Newfoundland 2018 - HF Holidays

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Newfoundland 2018 - HF Holidays
Newfoundland
2018

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Newfoundland 2018 - HF Holidays
Itinerary

The island of Newfoundland, in                    wildlife and walk through the
Canada’s easternmost province of                  impressive UNESCO sites of Gros Morne
Newfoundland and Labrador, is                     National Park and historic L’Anse-aux-
Canada’s fourth largest island. The               Meadows.
province has a reputation for its
                                                  Day 1: Arrival in Deer Lake and on to
friendliness; you’ll soon see why. It has
                                                  Corner Brook
a rich history and a unique culture,
both products of its indigenous and               We arrive in St John’s and fly to Deer
immigrant heritage.                               Lake. Once there, we meet our local
                                                  leader    and      transfer   to   our
Indigenous groups have lived in the               accommodation in Corner Brook,
province for thousands of years;                  where we stay for two nights.
Vikings came in the 11th century and
later Europeans came too. The English             Our accommodation is ideally situated
colony of St John’s is one of the oldest          for walking in and exploring the local
cities in the continent of North                  area of the Humber Valley.
America. The province was under
                                                  Accommodation: Marble Inn Resort (2
British rule until 1949 when it united with
                                                  nights)
Canada.
                                                  Meals included: Dinner
Newfoundland’s shores are dotted
with colourful fishing huts and                   Day 2: Corner Brook
windswept beaches, backed by
                                                  Today we enjoy time hiking in the
soaring mountains, forests and lakes.
                                                  magnificent Bay of Islands and Blow Me
On your journey across this island you
                                                  Down Provincial Park. Both have long
will marvel at glaciers, discover
                                                  been popular destinations for residents
ancient rock formations, delight at the

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Newfoundland 2018 - HF Holidays
and tourists alike, who come to enjoy                •   Glynmill Inn Point Trail – a loop
the natural attractions and historic sites.              trail to visit wetlands with
The beautiful towns of Lark Harbour and                  possibilities of bird sightings
York Harbour are home to breath-                         (1.2miles / 2km, 49 ft /15 m
taking scenery and offer some of the                     ascent/descent).
most scenic hiking trails in the Bay of              •   Three Bear Mountain Trail – enjoy
Islands area.                                            panoramic views of the city, Bay
                                                         of Islands and nearby mountains
                                                         on this loop trail (0.6 miles/1km,
                                                         98 ft/30m ascent/descent).
                                                     •   Corner Brook Gorge Trail – a loop
                                                         trail through woodland offering
                                                         many scenic lookouts. (2.4
                                                         miles/3.9 km, 295 ft/90 m
                                                         ascent/descent, some short but
                                                         steep sections).

                                                  Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch,
This morning we’ll stretch our legs on            Dinner
the James Cook Heritage Trail in the
provincial park. This scenic trail offers         Day 3: Gros Morne National Park –
                                                  Bonne Bay area
stunning views over Lark Harbour and
commemorates the exploration of the               After breakfast we’ll drive to the
area by James Cook. (2 miles/3.2 km,              ruggedly beautiful Gros Morne National
755 ft/230 m ascent/descent). There is a          Park. The area is now a designated
possibility of adding an additional short         UNESCO site in recognition of its
hike to visit Lark Harbour (2.17 miles /          significant geological importance. The
3.5km, 328ft/100m ascent/descent). We             park provides a rare example of the
then explore the Bottle Cove Trail and            process of continental drift, where
visit the Captain Cook monument (1.2              deep ocean crust and the rocks of the
miles/2km, 65ft/20m ascent/descent).              earth’s mantle lie exposed.

