Newfoundland History

Skurwink Trail

Trinity East, Newfoundland

The Skurwink trail is one of the most spectacular found in Newfoundland. An important outdoors magazine has declared it to be one of the ten best trails in the world.

The trail is circuitous and winds it way around a peninsula off Trinity East. The trail is over five kilometers long and follows the contours of the rugged sea. High on the cliffs, the visitor has a breathtaking view of the Northern Atlantic with a high probability that whales will be seen. On the day that I visited it, in August 2004, caplin was "rolling" (spawning) in the small cove of this picture. The dark "blotches" along the seashore are schools of the caplin. When they are spawning close to the seashore, many of them end up beached helplessly. Once upon a time, there were huge schools of caplin in Newfoundland. These have mostly come to pass, contributing to the decline of the cod fishery.

On the caplin (or capelin) further information will be found at this site; alternatively, here as well.

 

View from the Skurwink trail, Trinity, Newfoundland

Photo courtesy of Thomas Gollnik (Berlin, Germany)