Admiral Palliser's Trail

North Shore of the Bay of Islands

Distance - 40km

The drive along the North Shore of the Bay of Islands encompasses a number of lovely communities. The route was named for Sir Hugh Palliser, a governor of Newfoundland in the 18th Century, and the man who sent Captain Cook to explore and chart the West coast of the island. Aboriginal peoples from what is now Quebec and Nova Scotia were trapped on this coast before the arrival of Europeans to the area.

Your trip begins in Corner Brook, where you will exit to Route 440 from Riverside Drive in the area known as Humbermouth. Your drive “across the bay” begins by crossing the Balern Bridge and traveling to the community of Hughes Brook, settled in the late 1960s. Next you will visit Irishtown-Summerside. It is believed that the early settlers to Irishtown were predominantly Irish Roman Catholic, hence the name. Irishtown and Summerside were amalgamated in 1991.

The community of Meadows, named from the natural meadows that existed in the area prior to settlement. Primarily a logging and fishing community, the community settled in the vicinity of Meadows Point and has since spread out along the highway. Gillams was settled as a logging community in the early 1950s as there was significant demand for lumber in the area. Large amounts of pulpwood were produced at several local sawmills.

Just after Gillams, travel through the community of McIvers, home to five coves. Blanchard’s Cove and McIvers Cove have relatively flat land, while Neck Cove, Rattlers Cove and Lower Cove are surrounded by cliffs that rise approximately 200 feet. Birdwatchers will delight in the arctic tern colony located on an island offshore near McIvers. The final stop along the North Shore is Cox’s Cove, a fishing and logging community, originally settled in 1840 by herring and lobster fishermen.

The community was a regular port of call for the northern coastal boats and was home to a pulpwood mill in the 1930s, which was eventually phased out.