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Newfoundland and Labrador · Canada
The coast south of St. John's: the 1621 Ferryland Colony, puffin islands, Cape Race and the Mistaken Point fossils, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In the photo: Ferryland coast, southern Avalon
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Get to know the place
The southern Avalon Peninsula is the stretch of coastline that runs from St. John's down to Cape Race at the far southeast of Newfoundland. Route 10, known as the Irish Loop, passes through fishing villages of Irish origin, coves, lighthouses and an open landscape of bogs and rocks.
Near Bay Bulls and Witless Bay, four islands form a ecological reserve with one of the largest seabird colonies in North America, home to puffins, guillemots and gulls. Boats run close to the islands in summer, and humpback whales appear at the same time.
In Ferryland, archaeologists have been excavating the Colony of Avalon since the 1990s; it was founded in 1621. Further south, at Mistaken Point, coastal rock preserves fossils about 565 million years old, among the oldest known complex life forms; the site has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2016. The Cape Race lighthouse sits at the point where many ships crossed the Atlantic.
The route can be done as a long day trip from St. John's, but staying overnight in the area gives more time for the fossils and the lighthouses.
This destination brings together 2 cities: Ferryland, Portugal Cove South.
One destination, many paths
Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.
Boundaries: Statistics Canada (Statistics Canada Open Licence) / geoBoundaries. Adapted by Cidade Turismo.
✈ St. John's International Airport (YYT), in St. John's · 85 km to Ferryland
The nearest airport is St. John's (YYT). By car on Route 10, Witless Bay is about 35 km from St. John's, Ferryland about 80 km and Portugal Cove South about 160 km.
Suggested arrival point: Ferryland
Fishing village on the southeast coast of the Avalon Peninsula where archaeologists are excavating the Colony of Avalon, founded in 1621. A trail leads to the lighthouse on the cape, and on the way from St. John's are the seabird islands of the Witless Bay reserve.
Small village on the southern part of the Avalon Peninsula, the departure point for guided visits to the Mistaken Point fossils, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A dirt road continues to the Cape Race lighthouse at the island’s southeastern tip.
The local experience
Archaeological excavation of the English colony founded in 1621 by George Calvert, with an interpretation centre, uncovered houses and stone quay, and a 17th‑century garden.
Rocky coast with fossils dated 580 to 560 million years old, among the oldest large and complex life forms on Earth; a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2016.
An 1871 lighthouse atop Ferryland Cape, reached by a roughly 2 km coastal trail, with views of whales and icebergs in season.
A 1907 concrete lighthouse at Newfoundland’s southeastern tip, beside the radio station that received the Titanic’s distress calls in 1912.
Four islands off Witless Bay with large colonies of puffins, razorbills and gulls, seen up close on boat tours.
Before you go
A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.
June to August, when puffins are on the islands, whales are present and the weather is milder. Guided visits to Mistaken Point run from mid‑May to mid‑October. Fog is common on the coast, even in summer.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
One or two days: one for Witless Bay and Ferryland and another for Mistaken Point and Cape Race.
Ferryland and the villages of Witless Bay and Bay Bulls have B&Bs and cottages. In the southern tip there are few places to stay, in Portugal Cove South and Trepassey. Many visitors stay in St. John's and make day trips.
Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.
Get your questions answered
Yes, if you leave early from St. John's, but two days allow time for the Mistaken Point fossils and the lighthouses.
At the Witless Bay ecological reserve, by boat from Bay Bulls or Witless Bay, from May to August.
Yes, or a tour departing from St. John's. There is no regular public transport along Route 10.
Route 10, which loops around the south of the Avalon Peninsula, passing villages of Irish origin.
Newfoundland Time: UTC−3:30, and UTC−2:30 from March to November.
