The Bay Roberts Shoreline Heritage Walk, which was developed by the Bay Roberts Heritage Society,offers an opportunity to pay honour to the past, while communing with nature away from the noise of today’s world.
The costal walk wanders along sheer cliffs, sweeps of beach, sheltered coves, and craggy headlands. From cliffs, coves, beaches, and headlands see whales follow caplin, squid, and
other fish into the bay, especially in June and July; observe seabirds and bald eagles, and examine different types of wild flowers.
Stand where French fishermen, as long ago as the1500s, cured their fish on flat beach rocks calling the area Baie de Robert. Walk through foundations of homes, restored rockwalls, family grave yards, and refurbished root cellar on land where English fishermen and later their families lived and worked for almost 400 years.
French’s Cove and Juggler's Cove, with histories going back to the late 1500s and early 1600’s, are calm, sheltered places. French raids by Pierre LeMoyne d'Iberville in 1697 and Jacques Testard de Montigny in 1705 destroyed the communities; however, the English settlers quickly rebuilt.
Juggler's Cove may be considered the birthplace
of Bay Roberts. Occupied in the late 1500's and
settled in the early 1600's, it gets its name from
the dexterity needed (that of a juggler) to navigate
into the cove.
Juggler's Cove
Fergus Island is named after Scottish merchant
John Fergus who carried on a large supply
business in 1812. The island viewed from
French's Cove depicts the image of a
Newfoundland dog at rest.
Fergus Island
Fergus Island
From Juggle's Cove
Grave Yard
Fergus Island
French’s Cove is named after the Edward French
family who claimed land here going back to 1634.
The remains of a fishing settlement are barely
visible to the eye today. Imagine it as it must have
looked 300 years ago.
French's Cove
At Madrock, the many moods
of the true Atlantic coast are experienced including: soft mists, warm
sunlight reflecting on still waters, or full-blown
Atlantic storms with its massive breakers exploding
against the rocks. The reason for the name "mad rock" becomes clear to anyone who experiences the surf pounding
the shore.
