DRIVES: Brandy, Banff to Jasper

DRIVES

Fogo Island, Newfoundland

Fogo is a wild place of wind-lashed scrubland, forests, fishing villages and remarkably cutting-edge architecture

1-2 hour drive

‘The sea is a living, breathing thing that can take revenge if you don’t give it due respect’

Christa Larwood, Travel JOURNALIST AND PRESENTER

My favourite drive is on the island of Fogo, off the northeastern coast of Newfoundland. It’s reached by ferry from Farewell Harbour, which is appropriate as it feels like you’re departing for a different world – a wild place of wind-lashed scrubland, forests, fishing villages and remarkably cutting-edge architecture. The roads are a joy to drive, but watch out for wandering herds of caribou – they tend not to give way!

The destination is the rocky bay of Joe Batt’s Arm, home to all the contrasts of Fogo, with traditional fishing boats on the water and the spectacular Fogo Island Inn rising on the hillside like a designer spaceship. Four avant-garde artists’ studios, designed by the Inn’s architect, Todd Saunders, also stand in some of the island’s most picturesque settings. From the road, a couple of them can be spotted – the blockish black form of the Long Studio across the water from the Inn, and the twisted, angular shape of the Tower overlooking the coastal sweep of Shoal Bay.

THE 26 KM ROUTE

Catch the ferry from the harbour town of Farewell and enjoy the views on an hour-long trip to Fogo. From the ferry terminal, take the island’s only highway—route 333, aka Fogo Island Road—east through Stag Harbour, northeast via Seldom-Little Seldom and north into the centre of the island. Take a right when you spot The Cod Jigger Diner and head along Route 334 to the settlement of Joe Batt’s Arm. It’s only a 50 km round-trip drive, so it’s possible to do it in a day. But I recommend you stay overnight if you can, as Fogo is a fantastic place to explore at leisure. Google map