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The Rotary Trail is unique as urban trails go. It starts in commercial surroundings at the Memorial Drive Bridge over the mouth of the Lower Shoal Harbour River where it tumbles over its last fall before reaching the sea.
For the first 10 minutes, the trail hugs the river, skirting residential and recreational areas until you come to a bridge just above the confluence with Dark Hole Brook. Crossing the bridge, you enter aBoreal Forest as remote from civilization as if you were in the middle of the island. From there on, the trail follows the brook mapping out three links of a chain up the valley almost to the Trans Canada Highway. Each link brings you across the brook and connects with the former Newfoundland Railway road bed which forms the other side of the chain.
The successive links offer hikers a variety of routes without having to retrace their steps. The last link spans the brook where it has cut an impressive little gorge in the bedrock. The degree of difficulty is low along both the Lower Shoal Harbour River and Dark Hole Brook. The railway, which is now Newfoundland's portion of the Trans Canada Trail System, is higher up the valley wall but strategically placed steps render the short climb easy.
Nature lovers have a rare opportunity of seeing a variety of wildlife in its natural environment all along the trail despite being so close to human habitation.
This project was initiated by the Rotary Club of Clarenville. |
