Flamber Head Path

edit_5434Picking up where the La Manche Village Path leaves off (that is, in La Manche Village), the Flamber Head Path, perhaps the one of the more challenging hikes on the ECT, connects the village to the beautiful town of Brigus South via an 11.3 km trail. While its length is comparable to an afternoon hike, it has some significant climbs and descents, and plenty of wet patches, and the access trail and side trails add another 3 km. A true hike.

The trail begins at La Manche Village, after about 1.6 km access trail from a turnaround in La Manche Park. Heading along a rock face to the shore, the trail winds past the concrete and stone foundations of the Village and a quarry that was used for stone in the community. Climbing over the rocks, the trail heads through a wet woods and climbs the hill to the south of the village, offering one last glance back at the picturesque cove. From there, the trail climbs to Herring Cove Point, with a short side trail that leads to a rest stop and a viewpoint.

The trail rises and falls as it skirts Bluff Head Cove, over Bluff Head, and then around Money Cove, where the first view of the spectacular Cape Neddick is visible. A side trail climbs to the top of Cape Neddick, promising a commanding view. Climbing behind Cape Neddick to False Cape, the trail covers very high ground around Big Cove before descending to Gentlemans Head, a point of land at the edge of Freshwater Bay, a large expanse which has at its other end Flamber Head. From Gentlemans Head the protected Quays and Little Comfort Cove are visible, as is the waterfall of the Freshwater River as it enters the bay.

The side trail to Flamber Head is certainly the highlight of the trail, a spectacular climb that offered views of Freshwater Bay on one side and Roaring Cove on the other, with impressive cliffs, a huge sea stack, and deep gulches on all sides. Leaving scenic Roaring Cove after spending the night in my tent on one of the three platforms available, a short side trail provides a look over Jefferies Gulch and back over Roaring Cove. The trail continues up and down, with side trails at High Cliffs and aside Deep Cove providing spectacular views, and winding around Deep Cove itself, a beautiful protected cove where I observed a pair of loons diving for food in the still waters. Continuing to skirt cliffs, spectacular views are available from side trails at Deep Point and Soapy Cove, after which the trail descends close to sea level, passing over the rocky shore and requiring a little climbing before meeting with an old community path and descending into beautiful Brigus South.

Click on any of the pics below to bring up a more detailed view!

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Gerry and Friends Slowly but Surely Hike the East Coast Trail (and occasionally elsewhere)

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