Newfoundland bed and breakfast Kay's Chalet Gazebo.

Now’s the time to start planning your Newfoundland vacation. Newfoundland has many charms and delightful attractions – enough to lure this Torontonian away permanently.

One of these delights is Kay Williams, who runs the Newfoundland Bed And Breakfast Kay’s Chalet B&B.

I met Kay last year as she graciously offered to host us in her cabin for a few nights. The “us” was filmmaker and pilgrim Sue Kenney who was in town for the St. John’s film festival to promote her film “Women Who Walk” that was screening there. Sue and her walking friends were hiking to St. John’s via the East Coast Trail and for 4 days Kay wined and dined us in her gorgeous country cabin. We’re now fast friends and I can’t wait to get back out there for that sing-a-long with Kay and her friend and assistant Jean.

There is plenty of fun to be had for the whole family at this Newfoundland Bed and Breakfast. The lakefront Bed and Breakfast offers a stunningly picturesque view of Hell Hill Pond, which is perfect for swimming and boating in the summer.

Kay’s Chalet Bed & Breakfast and Pond Side Tea Garden is located on the Southern shore of the Avalon peninsula, just 40 minutes south of St. John’s. It’s close to many of Newfoundland’s world famous attractions:

• the famous East Coast Trail which offers superb hiking trails and stunning views.
• the accommodations are close to all the attractions on the famous scenic drive called the “Irish Loop”
• is just 2.2 km. from La Manche Park Entrance.
• minutes away from whale watching and iceberg sitings,
• nature lovers will delight bird watching and in theWitless Bay Ecological Reserve
• sea kayaking, fishing, hiking, snowshoeing for the outdoorsy types
• the area boasts archaelogical digs and historic sites, and picnics at lighthouses,
• golfing, wonderful restaurants. theatres, local crafts and more.

Your stay at Kay’s includes superb accommodation, a delicious authentic Newfoundland breakfast, plus a dinnertime snack of home made regional specialties.

Tucked away in a wooded setting, this log-style cabin is the perfect spot for hikers, honeymooners, or hammock-lovers – indeed anyone who would like to relax and enjoy the warmth and generosity of Newfoundland’s famous hospitality.

Driving the Irish Loop? Stop by for some tea and partridgeberry muffins at the Pond side Garden.

To book your stay call (709) 687-4643 or Email Kay to inquire about the hiker’s package.

More info and photos on the website - Newfoundland Bed And Breakfast

Frozen partridgeberries and squashberries

Berry Picking is a big deal in Newfoundland. I have never heard the words berry picking mentioned as often as I have since I moved to Newfoundland. In fact, the number of times I have heard the words “berry picking” during the months of August and September alone is easily three times the total number of times I have heard them pronounced in my lifetime.

What is even more fascinating is that berry picking is always mentioned here with reverence and total appreciation. Thus I learned that berry picking is regaled in Newfoundland.

Not so in Ontario. The last few times I had heard the phrase in Ontario it was uttered always with a scowl on the face with one hand placed on the lower back – this being due to the pain of being bent over for so long, and the scrubbing time spent trying to  the berry stains out of the kids clothes.

“There were more berries on the kids than there were in the baskets.” That’s what we say in Ontario.

But here, the very mention of the words berry picking lights up people’s faces. Adult faces beam with delight and become all childlike and dewey. It’s quite delightful.

And, as it turns out everyone’s either gone berry picking at least once, or are on their way. A few charmed lucky ones have been gifted a carton of hand-pint or two of blueberries, picked bright and early by some generous morning person.

In fact, even I went berry picking this summer. It turns out this isn’t hard to do at all. All you have to do is go up to Signal Hill where the  wild blueberries grow.

It was a gorgeous summer day the day I decided to skip “the office” and make my way up the hill. A perfect summer day one might say. I had never walked up the hill, and fancying myself not too unfit as I had just got my second degree black belt a few months earlier, I was quite a bit shocked at the searing burning pain in my calves a third of the way up the hill. It was so bad that I had to take frequent “let’s admire the view in order for me to catch my breath and for the pain to subside enough so that I could continue.

It was harder to get rid of the the ego pain that came when a man clearly in his seventies whipped by me, and breezed to the top.

At about the halfway mark up Signal hill, you could start seeing the berry pickers. Some old, some young, a dads with his itsy bitsy daughter holding a bright green pail half her size.

I was letting the calf pain burn off while I was looking at a map of the hill’s trails when a nice couple with a few pints of berries came by. In usual Newfoundland fashion, they struck up a conversation and inquired if I needed some help. I told them no, it would be the first of many walks up there – pant – and that I was just familiarizing myself – wheeze – with the trails before picking a few berries of my own.

They told me that the blueberries were abundant, the partridge berries weren’t ripe yet and to be careful with my footing. It’s a craggy mountain  – that hill is  – and you have to mind where you are going.

Then the mister recounted how once while picking berries on Signal hill he slipped and tumbled about 30 feet before finally coming to a halt. His wife in a panic peered down to where he lay and hollered that he’d  “better not have spilled any of them berries.”

Berries are that big a deal.

Yesterday I finally made it to Bidgood’s in the Goulds. Though not mentioned as often as berry picking, I have heard Bidgood’s mentioned numerous times by various locals – enough times to peak this food lover’s fancy. I also just love the name the Goulds. I just love food, and Bidgood’s is a little treasure.

I skipped the seal flipper pie this time, but did load up on some ridiculously cheap frozen wild berries. Blueberries of course, and then a tub of brightly coloured squash berries.

Um. What do you do with a tub of squashberries? Man those are some tart berries.

Please send recipes.