We return to Corner Brook, where we
visit the Captain James Cook historic
site for impressive views over the city
and to the Blomidon Mountains. This
afternoon we walk sections of the
Steam Trail in Corner Brook before
returning to our hotel; possibilities
include:

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Newfoundland 2018 - HF Holidays
More recent glacial action here has             Our accommodation in Norris Point is
resulted in some spectacular scenery,           set on the shores of the bay.
with coastal lowland, alpine plateau,           Depending on the weather and time of
fjords, glacial valleys, sheer cliffs,          our arrival, we may be able to take a
waterfalls and many pristine lakes.             short walk on the Burnt Hill trail to give us
                                                a good introduction to the area.
Our first walk today will be in the Bonne
Bay area. One option is the Lookout             Accommodation: Neddies Harbour Inn
trail, which will lead us to one of the         (3 nights)
best panoramic vistas in the park. We’ll
                                                Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch,
climb steadily through forest, emerging
                                                Dinner
from the trees onto a highland plateau
where we will enjoy spectacular views           Day 4: Gros Morne National Park –
of Bonne Bay, Gros Morne Mountain,              Trout River
the Tablelands and the Lookout Hills. (3
                                                Today’s walk takes us to the community
miles/5 km loop, 229-1329 ft/70-405 m
                                                of Trout River. We follow the Trout River
ascent/descent; some sections steep).
                                                Pond trail, where we’ll be greeted by
                                                magnificent views of The Narrows,
                                                where the two ‘ponds’ meet. (14km/9
                                                miles, 160m/500ft ascent/descent). The
                                                scenery will be a superb contrast of
                                                classic glacial valleys with wooded
                                                slopes on one side, and the exposed
                                                bare, red rock of the earth’s mantle on
                                                the other. This is also an area where
                                                caribou can sometimes be found, so
                                                keep a look out.
Alternatively, we will follow the
Tableland trail. The trail follows an old
roadbed as it skirts the base of Gros
Morne Mountain; the evidence of
continental drift is abundant. (2.5
miles/4 km, negligible ascent). If time
allows, we’ll do both trails.

After lunch at Woody Point we’ll travel
to Norris Point, our base for the next
three nights. Depending on the time of
year, we have the option to cross the
beautiful Bonne Bay by ferry to reach
Norris Point ($8.00 pp, payable locally).       Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch,
                                                Dinner

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Newfoundland 2018 - HF Holidays
Day 5: Gros Morne National Park                and in alpine areas; frost and wind nip
                                               back the trees’ exposed branches,
Today we head to a location that
                                               giving them their wind-swept profile.
needs little introduction, as it is the
scene you will see on any picture of the       The last section of the trail runs over
national park: a beautiful fjord backed        coastal bog and through tuckamore
by the cliffs and grandeur of the Long         forest until it reaches the beach just
Range Mountains.                               before Bakers Brook. There is a wide
                                               variety of plant and animal life along
                                               the trail; you might even be lucky
                                               enough to come upon a moose
                                               grazing on new shoots.

We stop at Green Point for a walk
along the old winter mail road, a
coastal route between Baker’s Brook
and Green Point (3km/1.9 miles, little
ascent).                                       We then follow the Western Brook Pond
                                               trail to the pond’s shores (6.5km/4 miles,
The trail once connected two small
                                               little ascent). Western Brook Pond is in
fishing communities and takes you by
                                               fact a long, narrow land-locked fjord
cobble beaches and through short but
                                               carved by glaciers during the Ice Age.
dense coastal forests, known locally as
                                               The sheer cliffs can reach a height of
‘tuckamore’.
                                               2133 ft/650 m, and plunge 541ft/165 m
                                               below the water.

                                               The trail crosses coastal bogs and low
                                               forested limestone ridges over gentle
                                               terrain and boardwalks. The views to
                                               the pond are spectacular and are
                                               worth the hike. If time allows, we may
                                               also have the option of enjoying a two-
                                               hour boat tour on the fjord ($70.00 pp,
                                               payable locally).

