Discover Heart's Delight-Islington

Coastal trails, harbour and a rich local history

Heart's Delight-Islington combines coastal trails and a connection to the harbour with stories of the community's development and fishing. The name tells the story of two previously independent settlements: Heart's Delight and Islington joined together in 1972. Islington's name also has its own history. The community was originally called Island Cove before later being renamed Islington. So if you enjoy learning about a destination's origins, you'll find not only landscape-related themes here, but also tangible traces of the community's development.

There are several different types of trails to explore. The Northern Point Walking Trail begins at the end of NE Side Road, off Route 80, and follows the coast past pastureland. The Western Point Walking Trail leads to a beach; it is about 2 km long, measured as a round trip. The Witch Hazel Trail, meanwhile, is among the historic paths, lanes and rights of way protected under Heart's Delight-Islington's municipal plan. It adds a connection to the community's old paths to the coastal trails.

A trail in Heart's Delight-Islington has also been upgraded: the work included repairs and several benches so residents and visitors could exercise and enjoy the sea views. This describes the purpose of the improvements, combining physical activity with views of the sea. Together with the different features of the Northern and Western Point trails, this gives you a choice of specific trail experiences to consider when planning your trip. When choosing a place to stay, consider whether you're more drawn to the coastline, the beach, or the history of the trails.

Fishing history and local traditions

The harbour is another part of the community's character. The Heart's Delight-Islington Harbour Authority can accommodate small boats and ships up to 35 feet in length. An expansion of the marina added moorings to meet demand, particularly from boaters from outside the province. The harbour connection therefore encompasses both the accommodation of small boats and ships and the expansion's focus on additional moorings for boat traffic.

A building with a practical connection to fishing is also part of the community's history: Sooley's Store was used to store tools and fishing gear and to repair boats. Sooley Store is formally recognized under the Fisheries Heritage Preservation Program. A fragment of a gravestone is also on display at St. Matthew's Anglican Church. These details offer different ways to explore local history—from the working life of boats and fishing to an exhibit in the church.

Local tradition is also reflected in language and music. In Heart's Delight-Islington, “randying” means sliding or sledding down a hill, or pulling someone on a sled. Two old traditional Christmas songs from Heart's Delight-Islington are still frequently sung in the community.

If you're looking for a vacation rental for your stay, you can choose Heart's Delight-Islington based on the things that interest you on vacation: coastal trails, harbour and fishing history, or local traditions. This way, you can assess the destination through its specific landscape and cultural features.

Discover more destinations

For more travel ideas, you can also explore Tors Cove, Carbonear, Dildo, Witless Bay, Riverhead, Hant's Harbour, Clarke's Beach and Holyrood.

For the broader travel overview: Division No. 1.