Enjoying a Ferryland Picnic on the Irish Loop in Newfoundland

A Ferryland Picnic on the Irish Loop in Newfoundland is an unforgettable lunchtime activity on a trip around the Avalon Peninsula. Not only are the picnic lunches homemade and delicious, but the views from this significant, historical place along the Eastern coastline will stay with you long after you’ve left the magic of Ferryland, Newfoundland.

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It was a cloudless, sunny and warm day driving along the Irish Loop in Newfoundland. After leaving Cape Spear and the Easternmost point of North America, Chris and I headed south to make it in time for our Ferryland picnic.

The premise sounded simple enough: arrive at the lighthouse, and pick up your picnic.

Something I’ve learned about travelling in Newfoundland, though, is that Newfoundlanders aren’t phased by anything. And while mainlanders might expect a cushiony arrival to their destination, Newfoundlanders appreciate there being a little more to the journey. And they know that’s part of the magic of arriving at some of the quietest and more beautiful destinations in this province.

There were, of course, a few more steps to arriving at our Ferryland picnic than we had anticipated:

Park the car at the parking lot before the trail.
Begin walking to the lighthouse.
On the walk, as cars continue to pass you, realize you’ve parked in the wrong parking lot, and the unpaved dirt road straddling the side of a steep cliff to the ocean below can, in fact, be driven on.
Head back to the car.
Bring the car up to the narrow (albeit, beautiful) dirt road that you didn’t think could be driven on.
Drive slowly, and be ready to somehow share this narrow, single lane road on the edge of a cliff with oncoming cars, who will not only graciously share the road with you, but smile and wave as they do so.
Gaze in wonder at how a shoreline like this could ever be carved out of the ocean in such a ragged, rugged and beautiful way.
Finally reach the actual parking lot, at the end of this narrow dirt road.
Park your car.
Walk two kilometers down the even smaller lighthouse road, until you finally reach a destination that is well worth the journey: The Ferryland Lighthouse.

Although I am mildly dramatizing this scenario of Chris and I simply not reading the directions we were given carefully enough, I think this process embodies so much of travel in Newfoundland: the further you’re taken away from where cars can go, the more magic you will find.

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A Brief History of Ferryland

Ferryland sits along the southeastern shores of Newfoundland. Throughout its history, it has been the subject of many international fleets and colonial endeavors. As it quickly became a favourite fishing hub to international ships, the Portuguese called it "Farilham," the French termed it "Forillon," and it later became Anglicized to "Ferryland."

Ferryland was the site of what is now known as the Colony of Avalon, and more broadly now, The Avalon Peninsula. The Colony of Avalon was an English, 100-person colony settled in the late 1400’s because of the area’s abundance of cod. It was fought for over the years by different groups, including the Dutch and New France.

Today, after years of on again-off again fighting over this beautiful plot of land, Ferryland sits as a place renowned for its scenic splendor, historical treasures, and its thriving arts scene.

The Story of the Ferryland Lighthouse

The Lighthouse at Ferryland has served as a guiding light for passing ships for over 150 years.

Like so many lighthouses on this coast, it has been there as a warning of treacherous rocky shores, and has offered solace to sailors navigating the pitch-black night of the Atlantic. While the lighthouse still functions today, it has been automated since 1970, marking a significant shift from its earlier years.

Before it became automated, the lighthouse was operated by the families who lived in the two-family home beside it over the years. The inaugural light keeper was the renowned Newfoundland ship builder, Michael Kearney, with William Costello serving as the first assistant keeper.

The Costello family continued to keep the Ferryland Lighthouse over the next century, right up until it became automatic in 1970.

The lighthouse is important to the owner of Ferryland Lighthouse Picnics, Jill Curran, because her grandmother, Esther Costello (daughter of John Will Costello, lighthouse keeper from 1905 to 1927), was born at the Ferryland Lighthouse.

It’s family connections like these that make local endeavours like Lighthouse Picnics important in so many parts of Newfoundland—these places are deeply rooted in business owners in much the same way as they were for the generations before them. It’s what makes places like the Ferryland Lighthouse so special.

How to Get to Ferryland from St. John’s

It’s easy to get to Ferryland on a road trip around Newfoundland, or at the very least a short road trip from St. John’s.

Ferryland is just over an hour’s drive from St. John’s along the Irish Loop, or Highway 10. It’s a scenic drive that goes along stunning coastal landscapes, especially if you head to Cape Spear first, before heading south.