This is a Newfoundland word for the            Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch,
stunted trees that grow along the coast        Dinner

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Newfoundland 2018 - HF Holidays
Day 6: Gros Morne National Park to St            Day 7: St. Anthony
Anthony

We travel north through the Great
Northern Peninsula to St. Anthony. This is
a long journey, but we break this up
with a couple of stops along the coast,
overlooking the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

We’ll hike along the River of Ponds
hiking trail, which runs along one of the
greatest salmon rivers in Newfoundland
(1.9 miles/3 km, negligible ascent). We          The town of St. Anthony has a long
continue to Bird Cove and the Dog                history of European settlement, dating
Peninsula, where we’ll visit the 50              back to the early 16th century. It is now
Centuries Interpretation Centre and              a popular destination to visit nearby
walk along nearby trails. Bird Cove              historic sites or to see natural attractions
offers an incredible and unforgettable           such as whales or icebergs. The well-
experience. For over 500 years, the Bird         known ‘Iceberg Alley’, which stretches
Cove area has provided rich resources            from the coast of Labrador to the
from the land and sea for a diverse              southeast cost of the island of
range of people. Prehistoric and historic        Newfoundland, is one of the best
occupants came to utilize the areas’             places in the world to see these glacial
diverse       and    natural   resources.        giants. Many have come from the
Archaeological digs have shed light on           glaciers of western Greenland; others
the various people and their way of life.        from glaciers in Canada’s Arctic.
While hiking along the trails and
shorelines of the Dog Peninsula, you
may well find archaeological artefacts
left behind by early European settlers.

We continue to St. Anthony, arriving in
the late afternoon at our centrally
located     accommodation        which
overlooks the harbour.

Accommodation: Hotel North, St.
Anthony (3 nights)                               Today’s walk possibilities start from
                                                 Fishing Point Park. This area is the place
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch,
                                                 for walkers in St. Anthony – locals and
Dinner
                                                 tourists alike – and offer opportunities
                                                 for spotting whales and icebergs:

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Newfoundland 2018 - HF Holidays
•   Santana Trail – this trail includes        This afternoon, enjoy time at leisure to
    over 450 steps but the view of the         discover the town of St. Anthony further
    Newfoundland          coast      and       –    perhaps    explore    more     trails
    Atlantic Ocean from the top is             independently, visit a museum or spend
    both mesmerizing and worth the             more time looking for whales and
    effort. (0.6 miles/1 km, 262 ft/80 m       icebergs.
    ascent/descent but with many
                                               Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
    steps involved).
•   Cartier View Trail – leads to a            Day 8: L’Anse-aux-Meadows
    look-out over the harbour and
                                               Today we travel along the northern
    the surrounding cliffs. The view is
                                               section of the Viking Trail to the historic
    particularly beautiful at sunset, so
                                               site of L’Anse-aux-Meadows, where Leif
    you may wish to return later in
                                               Eriksson and his crew are believed to
    the day. (0.4 miles/0.6 km,
                                               have landed. Re-discovered in 1960, it
    negligible ascent).
                                               is currently the only certain site of a
•   Iceberg Alley Trail – a boardwalk
                                               Norse or Viking settlement in North
    trail starting at the lighthouse,
                                               America; it was named a UNESCO
    which affords great views of the
                                               World Heritage Site in 1978.
    passing icebergs (in season – late
    spring and early summer). (0.5             Located on the northernmost tip of the
    miles/0.8 km, negligible ascent).          island, its current name comes from the
•   Whale Watchers Trail – another             French L’Anse-aux-Méduses, which
    boardwalk trail which leads to an          translates as ‘Jellyfish Cove’. It dates to
    amazing lookout point over the             c. 1000 CE; hence the strong
    Atlantic Ocean – and, during the           connection to Leif Eriksson, who came
    whale season, of the passing               to the area around this time – as
    giants of the ocean. (0.5                  described in Old Norse sagas – and
    miles/0.8 km, 32 ft/10 m                   attempted to establish the colony of
    ascent/descent        with     some        Vinland in the region.
    steps).
                                               We’ll visit the historic site before walking
                                               to the nearby Norstead Viking Village.
                                               Depending on which trail we take, we
                                               may have the opportunity to climb a
                                               small hill which affords us panoramic
                                               views of our surroundings. (1.2-1.5
                                               miles/2-2.5 km, negligible ascent.)

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Newfoundland 2018 - HF Holidays
Depending on our arrival time in Deer
                                                Lake, there is also the possibility of a
                                                walk along the lake itself.

