ABOUT GRATE’S COVE FREE RV PARKING: This was not officially a campground. The little village of Grate’s Cove has five gravel parking spaces set aside by the road to the wharf. There are no reservations; it’s first come, first served. There is a sign at the top of the road that says, “Free RV Parking”. These gravel sites are terraced; there is a view at each one since they are by a road that goes downhill to the wharf where the fishing boats launch.
You can watch the activity at the wharf as the fishing boats come and go. The sites overlook the beautiful Cove which is protected on two sides by cliffs. Water access can be obtained by walking down to the town wharf or by following a boardwalk trail to the rocks below. This trail also leads to an historical display of a fish stage & cook house. At the top of this trail, where the “campground” is located, there is a small Town Park with a deck which overlooks the Harbor. There are chairs, benches, and a picnic table. There is also a wooden structure that acts as the town’s lending library.
Old rock walls built by the original settlers during the 1700’s are found around Grate’s Cove. These rock walls are considered to be a National Landmark. There are trails leading to this area beginning near the top of the hill that surrounds the village.
Whales come in season right into the Cove. (The season is when “the Capelin are running”, usually beginning in July and continuing to sometime in September. Capelin are small silver, herring-like fish that hatch at the beaches in Newfoundland. The Whales feed on them in large numbers, coming close in to the coves and bays to get them.) In the winter, until summer, Icebergs are often seen, and sometimes large Icebergs get stuck in the Cove.
This is a very quiet village; the people are friendly and welcoming. In fact, a fisherman coming back from his day of fishing, stopped by the RV and asked us if we’d like some Cod – just caught. He gave us three large pieces! There is an Artist’s Studio/Restaurant; the menu is limited, but it’s the only place to get food in the village, and everything they serve is very good. The couple that owns the Studio/Restaurant sell their spice rub, their partridgeberry juice, and products made with the seaweed they harvest right from the Cove. (Grate’s Cove Company/7 Fathoms Seaweed Skin Care/the Artist’s Studio & Cafe c/o Courtney Howell: Address is 27 Main Road, Grates Cove, NL A0A 2L0; phone number is (709) 587-3880; the e-mail address is hello@7fathomsseaweedskincare.ca; and the website is at www.7-fathoms.ca.)
This was our second visit to Grates Cove, spending six nights here for free during each visit. There were no hook-ups whatsoever, nor was there access to a dump station or drinking water. No rules & regulations either – stay as long as you want, come & go when you please, and don’t pay for it. There is a box for donations by the deck. We knew there would be no water and no place to dump before we got here. We arrived with a full tank of water & absolutely nothing in the grey and black water tanks. There are two small trash cans at the Park – one for regular trash and one for recycling bottles and cans. You can refill propane tanks and get gasoline in Old Perlican (which also has a grocery store). The internet signal is rarely strong enough to look things up or get a weather forecast. There is no doubt we’d come here again; we’d live here if we could!
Grate’s Cove Free RV Parking: To find this place, go to Grate’s Cove by exiting the Trans Canada Highway 1 at either Exit 28 or Exit 31 (east or west sides of the peninsula) and drive to Old Perlican near the top of the peninsula. Take Route 70 to Route 70-61 and turn onto this road – there is a sign for Grates Cove. Before reaching the end of this road in the village of Grate’s Cove, on the right-hand side, there is a narrow paved road that leads down to the harbor, just before reaching the church on the left-hand side. You will see a sign for free RV parking. Turn down this road and pick a spot. (This is the only paved road that leads to the wharf.)
- 2019 – 06/26-07/02
- 2023 – 06/29-07/05