Iqaluit to Boston Massachusetts

The Torngat Mountains National Park is situated on the eastern side of Labrador’s northernmost point and features mountains sometimes described as the “Eastern Rocky Mountains”. The park covers an area of 9,700 km2 (over 6,000 mi2) and is dotted with remnants of several cirque glaciers. Saglek Fjord has an outstanding array of geological features and the steep cliffs provide some of the best exposures to the earth’s geologic history. The name of the national park goes back to Torngarsoak, who was believed to control the life of sea animals and took the form of a huge polar bear. Polar bears hunt seals on the ice here in the winter months, and herds of Torngat Mountain and George River caribou migrate to and from their calving grounds in the warmer months. Inuit use the area to hunt, fish and travel throughout the year and many still have a strong spiritual connection to this “Place of Spirits”.

Red Bay gets its name from the red granite cliffs of Labrador’s south coast. Red Bay is a fishing village and home to an important Basque whaling station dating back to the mid-16th to early 18th century. Considered home of the first large-scale whale oil production in the world, Red Bay was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013. It is also an important underwater archaeological site with the discovery of three Basque whaling galleons, four small chalupas (sloops) used in the capture of whales, and a small boat once used to harpoon whales.

Acclaimed for its unearthly landscape Woody Point is probably as close to Mars as you will ever get in this lifetime. Situated on the west coast of the island the Tablelands behind Woody Point in the Gros Morne National Park are composed of peridotite — like much of the surface of Mars — and  NASA the Canadian Space Agency plus others are studying this unique land form searching for insights into possible bacterial life on the red planet. The story of the Tablelands earned Gros Morne its World Heritage Site status from UNESCO in 2010 and the area remains a geological wonder showcasing a time when the continents of Africa and North America collided. When the plates struck 485 million years ago the peridotite was pushed to the surface and remained above sea level. The rock lacks the nutrients to sustain plant life thus giving the Tablelands a barren isolated appearance. As the name suggests the flat topped mountains dwarf the tiny village (population 281!) yet Woody Point has retained its character and the historic houses and buildings dating from 1870 have been beautifully maintained.

Historic yet revolutionary, few places embody the American dream quite as well as Boston - and you’ll feel the strong independent streak, and pride in the founding ideals of freedom and independence wherever you go. Skyscrapers mingle harmoniously with cobbled streets, and every footstep here promises new tales of legend, daring and valour, as you walk through the pages of history and immerse yourself in the stories of one of the USA’s oldest cities. The flashing colours of Fall – a period when the foliage around Boston explodes with blazes of red, orange and purple – attract visitors from across the world, more than compensating for the northerly city’s harsh winters. Green open spaces like Boston Public Garden also decorate the city, offering breathing space, and the chance to enjoy blossom-perfumed sanctuary,as you sit among scampering squirrels and quiet boating lakes. At times, Boston feels like an open-air history museum, and the Freedom Trail links together the city’s many valuable historic sites. It’s no exaggeration to say that the world’s history pivoted significantly on this humble two-and-a-half-mile trail. Wander across incendiary sites like the Boston Massacre Site, and Bunker Hill - where the first shots of the American Revolutionary War were fired, eventually leading to independence from British rule. Fenway Park is the cathedral-like home of Boston’s famous Red Sox, and a must visit for any sports fan. You’ll also find plenty of acclaimed New England seafood to sample, including famous buttery clam chowder. Restaurants in the thriving Seaport District serve up freshly harvested crab and lobster, accompanied by spectacular views of the crashing Atlantic waves.