                                                Accommodation: Holiday Inn Express,
                                                Deer Lake (1 night)

                                                Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch,
                                                Dinner

                                                Day 10: Deer Lake to Clarenville

On our return to St. Anthony there is the       We begin to make our way south today
additional possibility of a short hiking        towards St. John’s, stopping overnight
trail, depending on how long we spend           in Clarenville. Today’s journey is another
exploring the Viking sites.                     long one, but we stop en-route to
                                                stretch our legs on the Alexander
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch,               Murray Trail (5.5 miles/9km, 1,100ft/340m
Dinner                                          ascent/descent).

Day 9: St. Anthony to Deer Lake

We return south, via the Viking Trail, to
Deer Lake. Along the way, we’ll stop to
enjoy a hike at one of two locations:

Farm Trail at Roddickton – a delightful
loop trail with lots of opportunities for
spotting wildlife whilst enjoying the
ocean breeze and fantastic views of
the Pinnacle mountain (3.1 miles/5 km,
157 ft/48 m ascent/descent).                    This is quite a tough trail, with lots of
                                                steps, but the views from the ridgeline
John Hogan Trail at Hawke’s Bay –               and the summit make it absolutely
Starting at a nature park, this                 worth the effort! There are breath-
boardwalk trail meanders along the              taking views from the top of Green Bay
Torrent River, leading us to the Torrent        and the Gaff Topsails, and along the
River Salmon Interpretation Centre              way we’ll pass pristine waterfalls and a
where we can spot Atlantic salmon as            600 ft/182 m deep gorge.
they migrate to their spawning grounds.
(3.7 miles/6 km, 148 ft/45 m
ascent/descent, generally easy.)

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Newfoundland 2018 - HF Holidays
(Depending on where the hike
                                                    commences, up to 2.9 miles/4.7 km,
                                                    246 ft/75 m ascent/descent.)

Continuing our journey to Clarenville,              Accommodation: Clarenville Inn (1
where we arrive in the late afternoon,              night)
we travel through the Terra Nova
                                                    Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch,
National Park. This is the island’s oldest
                                                    Dinner
national park (established 1957) and
includes a diverse range of rugged                  Day 11: Clarenville to St. John’s
landscapes: from cliffs and exposed
                                                    We travel to St. John’s in the morning,
headlands to sheltered inlets and coves
                                                    arriving in time to have lunch at our
along the coast; to forests, bogs, rocky
                                                    leisure in the city. This is Newfoundland
outcrops and wetlands in the inland
                                                    and Labrador’s capital city; it is also the
areas.
                                                    province’s largest city, and a busy
There is the possibility of including a             commercial port.
short hike in the park; the possibilities
here will be easier than the morning’s
hike. We may follow the Campground
Trail, which is great for wildlife sightings,
including moose and bald eagles. (1.86
miles/3    km     loop,    39     ft/12    m
ascent/descent).

Another possibility is the Coastal Trail,
which snakes along the inner reaches
of Newman Sound. It dips in and out
                                                    St. John’s is one of North America’s
between mature boreal forest and
                                                    oldest European settlements: fishermen
shorelines, passing Pissamare Falls, and
                                                    established seasonal camps here in the
offers good opportunities for spotting
                                                    early 16th century, but it wasn’t until the
shore birds, bald eagles and ospreys.

                                                9
Newfoundland 2018 - HF Holidays
1630s that a permanent community                  1.2-1.5 miles/2.5-5     km,    negligible
was established. It has also gone down            ascent/descent).
in history as the city where Guglielmo
                                                  As we continue our journey to St.
Marconi received the first transatlantic
                                                  John’s, there may be time for a short
wireless signal, in December 1901.
                                                  detour to visit the Cape Spear
This afternoon we’ll enjoy hiking in the          Lighthouse, the most eastern point in
Conception Bay area, where we have                North America (if time does not allow, it
two walk possibilities. The Topsail Bluff         is also possible for us to include this on
Trail, which forms part of the East Coast         our final day).
Trail, climbs steadily up to Topsail
Mountain and along the bluff for
excellent views of the surrounding area.
(1.86 miles/3 km, 656 ft/200 m
ascent/descent.)

