woods, today's path crosses numerous brooks in taking you to a fantastic lookout point overlooking The Forge. This monumental cinder block of rock regularly has high waves break over it during rough seas. This is one of many impressive lookout points to be found on the day's hike which also features views of Renews harbour, of a thriving cormorant colony nesting on Renews Island, and of more waves breaking over rocks and sea-washed ledges. Upon your return to Port Kirwan, you'll be provided another home-cooked meal as you reflect on the day's adventure.

Meals:  B,L,D

A morning transfer awaits after breakfast to join this diverse coastal trail connecting Logy Bay with St. John’s. The trail features two significant elevation changes of 150 meters. Along the way, you'll enjoy stunning coastal vistas from atop Sugarloaf Head to the north, explore unique rock formations at the Skerries, and take in panoramic 360-degree views of St. John’s and Quidi Vidi from the Bawdens Highlands in the south. Be aware that the hiking trail and biking route, both well-marked, criss-cross up Bawdens Highland. After crossing White Hills and Bawdens Highland, Quidi Vidi Village offers a range of services for visitors and a community link to Signal Hill National Historic Site. The optional 175-meter climb up Signal Hill is well worth it, as viewers who have experienced the historic viewpoint will attest. You will be walking back to your St. John's hotel, whether you decided to take the more relaxing route directly from Quidi Vidi Village or to climb Signal Hill for the impressive views of the city harbour and surroundings. Having ticked off some of the most magnificent hikes in Newfoundland, celebrate with some screech in the boisterous pubs on George Street.

Meals:  B,L

Services end after breakfast. We hope you enjoyed your stay at 'the Rock'!

Meals:  B