The logging road on the way to Brown’s Arm was recommended for blueberrying by folk at the sailing club so off we went with the bikes in the boot. Where the paved road came to an end we started pedalling the Montagues.
For 12 years our folding mountain bikes (made by Montague) have lived in the bilges. They had no use at all in Greenland there being a distinct shortage of roads so today was the day they got liberated, dusted off and oiled. It was miraculous that all bits worked despite their long sojourn in the bilge.
We shot off on the rough logging road on a bluberrying mission but then we realised neither of had any idea what a Newfoundland blueberry plant looked like!
At first we saw nothing with berries at all so we stopped and walked into the forest where we found lots of interesting plants but none sporting a blue berry. Further on we spotted a swamp and wandered over in search of our quarry. Sundews, bladder worts and strange fruit bearing flowers were in abundance. Then we found a few blue berries but they didn’t look quite right being on long stalks and arising from some pointy leaves close to the ground. We decided not to taste them which was probably a good job as we then found the real blueberries a mile or two further along the track.
The give away was the cluster of rugged trucks pulled over on the verge and some grey heads ducking in and out amongst the stunted spruce and silver birch. It was obviously a prime picking spot favoured by locals and it was reassuring to find we were picking the right fruit and not harvesting a toxic mix of poison berries. Google later told us that our first blue coloured berry is rich in cyanide!
We filled a couple of Tupperware boxes whilst the locals plundered the bushes by the bucket load.
Then it was a zoom downhill and onto the supermarket to buy essential blueberry condiments such as whipping cream. Tonight on the menu we have blueberry pie with blueberry pancakes for breakfast and I’m even promised blueberry cheesecake if we repeat the whole adventure another day.