Alternatively, we can follow the
Manuel’s River Trail with a local park
guide. The site is one of scientific and
historic significance, due to the
presence      of   exceptionally     well-
preserved fossils.                                We spend two nights in St. John’s: our
                                                  hotel is well located in the downtown
                                                  area, offering great access to the
                                                  harbour and city centre.

                                                  Accommodation: Delta Hotel &
                                                  Conference Centre, St. John’s (2 nights)
                                                  for guests on May & July departures

                                                  Please note, for the September
                                                  departure we are likely to stay in the
                                                  Quality Hotel Harbourview, St. John’s
Our guide will tell us about the river            instead of the Delta Hotel &
valley’s significance as well as more             Conference Centre.
about its history, geology and flora and
                                                  Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
fauna. We have time to take either the
Upstream or Downstream Trail; there               Day 12: St. John’s and surroundings
may, however, be time to explore the
                                                  Today is spent in the Avalon Peninsula,
other section without the guide.
                                                  before returning to St. John’s in the late
(Depending on which section we walk,
                                                  afternoon and our final night in the city.

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We travel to Tor’s Cove; from here we
follow the La Manche village path
(another section of the East Coast Trail)
to the abandoned village of La
Manche. This is a very popular route
along the Witless Bay Ecological
Reserve, which supports colonies of
seabirds, notably puffins. Whales can
often be spotted, too.

                                                 Alternatively, walk with our guide along
                                                 the Mickeleens Path to Witless Bay. The
                                                 trail takes us through peaceful
                                                 woodlands, lush sea meadows and has
                                                 spectacular views from cliff-edge
                                                 vantage points to the ecological
                                                 reserve, coastal geology and the
                                                 ocean. (4.5 miles/7.3 km, 2360 ft/110 m
                                                 ascent/descent).

We’ll cross a suspension bridge to
reach the village; we’ll enjoy a picnic
lunch on the shore nearby. (3.8
miles/6.1    km,    115      ft/35   m
ascent/descent).

We then journey towards Bay Bulls,
where we have two options for the
afternoon’s       activities.   Wildlife
enthusiasts will love the puffins and
whales boat tour (1½ hours, $69 pp,
payable locally – book with local guide          Please note, for the September
in advance).                                     departure the boat tour is in the
                                                 morning only; your local guide will
                                                 reverse the day’s activities to enable
                                                 you and your fellow guests to enjoy this
                                                 incredible experience.

                                                 Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

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Day 13: St. John’s and journey home

We have time to discover the colourful
history and culture of charming St.
John’s before our night flight home.
Enjoy a leisurely morning before
checking out of your room at 11am;
there will be somewhere for you to store
your luggage for the day.

An afternoon walking tour of the
downtown core with our guide will take
us past the brightly painted fishermen’s
houses, the bustling harbour and on to
Signal Hill for spectacular views over the
city. We’ll return via the North Head
trail, leaving time for you to explore the
town on your own. Alternatively, you
can opt out of the day’s activities and
use the time to explore independently
or relax at your leisure. If we did not visit
Cape Spear on our arrival to St. John’s,
we may have time to visit today – either
late morning or immediately after our
walking tour in the city.

Our guide may suggest a meeting
point for a final meal (own cost) before
we return to the hotel and transfer to
the airport for our night flight home.

Meals included: Breakfast

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restaurant offers locally sourced food
        Accommodation
                                                    with an international twist.
Stay in comfortable 3 and 4-star hotels
and welcoming inns in city centre and
stunning coastal/rural locations.