Watch for signs for the Colony of Avalon, and take the quick left that brings you onto the Ferryland Lighthouse peninsula. Pass the Colony of Avalon, and make your way up to the parking lot at “The Downs”. You can use the map here to help find your way.

If you’d like to carve out a little extra time to visit the Colony of Avalon archaeological site before or after your Ferryland, Newfoundland picnic, then it’s a worthwhile stop, too.

Places to Stay Near Your Ferryland, Newfoundland Picnic

There are a few places I’d recommend staying in and around a trip to Ferryland, and more broadly along the Irish Loop.

If you’re set on staying close to the Ferryland Lighthouse, then your best bet is to stay at a private vacation rental property. I’d recommend this cottage in Burnt Cove, or this home near Cape Broyle.

If you’re interested in extending your trip along the Irish Loop and you’re looking for more warm hospitality along your journey, then The Keeper’s Kitchen Bed & Breakfast in St. Shott’s is a truly lovely place to stay, and their set dinner menus with wine pairings are such a nice way to end a day on the road. Another excellent option on the route is the Edge of the Avalon Inn in Trepassey.

Both of the above options will take you through the beautiful and remote Avalon Wilderness Reserve. It’s worth noting that you should make sure you fill up on gas either before or after getting to this southeastern corner of Newfoundland.

Celebrating Almost Twenty Years of Lighthouse Picnics in Ferryland

Lighthouse Picnics is the local business who has been serving up the picnic experience at the Ferryland Lighthouse for twenty years now. They began running in 2004, after the Ferryland Lighthouse went through some intense renovations to bring it and the building back up to the beautiful condition it’s in today.

While you don’t have to order a Lighthouse Picnic in order to enjoy the magic of the Ferryland Lighthouse and the stunning landscape of this peninsula on the Irish Loop, it is a gratifying part of a long travel day to know that a locally made picnic basket is waiting for you on the other side of this short hike.

They have a rotating Lighthouse Picnics menu, with different options for you to try on each picnic. Your picnic includes your selection of sandwich on freshly baked bread, your choice of salad, a delicious, homemade dessert, a bottle of water and homemade, fresh lemonade. Chris and I were told to get the lemonade, since it’s made in house and very special, and we were not disappointed.

On top of picking up your cute picnic lunch basket with all of your food, you can grab a picnic blanket or two to set up at the perfect spot to enjoy your lunch. There are also some picnic tables near the lighthouse, too.

A hot tip we were given was to take a little time before your picnic is ready to check for whales in the ocean. If you spot a whale, you can see which path they’re taking, and which direction they’re headed. Plan to set up camp for your picnic in the direction the whales are headed.

If you take anything away from reading this article, then it is that you need to order your picnic in advance of your visit to the Ferryland Lighthouse. Ordering your picnic a minimum of 24 hours before your visit is required.

Go to the Lighthouse Picnics website to order your Ferryland picnic, and choose the date and time that makes sense for your trip. Picnics are available from Wednesdays to Sundays throughout the summer months. They also have a pretty active Facebook page, if you’d like to find out more information that way.

Picnic times are typically every hour on the hour, and remember that you’ll need to give yourself some extra time to park your car and walk to the lighthouse.

What You Can Expect on a Visit to the Ferryland Lighthouse

As with any trip to Newfoundland, you should definitely be prepared for any type of weather to come rolling in for a Ferryland picnic. I’d recommend packing a bag with some drinking water, a jacket, a sweater and wearing pants or having layers at the ready in the event that cool weather or fog rolls in.

Regardless of the type of weather that meets you at the end, Ferryland is an excellent place to keep a lookout for whales. Even if the visibility is poor, this is the route whales take as the migrate south along the Eastern coast of Newfoundland.

Chris and I were lucky to see not only one, but two humpback whales during our Ferryland picnic. Not only were the whales coming up for breaths at the surface, but they were breaching and jumping continuously. It looked like a mom and her calf from a distance, but Chris and I are by no means whale experts.

Regardless of how old the humpback whales we saw were, it was an absolutely magical moment to be sitting down, soaking up the sun, sipping on homemade lemonade and eating such a delicious picnic lunch between the Ferryland Lighthouse and the sea.

It feels like every travel moment in Newfoundland is layered with so many opportunities for reflection and appreciation of nature. Our trip to this Ferryland picnic offered exactly that.