Port au Choix sits at the tip of a low, flat peninsula on Newfoundland's Great Northern Peninsula, where the Viking Trail, Route 430, runs along the coast of the Gulf of St Lawrence. It is a working fishing town with colourful houses, stacks of lobster pots and boats drawn up on the shore, and it has a surprising depth of history. The Port au Choix National Historic Site preserves the remains of some of the oldest settlements in the region, with burial grounds used by the Maritime Archaic people about four thousand years ago, and later by Dorset Palaeo-Eskimo groups. The graves contained tools, ornaments and spiritual objects, giving a rare glimpse into a prehistoric culture.
The landscape is stark and beautiful. The peninsula is covered in limestone barrens, where harsh conditions have produced a rare collection of arctic and alpine plants, which bloom in a short burst of colour in early summer. The Point Riche lighthouse stands at the end of the road, with views over the sea, and on a clear day the Labrador coast can be seen across the strait. Seabirds and whales pass offshore, and in spring icebergs sometimes drift past.
For riders, this is a long, rewarding road. Route 430 follows the coast for hundreds of kilometres, with long straights and gentle curves, wide skies and few other vehicles. The surface is generally good, though frost heaves can make the road rough, especially after winter. The great danger is moose. Newfoundland has a huge moose population, and collisions are common, especially at dawn and dusk, so ride cautiously and avoid night riding.
Port au Choix has fuel, a small supermarket and a few places to eat, but services are limited in the evening, and the distances between settlements are long, so fill the tank when you can. Fog and wind are frequent, and the temperature can be cold even in summer. Gros Morne National Park lies to the south, and the Viking settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows lies far to the north. Bring warm clothing and patience, and you will be rewarded.