On arrival in Newfoundland we will
stay at Marble Inn Resort for 2 nights.
You’ll    find   real     Newfoundland
hospitality here at this 4-star plus resort,
located on the banks of the River
Humber. Bedrooms are comfortable
there is an onsite leisure facility with
                                                    www.theinn.ca
indoor swimming pool, steam room
and sauna. Note; twin rooms here                    We continue to St. Anthony where we
consist of one queen bed and a single               will stay at Hotel North for 3 nights. This
pull out bed.                                       hotel is centrally located with
                                                    convenient access to the nearby
                                                    shopping mall and looking out on the
                                                    harbour. WiFi is available and rooms
                                                    have been recently refurbished, with
                                                    coffee maker, hairdryer.

www.marbleinn.com

Neddies Harbour inn is ideally situated
in the heart of the Gros Morne
National Park, providing a great
location for our 3-night stay. This
                                                    www.hotelnorth.ca
award-winning boutique hotel offers
first class service with tremendous                 We spend 1 night at the Holiday Inn
views of Bonne Bay fjord and the Gros               Express. This hotel features an indoor
Morne Tablelands. Bedrooms are                      pool and hot tub. Bedrooms are
tastefully designed, free WiFi is                   comfortable with coffee maker,
available, and there is a sauna, hot                hairdryer and free WiFi.
tub and fitness room. The Black Spruce

                                               13
tub. Rooms will be available for late
                                                check out on the final day of the
                                                holiday.

www.ihg.com

The Clarenville Inn is a 4-star rated
motel style inn located by Trinity Bay.
                                                www.marriott.co.uk/
Rooms are with 2 queen or 1 king-sized
bed, and come with en-suite facilities,         It may be necessary for the September
free WiFi, air-conditioning, coffee             departure to stay at the Quality Hotel
maker, TV, hairdryer. There is an onsite        Harbourview in St. John’s, owing to a
restaurant, and an outdoor heated               city-wide convention taking place at
pool and hot tub.                               this time. The hotel offers comfortable
                                                and simply decorated rooms in the
                                                heart of the historic downtown area;
                                                it’s close to the harbour, shopping
                                                districts and art galleries. There is an
                                                onsite fitness centre, laundry facilities,
                                                free WiFi and all rooms have a coffee
                                                maker, hairdryer and TV.

                                                www.stjohnsqualityhotel.com/

www.clarenvilleinn.ca

Conveniently located in downtown St
John’s, the 4-star Delta Hotel &
Conference Centre provides great
access to the harbour and the city
centre. Floor to ceiling windows offer
views over the harbour or the city; the
en-suite bedrooms have free WiFi, TV
and tea/coffee machine. There is a
fitness centre, an indoor pool and hot-

                                           14
•   Walking boots – (worn in) with
    Before your holiday                               good ankle support and spare
                                                      bootlaces
We hope you find this information
                                                  •   Walking socks
comprehensive – if not please visit our
                                                  •   Walking sandals
website for more details or contact us.
                                                  •   Lightweight fleece
                                                  •   Lightweight waterproof trousers
All details correct at time of writing
                                                      and jacket
(January 2018). Passport and visa
                                                  •   Shorts and/or Long trousers
requirements are subject to change;
                                                  •   Warm fleece, hat and gloves
please check with your consulate
                                                  •   Sun hat
before you travel.
                                                  •   Scarf/buff
                                                  •   Comfortable clothes and shoes
We would advise that you check your
                                                      for evenings and sightseeing
government’s travel advisory before
                                                  •   Sun protection – sunglasses, high
travelling. For UK travellers, please
                                                      factor sunscreen and lip
check www.fco.gov.uk
                                                      protection
                                                  •   Water bottle – at least 2 litre
In all instances during your holiday,
                                                      capacity
your first point of contact should be
                                                  •   Lightweight survival bag
your HF Holidays’ leader or local
                                                  •   Small/medium rucksack (30 litre)
leader. If for any reason this is not
                                                      – a bin liner will keep contents
possible, HF Holidays’ emergency
                                                      dry if it rains
contact details are as follows:
                                                  •   Soap and hand sanitizer gel
                                                  •   Insect repellent
Mon - Fri 9am - 7pm
                                                  •   Universal adaptor plug
Tel +44 (0)345 470 7558
                                                  •   Personal first aid kit including:
or +44(0)20 8732 1250 (from overseas)
                                                      personal medication, tissues,
Fri - Mon 7pm - 9am
                                                      plasters, blister kit, painkillers,
Tel +44 (0)7918 737777
                                                      antiseptic wipes, Imodium,
Airport parking and accommodation                     rehydration sachets
                                                  •   Passport (and copies); booking
If you require airport                                confirmation; insurance cover
parking or                                            note; HF Holidays’ registration
accommodation                                         form
before your flight, we                         Optional: trekking poles, camera,
recommend our partner Holiday                  umbrella, binoculars.
Extras. Call 0871 360 2750 and quote
HX031 or book online at                        Please ensure you have access to
www.holidayextras.co.uk/hfholidays             emergency funds should you need
                                               them; carrying a credit card is
                 Kit List                      probably   the  most  convenient
                                               method.
Please try to keep luggage to a
minimum as you will need to carry it           Please note that your HF Holidays’
yourself at airports and between your          leader reserves the right to refuse to
transport and your hotel.                      take any guest on a walk should they

