Haunted Hangouts and Fairy Fields in LBMCOC
The Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove Museum season is almost over, but that doesn't mean guests
and locals can't explore this beautiful community while the weather is still mild. Many tourists and
practically all residents of LBMCOC will know about spots like Middle Cove Beach or the Outer Cove
Lookout, but they may not know some of these other locations, or at least that they're reputedly the
stomping grounds of ghosts and fairies.
and locals can't explore this beautiful community while the weather is still mild. Many tourists and
practically all residents of LBMCOC will know about spots like Middle Cove Beach or the Outer Cove
Lookout, but they may not know some of these other locations, or at least that they're reputedly the
stomping grounds of ghosts and fairies.
Roche's Meadow
We don't know for sure where Roche's Meadow is, but it's speculated to be (or to have been) on
Barnes Road. No, not the urban, Victorian Barnes Road in St. John's — the idyllic, countryside Barnes
Road in Outer Cove. A local woman recalled a memory of this area from her childhood: she was on
her way home with her brother around dusk when the two of them saw "three little fellows dancin' up
the wall... they'd dance and they'd hop... they were just like little elves. That's the truth." They were
about three feet tall and dressed in black and red clothing. She said that they went away as soon as
she put the sign of the cross on them. Well, now we know how to make them go away if we want to!
Barnes Road. No, not the urban, Victorian Barnes Road in St. John's — the idyllic, countryside Barnes
Road in Outer Cove. A local woman recalled a memory of this area from her childhood: she was on
her way home with her brother around dusk when the two of them saw "three little fellows dancin' up
the wall... they'd dance and they'd hop... they were just like little elves. That's the truth." They were
about three feet tall and dressed in black and red clothing. She said that they went away as soon as
she put the sign of the cross on them. Well, now we know how to make them go away if we want to!
Quick Shop
The same local above states that this next incident happened near the Quick Shop and the cycle shop.
We don't have a clue where either of those are, but given that none of the side streets have stores on
them, it's likely that it happened on Logy Bay Road, the main artery of the community. During a time
when there was lots of tree cover and very few lights, people would be afraid of the area at night time.
This local woman's mother said that a coffin would come into the road and prevent anyone from
passing it. The person in the coffin "wasn't dead, wasn't at rest," so it fell to the person who
encountered the coffin to bless it and thus put it to rest. This is a common motif in Newfoundland
folklore.
We don't have a clue where either of those are, but given that none of the side streets have stores on
them, it's likely that it happened on Logy Bay Road, the main artery of the community. During a time
when there was lots of tree cover and very few lights, people would be afraid of the area at night time.
This local woman's mother said that a coffin would come into the road and prevent anyone from
passing it. The person in the coffin "wasn't dead, wasn't at rest," so it fell to the person who
encountered the coffin to bless it and thus put it to rest. This is a common motif in Newfoundland
folklore.
Stick Pond
Down a narrow, winding road with trees pushing in from the sides, through an eerily silent thicket
of pines lies Stick Pond. Its position adjacent to a golf course (and thus, closer to other people)
makes it seem less spooky, but this pond is the site of multiple fairy kidnappings. However, we wouldn’t
know this if people hadn’t returned to tell of it, so if you visit Stick Pond, you’ll likely come away alive
and unharmed. There’s even a nice bonfire spot in that thicket of pines.
of pines lies Stick Pond. Its position adjacent to a golf course (and thus, closer to other people)
makes it seem less spooky, but this pond is the site of multiple fairy kidnappings. However, we wouldn’t
know this if people hadn’t returned to tell of it, so if you visit Stick Pond, you’ll likely come away alive
and unharmed. There’s even a nice bonfire spot in that thicket of pines.
