Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Pastel de nata
Portugal • 8 days, 7 nights
Portugal: A Culinary Adventure from Porto to Lisbon
from
Italy • 9 days, 8 nights
Flavors of Italy: Roman Carbonara, Florentine Steak & Venetian Cocktails
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The wall commemorating 11,908 Jewish victims of the Shoah from Frankfurt.
Börneplatz Memorial
Entrance to the munitions area of the lower part of the bunker
Simserhof
Carlos Calderón Yruegas calls the villa his personal playground.
Villa Tabaiba
Apples and pears, Spitalfields Market.
Brick Lane Roundels
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The sign declares this the number-one gumbo shop in town.
Gumbo Hut Shioya
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
The exterior of the Hall of Records.
Atlas Obscura Mailbag: Urban Exploration, Illegal Carvings, and Repeat Vacations
1 day ago
Biosphere 2 campus (2016)
Biosphere 2: How Volunteers Survived for 2 Years in an Airtight Habitat
2 days ago
Places like Forest Grove linger on the edge of wilderness and civilization.
Listening for Echoes of the Forest Grove Sound
2 days ago
Longwood House, where Napoleon Bonaparte spent his final years.
The Longwood House: Napoleon Bonaparte’s Beautiful Prison
3 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Canada Newfoundland and Labrador Grates Cove Walled Landscape of Grates Cove

Walled Landscape of Grates Cove

The stone barriers in this historic fishing village were once used for farming and gardening.

Grates Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador

Added By
Gina Buonaguro
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Grates Cove Rock Walls.   Michelle Gilders/Alamy
Grates Cove Rock Walls.   Michelle Gilders/Alamy
The stone fences of Grates Cove.   Gina Buonaguro / Atlas Obscura User
Grates Cove in the distance.   Gina Buonaguro / Atlas Obscura User
The John Cabot marker.   Gina Buonaguro / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Stone walls wind across this North Atlantic landscape, sprawling over 150 acres of rocky, windswept earth. Designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1995, the Walled Landscape of Grates Cove is what remains of a unique communal land system found in Newfoundland.

Though Grates Cove was historically a fishing village, the local people used these rocky barriers for gardening and farming in between their maritime endeavors. Today, visitors can spend an afternoon hiking through a well-marked trail system and enjoying the lonely vistas. 

With 174 people and three cows, Grates Cove is just a two-hour drive from St. John's, the capital of Newfoundland, yet feels like the ends of the earth. Perched on a bluff above its namesake Atlantic Ocean cove, where on occasion whales gather to feed and sometimes an iceberg lodges, the village is the northernmost point of the Avalon Peninsula and attracts only the most intrepid travelers.

Grates Cove also contains a marker where Italian explorer John Cabot supposedly set foot in 1497 as well as one B&B and one restaurant, both run by an artist couple who also lead foraging expeditions, teach cooking classes, and make a face and body lotion with seaweed they harvest themselves.

Related Tags

Villages Walls Fences Trails

Know Before You Go

Beware of driving in the dark or fog due to possible encounters with moose. Best to call the restaurant, Grates Cove Studio, ahead of time to ensure it is open when you want to eat, or bring a picnic and enjoy it on the trail.

Community Contributors

Added By

Gina Buonaguro

Edited By

Kerry Wolfe

  • Kerry Wolfe

Published

July 18, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/dfhd/page_nhs_eng.aspx?id=862
Walled Landscape of Grates Cove
Grates Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador, A0A 2L0
Canada
48.167464, -52.93935
Visit Website

Nearby Places

Trinity Loop

Charleston, Newfoundland and Labrador

miles away

Root Cellars of Elliston

Elliston, Newfoundland and Labrador

miles away

Bell Island Mine Museum

Bell Island, Newfoundland and Labrador

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador

Canada

Places 31
Stories 12

Nearby Places

Trinity Loop

Charleston, Newfoundland and Labrador

miles away

Root Cellars of Elliston

Elliston, Newfoundland and Labrador

miles away

Bell Island Mine Museum

Bell Island, Newfoundland and Labrador

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador

Canada

Places 31
Stories 12

Related Places

  • Heritage Village is made up of several different historical sites, including the one-story, wood-framed H.C. Smith General Store, dating to 1915.

    Largo, Florida

    Heritage Village

    Step back in time at this immersive historical village.

  • The Paredones.

    Nazca, Peru

    The Paredones

    These overlooked ruins give an intimate look at the Inca Empire's urban planning prowess.

  • The ruins.

    Poni, Burkina Faso

    Ruins of Loropéni

    These mysterious 1,000-year-old walls have revealed little about their past.

  • Ponte alla Luna.

    Sasso di Castalda, Italy

    Ponte alla Luna

    Crossing this suspension bridge feels like walking through the sky, a fitting tribute to the head of the Apollo program.

  • Te-lah-nay’s Wall.

    Florence, Alabama

    Wichahpi Commemorative Stone Wall

    The longest non-mortared wall in the country is one man's tribute to his displaced Yuchi ancestor's five-year journey to her homeland.

  • Note the potential iron sight on the middle post.

    Washington, D.C.

    Gun Barrel Fence

    This robust fence in front of a historic Georgetown home is likely made from hundreds of recycled Revolutionary War firearms.

  • The Toppenish Murals.

    Toppenish, Washington

    Toppenish Murals

    Over 75 historically themed murals grace the walls of a small Washington city.

  • Cour Royale de Tiébélé.

    Nahouri, Burkina Faso

    Cour Royale de Tiébélé

    In this African village, the walls of the chief's compound are painted with beautiful traditional designs.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.