Margaret Bowater Park Trail & Captain James Cook Historical Site

November 9, 2009
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Margaret Bowater Park Walking Trail in Corner Brook, Newfoundland (Canada).

Margaret Bowater Park Walking Trail in Corner Brook, Newfoundland (Canada).

The sun was peaking out from the crisp air this morning, so we decided it was an outdoor kind of day in Corner Brook, Newfoundland.

Yesterday’s morning walk along the Corner Brook Stream Trail was incredibly refreshing, so today’s a.m. jaunt was an introduction to Margaret Bowater Park.

About a two-minute drive from downtown Corner Brook, we pulled off to park at the mouth of the park. The trail starts just after you stroll past the stream and across the bridge.

Of the two trails within the park, we took the short loop, crossing the stream and then heading uphill. The fall colours are bright and the heavily-wooded forests look like they’ve been photoshopped with extra hues.

The trail is a gentle incline and literally follows the huge pipe that snakes through Corner Brook to the pulp mill. Some locals call it the “pipe trail” for just this reason.

Captain James Cook National Historic Site in Corner Brook, Newfoundland (Canada).

Captain James Cook National Historic Site in Corner Brook, Newfoundland (Canada).

Less than an hour later, we are back at the beginning, feeling revitalized and ready to drive to the nearby Captain James Cook National Historic Site.

This Corner Brook attraction overlooks the city, the pulp mill and the Bay of Islands. Info tablets tell the history of Captain James Cook, the first person to survey and record the geography of the Bay of Islands.

The day was clear and bright, so I took some nice photos and got acquainted with the lay of the land here. A local mason constructed a stone boat up here, which is a good spot to take pictures from.

Margaret Bowater Park "Pipe Trail" in Corner Brook, Newfoundland (Canada).

Margaret Bowater Park "Pipe Trail" in Corner Brook, Newfoundland (Canada).

What I Liked:

  • On a sunny day, the landscape surrounding Corner Brook is really beautiful in the rugged way that Newfoundland looks.
  • The fall colours are really gorgeous when looking down on the whole area from above.
  • I love that the city walking trails are so close and are perfect for a morning or afternoon jaunt.


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6 Responses to Margaret Bowater Park Trail & Captain James Cook Historical Site

  1. Jim on November 10, 2009 at 9:34 am

    what is the “pipe trail” what is in the pipe ???

  2. Lori Henry on November 10, 2009 at 9:48 am

    The pipe is massively long and goes throughout the whole city and ends up at the pulp mill, I believe. I’m not sure exactly what it transports, but it’s huge, old and water spews out of it at many points.

  3. Ken on December 24, 2009 at 1:42 am

    Hi, I stumbled on to your blog through Gary Kelly’s blog. I grew up in Pasadena, just a stone’s throw from Corner Brook… I’m looking forward now to reading more about your trip to Newfoundland – I’m not aware of too many travel writers who take the time to look west of St. John’s when they visit NL!

    This pipe is a penstock for a small hydroelectric power station at the bottom of the hill which supplies a small percentage of the power required to run the Corner Brook paper mill. Just water in it, at higher and higher pressures as it gets further downhill…

  4. Lori Henry on December 24, 2009 at 10:17 am

    Thanks for stopping by, Ken. I really appreciate the pipe explanation! I couldn’t get a good answer from anyone while I was there.

    Yes, I stayed out west for almost 2 weeks before heading off for a weekend in St. John’s (which I also loved), but the Corner Brook area is pretty special. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it to Gros Morne, so that’s for next time :)

  5. anne on March 26, 2011 at 7:05 pm

    Hi, my parents are from the tip of the Northern Peninsula. Every year I would drive through Deer Lake and up through the Strait to get to Goose Cove by dark. This past summer I spent 3 nights in the Park and 3 nights in Cartwright, Labrador, 2 nights in Corner Brook. Wow, and I’ve lived in Nl all my life. So glad I got to see this part of my province.

  6. Lori Henry on April 3, 2011 at 11:48 pm

    I think we all forget to explore our own backyards, don’t we?! Glad you’re enjoying’home’!

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