There are lots of mysteries and stories connected to the Isle of Demons or what is believed to be Quirpon Island.
Quirpon Island is a small, deserted island off the extreme northern tip of Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula. It is home to the Lighthouse Inn, with registered historic properties of 1922. This island will produce quite the adventure.
It is likely one of the best hikes on the entire Great Northern Peninsula but is accessible only by boat or helicopter (if you have those kind of resources) as the Lighthouse Inn has its own helipad.
In July of last year, my friend Marilyn organized a local to give us a lift via fishing boat to the island and we worked our way around the island. We must have taken 1000 photos each as there were flowers, birds, coastlines and beautiful valleys, hills and coastlines we just couldn’t miss.
The coastline near Grandmother’s Cove presents a perfect stopping point to hike more than 5 KM to the lighthouse with some spectacular views long the way for various flowers, ponds, valleys, hills, bird and sea life along the way.
From the docking area, after a nice lunch we decided to go up and make our own pathway. It gave us nice views of L’anse au Pigeon and Earl Pigrim’s cabin. It brought back reflections of his book I read, The Curse of the Red Cross Ring. He also wrote about the Isle of Demons and the Ghost of Margaruette.
There were moments when the fog rolled in as thick as peas soup and other moments with the sun splitting the rocks. It made for a perfect day for photos and although we didn’t circumnavigate the entirety of Quirpon Island, it is a place I truly can’t wait to go back and spend another day exploring. If you wait until later in the season, you may even get a few bakeapples.
Getting here is a trip up the Viking Trail (Route 430), turn off at Route 436 to L’anse aux Meadows and just 5 KM before the UNESCO site you can take a 3 KM right turn to Quirpon. It has the sign that says, Welcome to Quirpon – Population 77 (some days). If you don’t make it to the island there are multiple walking trails in the community, such as the Quirpon Lookout, L’anse au Bauld and the trail to Abandoned Fortune.
There is so much to see, do and explore when you reach the Great Northern Peninsula.
Learn more about the Great Northern Peninsula’s more than 80 trails by clicking here.
Live Rural NL –
Christopher Mitchelmore
My father grew up at the lighthouse on Quirpon Island. Many stories that few know about. One year it was rated one of the 5 best remote places to visit in the world.