Random Berries

Breakfast at Rolling Hills B&B is a delicious baked ham, cheese, bread, and eggs strata. We top it off with partridge berry muffins and extra coffee because we have an exploring day today in this part of Newfoundland we love so well and we’ll spend tonight at
Rolling Hills B&B again. Another beautiful day and Barry again consents to riding 4 kms of gravel road out to Fort Point Lighthouse. This is one of 23 staffed light stations in Newfoundland, although we have come for the magnificent views of Trinity Bight in the morning sunshine having already seen many of the 55 light stations in the province.
We ride into Trinity to view a few more historic buildings and take more pictures. Trinity is a walker’s delight whether you do it yourself or go on one of the guided tours. Barry is still not walking very comfortably so we keep our rambles short. Next we’re off on Hwy 239 to Bonaventure and New Bonaventure, two typical outport communities with active fisheries and interesting because two major films have been shot here. “Shipping News” was filmed in and around Trinity Bight, particularly New Bonaventure, and the miniseries “Random Passage” was filmed at a specially constructed site nearby. The Random Passage film site attracts many visitors because the buildings have remained and on Sundays entertainment is provided by various musicians and storytellers. The area is gorgeous today as one would expect a movie set to be and we enjoy picking blueberries for dessert on the hillside after our lunch.
New Bonaventure is a resettlement community that dates from the 50’s when the government encouraged Newfoundlanders who lived in isolated communities (without roads and services) to relocate. The people of Kerley’s Cove, Ireland Eye, and British Harbour all resettled in New Bonaventure but you can hike the highlands to their abandoned places past remnants of foundations, root cellars, and graves. We aren’t doing any hiking today but we do enjoy the scenery. On beautiful days like today we think we could easily live in Newfoundland but we have experienced the harsh realities of this climate even in the summer!
As this is not a heavy riding day we have lots of time to talk with both Newfoundlanders and fellow travellers although the Newfoundlanders are the most engaging and always make time to talk. In addition to the usual conversation topics we have heard about loves, lost loves, dreams, tragedies, and fears from people who moments before were strangers. For instance our gas attendant today tells us about her desire to visit her son and grandchildren in Fort McMurray but she has never flown and is afraid to. Marlene, who is “come from away” (CFA in Newfienese) sometimes finds the confidential level of the conversations disarming but Barry is in his element.
We round out our day with a superb cod fish dinner at the Dock Marina restaurant, a ramble out to the point, and wine in the sitting room with our amiable host and fellow guests.