                                          15
consider that a lack of suitable                consult your doctor before travelling.
clothing/footwear may affect safety.            For further information on country
                                                specific advice, visit
          Baggage allowance
                                                www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk or
1 piece checked-in luggage (max                 www.traveldoctor.co.uk
23kg).
                                                Canadian medical services are
Please check details of your airline’s
                                                excellent but can be expensive and in
baggage allowance, as shown on
                                                some areas surcharges are imposed
your e-ticket. Remember to also check
                                                for visitors. Medical insurance is
any connecting flights you may have
                                                therefore essential.
booked.

            Passports & visas                            Dietary requirements

A full passport is required.                    Please contact us as far in advance as
                                                possible if you have any specific
All British citizens, and those from            dietary requirements. We will do our
Australia and New Zealand, will need            best to accommodate you. If you
to present an ETA (electronic travel            require a specific meal on the flight,
authorisation) to board your flight. The        please let us know as soon as possible,
cost is approx. £3.50 and covers you            and no later than 96 hours before
for 5 years. You will need to apply in          travel.
advance.
                                                  Travel tips for a comfortable flight
Please see                                      We’ve put together a few simple tips
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/ind          to help make your flight as
ex.asp for more information.                    comfortable as possible, ensuring you
                                                begin your holiday in tip-top shape.
If you are a dual Canadian-British
national, you are advised to travel                •   Move about. Change position
with your Canadian passport. Other                     and avoid crossing your legs.
nationals should check with their                      Immobility poses the greatest risk
nearest    Canadian    embassy    or                   in the development of clotting
consulate   for  details  of   entry                   disorders. Get out of your seat
requirements.                                          and walk around as regularly as
                                                       possible to improve circulation
            Travel insurance                       •   No pills. Unless advised by your
                                                       doctor, do not take sleeping
If arranging your own travel insurance,                tablets on the flight; this will
please ensure it is adequate for your                  reduce your mobility and make
specific itinerary. This should cover                  you feel sluggish
walking at altitudes over 2,000m.                  •   Protect your ears. If you
                                                       experience discomfort due to
             Health advice                             the cabin pressure changes,
                                                       suck a sweet, chew, or hold
This is subject to change and we
                                                       your nostrils and gently blow
would highly recommend that you
                                                       through your nose; this should

