L'Anse aux Meadows Things to Do Tips by Redlats

Vikings in 1000 AD!

L'anse Aux Meadows has been archeaolgically verified as the first settlement by Europeans. Because of this it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Norwegian Vikings from Greenland built a series of buildings in approximately 1000 AD.

Although it has been verified that it was Europeans that occupied the settlement, they were not there to settle North America. There were there to winter and get supplies. There are no wild grapes in that area (which means they may yet find another settlement much further south that caused them to call America Vinland). What they did was find old-stand lumber (which is now gone), an unlimited supply of fish, and iron to fix their ship.

Address: As far north and west as you can go on the island

Website: http://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/nl/meadows/index_E.asp

Norstead - The replicated Viking trading post

We had not even heard of Norstead before we made it up to L'Anse aux Meadows. We kept seeing all these signs advertising Norstead - A Viking Port of Trade, and wondered what it was and if it had anything to do with the historic Viking site at L'Anse aux Meadows.

As we had no idea what it was, we landed up leaving the area before visiting.

Norstead is an attraction on its own - just opened 4 years ago. According to its website, Norstead replicates a Viking port of trade as it may have looked during the Viking era. They have costumed interpreters, and a rebuilt Viking ship similar to the one that brought the Norse to L'Anse aux Meadows.

The reason I put this tip in here even though we did not go is to make sure that you consider it if you land up at that corner of the world - don't be like us and miss it because you didn't know it was there. (Also, please do not rate this tip, because we did not visit it)

If you are following our Newfoundland holiday, click here to get back to my Newfoundland page.

Directions: 2 km north of L'Anse aux Meadows Historic Site

Website: http://www.vikingtrail.org/norstead.html

Visit the actual town of L'Anse aux Meadows

L'Anse aux Meadows is an actual fishing town in Newfoundland - just a little bit north of the Viking site. After we left the Parks Canada site at 5pm, we drove around the town - a small town of approximately 15 or 20 houses. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of it, so no picture until our next visit, but it is a typical NL fishing village - very picturesque with homes on a rocky shore and fishing boats in the harbour.

As we had not left enough time in NL, we decided not to stay in the area overnight - as such we missed the hikes in the area, Norstead - the attraction that replicates a Norse trading post and St. Anthony with its museum on Sir Wilfred Grenfell. Instead, we ate a Newfoundland-type jig dinner at a restaurant called the Tickle Inn, and started back south to find a B&B closer to Gros Morne.

Viking home reconstruction

The early Norwegians built a settlement that consisted of three sets (perhaps families) of huts (total of 8) covered with a sod roof.

Nearby is also the site of the first North American furnace to smelter ore into iron. They found the furnace - used only once - that was used to smelt local bog ore into 3kg of iron which was then forged into iron nails which were used to fix their ships.

The settlement was used for about ten years before being abandoned by the Vikings. There is no archaeological proof, but there may have been conflicts with the local natives. Regardless, the settlement decayed for almost 1000 years before it was discovered by a Norwegian couple in the 1960's and studies done to verify what was there.

Parks Canada recreated one of the living huts based on what was found in the ground. They also put on demonstrations of how life took place inside the huts. The living huts had long narrow fireplaces in the middle.

Admission in 2004 was Cdn$7 for adults, open from June 1 - mid Oct. (We landed up buying a Parks Canada historic sites pass as we knew we would be visiting a number of Parks Canada sites on our holiday).

Address: L'Anse aux Meadows Historic site

Website: http://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/nl/meadows/index_E.asp