St. Johns 73 km
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ST. JOHN'S - MARINE DR. 73 KM
RWGPS
Start
Weather
CATEGORIZED CLIMBS
| Start | Length | Start | End | Elevation | Avg. | Mountain Name | |
 |
0.0 km | 4.9 km | 18 m | 94 m | 76 m | 1.6% | |
|
6.8 km | 1.6 km | 55 m | 90 m | 35 m | 2.2% | |
|
21.7 km | 2.4 km | 22 m | 101 m | 79 m | 3.3% | |
 |
31.0 km | 9.72 km | 19 m | 183 m | 164 m | 1.7% | |
 |
52.6 km | 8.5 km | 33 m | 158 m | 125 m | 1.5% |
NEWFOUNDLAND CYCLING ROUTE
General Route Information:
- Start Location: Quidi Vidi Lake | St. John's
- Distance: 73 km
- Elevation Gain: 1249 m
- Washrooms: Torbay, Portugal Cove
- Food on Route: Torbay, Portugal Cove
Quick Links:
Emergency Services:
- Health Science Centre
- St. John's (709-777-6300)
- City Wide Taxi
- St. John's (709-722-7777)
- North West Taxi
- St. John's (709-364-1451)
- Newfound Cabs
- St. John's (709-744-4444)
ROUTE DESCRIPTION
The starting location for this route is Quidi Vidi Lake where in the summertime you will witness rowers practicing their sport on the calm waters while runners and walkers do laps around the lake. If you happen to be there at the right time you will be treated to The Royal St. John's Regatta which has been part of St. John's history since the 1700's. As you start your climb out of town follow Logy Bay Rd. which leads straight to Marine Dr., a short distance past the Trans Canada Hwy. Turn right.
Now the fun begins. The road is quiet and tree-lined and will start on a downward path towards the ocean. A short way up the road you will come to a fork, veer left. A quick decent will follow with small glimpses of the ocean over the tree tops. A hard left hand bend is near and then you climb. Just up the road you will come to a "T" intersection. Make sure you follow the signs for Marine Dr.; turn right. Once again you will be treated to a fast decent into Outer Cove with incredible views of the ocean. Get your camera ready as the next 10 km's are both thrilling and hard with jaw dropping scenery everywhere you turn. A good sized climb will take you to the top where a good view of Middle Cove pops out of nowhere. After stopping for the requisite shot you start your thrilling decent into Middle Cove. At the bottom look for a sign for Middle Cove Beach. Stop for a break and wander the large cobbled beach and enjoy the sound of the ocean breaking off the distance cliffs. At some point you'll come to the gripping realization that you have to leave this mythical place and climb out. And climb you will. Near the top of the hill Marine Dr. will turn to the right. Don't miss this turn. About 2 km's up a rolling road and Marine Dr. will come to end. Make on right turn onto Torbay Rd.
Once you turn onto Torbay Rd. you will find yourself in the town of Torbay. This is a good opportunity to get food and drink. The roads here are a bit busy but you will soon be back on quieter roads when you make a right hand turn 3 km's up the road and after a good sized climb out of Torbay onto Windgap Rd. Your time on Windgap Rd. will be familiar by now. It starts off easy, then you descend to the ocean for fantastic views and then you climb back out. Windgap Rd. descends all the way to the shoreline where you will be able to see the geological feature known as Flatrock in the distance. It is as it sounds. A huge flat rock face that falls straight from the bluff above right into the ocean. Flatrock is also a town which you meander through as you climb up and away from the shoreline. Windgap Rd. soon reaches Hwy. 20 (Pouch Cove Hwy.) where you will turn right.
Hwy 20 (Pouch Cove Hwy.) is an unremarkable road that heads to Pouch Cove which is 8 km's to the north once you turn off Windgap Rd. The road is rolling with nothing too difficult to negotiate. Once in Pouch Cove you will have the opportunity to get food and drink for the road ahead. Once you get to the fire station make sure you don't miss the left hand turn onto Pouch Cove Line. You are now entering one of the quieter segments of this route. The road veers away from ocean and climbs for the next 5 km's. The climb is shallow, but it's long. The roads are tree-lined and sometimes of poor quality. At the 38.5 km mark you will come to Bauline Rd. Turn left. Another 4 km up the road turn right onto the Bauline Line Extension.
Bauline Rd. (Extension) will seem less isolated than Pouch Cove Line, but it will be easy cycling towards one of the highlights of the route. Portugal Cove. At the 50 km mark you will come to Portugal Cove Rd. where you will turn right and soon start your descent into Portugal Cove. Once at the bottom you will come to the ferry docks of Bell Island which can be seen isolated and just off shore. In the same parking lot is a small restaurant where you can stop, grab some local fare and enjoy the surrounding area. It is quiet yet somehow busy at the same time with the comings and goings of the ferry traffic. Once you have eaten and drank your fill you will climb out of Portugal Cove and start your journey back to Quidi Vidi Lake. The route back will take you to Old Broad Cove Rd. where you will turn right and then back to Portugal Cove Rd. where you will turn right.
Portugal Cove takes you across the shoreline of Windsor Lake which is flat and easy cycling. Soon you will start descending back to the City of St. John's. Portugal Cove Rd. turns into New Cove Rd. once you pass the Trans Canada Hwy. You will be descending for most of the route down New Cove Rd. where it will lead directly to Quidi Vidi Lake.
