Enjoying Springdale and King’s Point in Central Newfoundland

by Keith and Heather Nicol

      On our most recent trip to Springdale and King's Point area of Central Newfoundland we stayed at the

luxurious Riverwood Inn (http://www.riverwoodinn.ca/) 

which received the “Accommodator of the Year” award for 2011 from Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador. It has a spectacular setting overlooking the Indian River and has walking trails that start right from its front door. 

View from the deck of Riverwood Inn

     When we asked Tracey Penney, the Inn’s manager, about what to see in the local area she recommended checking out “glassy beach”, the local Springdale hiking trails and King’s Point pottery in King’s Point. “You can get to glassy beach by driving  .8 km on the gravel road at the far end of Springdale. Here is my cell phone number if you have any questions” she told us as we headed out to enjoy the sunny late August day. We easily found the 140 meter long trail from the road to the beach (look for a sign Bowers 136136 at the trail start) and the small beach was covered in hundreds of smoothed, wave washed fragments of broken glass. Amazing!

Glassy beach near Springdale

       From there we headed to the estuary end of the 5.5 km Indian River walking trail where we enjoyed the boardwalk and interpretative signage. Be sure to bring your binoculars to help with bird sitings. We then had lunch at the other end of the trail at the George Huxter Memorial RV and Tent Park where there is a waterfalls and salmon ladder on the Indian River.

The boardwalk trail allows you to see the estuary of the Indian River

After lunch we headed to King’s Point Pottery (http://www.kingspointpottery.com/) where we met Linda Yates and David Hayashida. They produce very beautiful pottery that they sell along with the work of many other artisans in their craft shop.  They even offer pottery lessons which we had signed up for.  “Why not come back around 7:00 pm tonight after we close the shop and you can each make a bowl on the potter’s wheel! In the mean time be sure to check out the Humpback Whale Pavilion, the King’s Point museum and Joshue Toms general store in Rattling Brook.” Linda told us. That gave us plenty to do that afternoon. 

King's Point Pottery has lots of great gift ideas.

The Humpback Whale Pavilion is just up the road from King’s Point Pottery and it opened in 2010. It features a humpback whale skeleton from a whale that was entangled in fishing gear in 2001 near Twillingate. It was then towed to King’s Point where it was cleaned and stored until the pavilion was built. 

The Humpback Whale Pavilion is a must see in King's Point

Joshue Toms General Store in Rattling Brook

 Further up the road is the King’s Point Museum which has also recently been started. Our guide, Justina Morey Hollett told us that the museum was a project of the local heritage society and that the house is over 100 years old. The Joshua Toms general store (complete with pot belly stove) has been run by Dulcie Toms for the last 58 years and she told us that more recently she has added a museum component. There were a steady stream of visitors reminiscing about the dishes, medicines and other items on display.  That evening we had a very interesting pottery session with Linda and David and we can’t wait to receive our dishes in the mail after they have glazed them. 

David helping Heather decorate her bowl