                                           16
equalise the pressure. If you still        your destination. Your leader or local
        experience problems, speak to              leader will assemble the group in the
        a member of the cabin crew                 arrivals hall. Look out for the
   •    Drink plenty. Ask a member of              HF Holidays’ sign.
        the cabin crew if you are thirsty.
        Avoid alcohol, tea, coffee or                       Independent travellers
        carbonated drinks as these will            If you are arriving ahead of the group,
        dehydrate you. Try to drink                and are meeting them at the first
        plenty of fruit juices or water            hotel, please leave a message at the
   •    Eat light. Avoid heavy meals               hotel reception for the HF Holidays’
        and foods – air expands at                 leader or local leader, detailing your
        altitude and heavy meals will              room     number,      and     a    mobile
        result in that bloated feeling             telephone number if possible. The
   •    Moisturise. Your skin may feel dry         leader will contact you once the
        so moisturising may help. If you           group arrives. If you are arriving after
        wear contact lenses, carry your            the group, a message will be left for
        glasses with you, as your eyes             you at the hotel reception, welcoming
        may feel dryer than usual                  you and giving details of the time and
   •    Wear loose fitting, comfortable            place to meet the group. If your flight
        shoes and clothes                          arrives before the group flight and you
   •    Flight socks are recommended               would like to join the transfer to the first
        to help prevent DVT on long-               hotel, please contact our Abroad
        haul flights                               Administration team on (0)20 8732
         Lost/damaged luggage                      1271. They will have a list of the
                                                   relevant transfer costs.
If your bag or its contents are
damaged or lost while in the airline’s                      Safety on your holiday
care, this should be reported to the               Once you have made your booking,
baggage service agents at the                      you will receive a pre-holiday
airport. They will assess the damage               questionnaire where we ask for details
and in some cases the airline may                  of next of kin, and insurance details.
decide     to    settle   your  claim              We need to have this from you at least
immediately. You will be given a                   4 weeks before travel.
reference to quote to your insurance
company if settlement cannot be                    Please also inform us of any medical
reached. In many cases baggage                     situation which may affect your
claims can only be accepted in                     enjoyment of the holiday
writing. A baggage claim form must
be obtained from the airport.                         •   Please listen to any safety
                                                          instructions from the leader
       HF Holidays’ with-flight guests                •   Keep group members in view,
                                                          especially if weather or visibility
For those travelling on our HF Holidays’                  is poor
group flight, please proceed to the                   •   If you become separated from
arrivals hall once you have passed                        the group, stay where you are,
through passport control, customs and                     the leader will retrace their steps
baggage reclaim, when you arrive at                       to find you

                                              17
•    Each leader carries a first aid kit                       Electricity
        but is not allowed to supply any
        medication including aspirin,              120V, 2 or 3 flat pin plugs
        paracetamol, antihistamines,
        and antiseptic cream. You may                          Time difference
        wish to bring these yourself               GMT/UTC -2.5hrs, 3.5hrs in British
In the unlikely event that your leader is          Summer Time
incapacitated,     please    use    any                        Liability waivers
emergency kit in their rucksack and
call emergency services on 911.                    Companies operating outdoor or
Please then call our emergency                     adventure activities in the USA now
number (p. 15).                                    commonly require their clients to sign
                  Tipping                          a     liability  waiver    form     before
                                                   participating in the activity. These
Tips have been included in your                    forms have been introduced by
holiday price for key services such as             American insurance companies as a
local guides/driver/restaurants. Any               means of offering protection against
additional tips are at your own                    ‘frivolous’ or ‘opportunistic’ legal
discretion.                                        claims. During your holiday you may
                                                   be asked to complete a liability form
                  Climate                          with your name, address and
                                                   signature. This form indicates that by
The region experiences a humid                     signing it you are waiving your rights to
continental climate with four distinct             pursue legal action against our
seasons. The summers are humid and                 agents, in the event of personal injury
range from warm to hot. Cold fronts                or loss. However, as all the activities
can bring crisp, windy weather in the              included in your itinerary are part of a
early and later parts of summer.                   pre-arranged holiday, booked and
                                                   paid for in the UK, this waiver form has
   Local currency & money matters
                                                   no legal weight whatsoever.
                                                   Your holiday contract is with HF
The local currency in Canada is the
                                                   Holidays and as stated in our Booking
Canadian Dollar. Credit cards are
                                                   Conditions, is therefore governed by
widely accepted. Travellers Cheques
                                                   UK law. We must ask you to sign the
are not advised.
                                                   waiver forms presented to you by our
                                                   agents, as not doing so could
       Suggested reading and maps
                                                   effectively     invalidate    other    key
Moon Travel Newfoundland &                         aspects of the insurance cover they
Labrador, Andrew Hempstead, 2017                   hold. But please be reassured that in
                                                   the unlikely event that you had cause
Maps can be obtained in advance                    to make a claim for negligence arising
from The Mapshop                                   from your holiday, your signing of
www.themapshop.co.uk                               these waiver forms would in no way
                                                   undermine or alter your legal rights.

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