The Point
This is also known as the Lookout and may be confused with the Outer Cove lookout next to the war
memorial on Marine Drive. This one is arguably more scenic though. It is part of the East Coast Trail,
about a twenty-minute walk from the trailhead off Doran’s Lane in Outer Cove. People have long heard
noises here, and while some say it’s just the ocean beating against the side of the cliff, others assert
that the Point is haunted. While this beautiful spot doesn’t look even slightly spooky in broad daylight,
be careful if you visit because the terrain can be treacherous.
memorial on Marine Drive. This one is arguably more scenic though. It is part of the East Coast Trail,
about a twenty-minute walk from the trailhead off Doran’s Lane in Outer Cove. People have long heard
noises here, and while some say it’s just the ocean beating against the side of the cliff, others assert
that the Point is haunted. While this beautiful spot doesn’t look even slightly spooky in broad daylight,
be careful if you visit because the terrain can be treacherous.
The Bridge
Just as we’re not certain about which Lookout is the haunted one (although both very well might be),
we’re not certain about which bridge is the haunted bridge. The one on the left is the Outer Cove bridge,
part of Marine Drive, which now sports a beautiful mural of Terry Fox. Back when it was made of wood,
horses were afraid to cross it. McDonald’s Lane bridge on the right, however, is smaller, more
secluded, and surrounded by trees — and it just looks scarier. Whichever bridge “The Bridge” is, it’s
supposedly ghost and fairy territory. Bridges have always kind of made people uneasy, giving rise to
stories of creatures like trolls living under bridges and demanding tolls. Perhaps it’s just the fear of
heights and the trust that people have to put in something other than solid ground beneath their feet
that freaks people out.
we’re not certain about which bridge is the haunted bridge. The one on the left is the Outer Cove bridge,
part of Marine Drive, which now sports a beautiful mural of Terry Fox. Back when it was made of wood,
horses were afraid to cross it. McDonald’s Lane bridge on the right, however, is smaller, more
secluded, and surrounded by trees — and it just looks scarier. Whichever bridge “The Bridge” is, it’s
supposedly ghost and fairy territory. Bridges have always kind of made people uneasy, giving rise to
stories of creatures like trolls living under bridges and demanding tolls. Perhaps it’s just the fear of
heights and the trust that people have to put in something other than solid ground beneath their feet
that freaks people out.
Shaky Bog
The Outer Cove bridge marks the boundary between the ocean and the river pictured above.
The river leads to a place called Shaky Bog, so named because the ground was unsteady, perhaps
from the moisture of the river. Shaky Bog was home to the mickaleens (another term for fairies).
It may even be the same place as the ambiguously-termed place “the marsh,” where a little girl went
berry picking a number of years ago and never came back. The next day, she was found dead, and
the people of the community said that the “little people,” or the fairies, had done it. Supposedly, the
beach was also frequented by the fairies until Father Dan O’Callaghan came down and blessed the
boats and sprinkled holy water. For protection from the fairies, mothers would make their children
put bread in their pockets when they went out to play in this area, as the salt in the bread was blessed.
Still, the children never hung around the marsh for too long, and especially not at night, just in case
any of the theories about the fairies were true.
The river leads to a place called Shaky Bog, so named because the ground was unsteady, perhaps
from the moisture of the river. Shaky Bog was home to the mickaleens (another term for fairies).
It may even be the same place as the ambiguously-termed place “the marsh,” where a little girl went
berry picking a number of years ago and never came back. The next day, she was found dead, and
the people of the community said that the “little people,” or the fairies, had done it. Supposedly, the
beach was also frequented by the fairies until Father Dan O’Callaghan came down and blessed the
boats and sprinkled holy water. For protection from the fairies, mothers would make their children
put bread in their pockets when they went out to play in this area, as the salt in the bread was blessed.
Still, the children never hung around the marsh for too long, and especially not at night, just in case
any of the theories about the fairies were true.
Are we missing any locations that you can think of?
Or are there any under-the-radar supernatural places in your own community?
Let us know in the comments.
Or are there any under-the-radar supernatural places in your own community?
Let us know in the comments.
Have a great rest of the summer, folks!
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