The Lark Harbour house was built in 1890 by Sam Sheppard, a young fisherman who had moved here from Spaniard's Bay, a fishing village on the east coast of the province. Typical of other fishing houses of the time, the two story, two bedroom home is constructed of local pine, some planks 12 to 18 inches wide. Sam had hand planed many of the beams in the house, and nailed the home together with square nails or homemade wooden dowels. The Lark Harbour house, the oldest standing home in the Bay of Islands, is a peek into Newfoundland's history.
The house is fully furnished. In the living room you will find a sofa bed, a rocking chair and a lovely high backed seat. Sit in the rocker and watch the fishermen go off for their morning catch and maybe see a whale chasing a pod of porpoises. Appliances are brand new and the kitchen is fully stocked - all you need to bring are your groceries, which you can pick up on your way out from Corner Brook or at the local grocery/ liquor/ gas station two minutes from the house.
After a day out on the ocean or hiking on one of our many trails, come back for a long, hot bath or shower. We also have fully equipped laundry facilities on site.
Upstairs, there are two bedrooms and an office. Sit at the office and write as you look out to the sea and mountains. I have spent many hours writing and marking papers from the desk at the window. The house also has wireless internet, free long distance and cable television. Bedroom one has a double bed and bedroom two has a couple of twin beds. You will notice the absolute silence within the house as you drift off to slumber, a comment frequently mentioned by guests.
You will fall asleep to silence and wake up to seagulls in the harbour, a calming and gentle way to arise. Sit at the dining room table as you have your morning coffee or take it outside and sit in one of the Muskoka chairs. Drinking a mug of coffee and watching the ocean is one of my favourite summertime morning rituals. As you are in a fishing community, you can stroll down the road and maybe chat with a fisherman coming in with his daily catch. You may be able to buy yourself some fresh lobster, crab, cod, mackerel, halibut or whatever fish is in season.
Hiking through the Blomidon Mountains is a must. There are many hiking trails throughout the area which are popular with tourists and locals alike. The Blow Me Down Provincial Park has a great walk up to a lookout which enables you to see the entire harbour and is breathtaking.
Once you have worked up an appetite, go to Marlaine's Cafe which has beautiful pastries, soups and sandwiches and a whale watching deck. Captain Cook's Restaurant, also in the area, sometimes offers the local catch of the day in their menu. Choose whether to eat in the restaurant or take your food back to the Lark Harbour House with you and dine, once again looking out at the ocean. Feel up for a bit of socializing? Take a walk down the road to the Drop in Lounge Pub for a pint with the locals or a bite of grub. Top off the night with a fire under the stars or, if you prefer, go inside and snuggle up with a good book in front of the woodstove.
Keywords: two story, house, traditional, historic, cottage, fishing community, restored, fully furnished, fully equipped, two bedroom, sleeps six, gorgeous, beautiful, quaint, Newfoundland, Corner Brook, Lark Harbour, Bay of Islands, west coast, Atlantic Canada, Blomidon Mountains, Bottle Cove, Little Port, Cedar Cove
