Mad Rocks and Toutons in Bay Roberts- The Long Way Back Part Two

The next stop after Spaniard's Bay when I took the long way back to St. John's was the town of Bay Roberts, a large port town an hour from St. John's with a similar sized harbor and reportedly home to the best toutons in Newfoundland & Labrador.  You remember that a touton is fried bread dough, right?

Madrock Cafe is small but an authentic dining experience located off the main route on Water Street and it was definitely worth getting off the highway for a lunch stop.

I was tempted to order the fish cakes and beans, but went with the toutons and a bowl of turkey soup instead.  A bottle of molasses was conveniently located on the table as well to top that touton off.

After lunch Cory returned to the car to play a video game but I crossed the road and explored the Shoreline Walk instead.

 

Like Placentia this harbor town was popular to fishermen in the 16th century due to its large flat beaches for drying cod, but that's not what I saw on my walk.

From the access point at Madrock Cafe I walked along the trail crossing the headland and soon had a great view of Spaniard's Bay.

Even though it was the end of October I could've picked a bucket full of blueberries but had to settle for about a dozen handfuls straight into my mouth instead.

With a bellyful of blueberries I followed the path out to the cliffs, watching the light change on the land as the clouds whisked across the sun.

The wind was up, but the sky was blue and the salt air felt divine.

A sign pointed the way to Scogglins Gulch, where the water met the cliffs.

I didn't get too close to the edge with the wind so unpredictable, but I could see myself sitting there for hours gazing out across Bay Roberts Harbour on a sunny summer day.

More than half an hour had slipped by so I hurried back to the car and Cory and I continued down Water Street to the gravel road that went all the way out to the tip.  From the parking area we watched the Cormorants on Salmon Island and had a great view of The Three Sisters, and then I got a closer look at them by walking down a metal stairway to the pebble beach.

Here's my short movie.

I explored only a small section of the trail, it meanders past root cellars, rock walls and beaches too.  I texted my cousin from the trail and told her we had to come back!  The only question is whether to come for blueberry season or birds and blooms?  Maybe in July when the capelin might be rolling on the beaches?  Click here to see a video of that!