In the past the only industry was fishing though this has declined dramatically, with fish stocks virtually reduced to zero. Population centres are few and far between, and the largest town in Labrador, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, has a population of just 7,000.The most interesting way of getting around Labrador is on the coastal ferry which runs from Lewisporte on the island of Newfoundland, bouncing all the way up the coast of Labrador as far as Nain. So old is it that it may pre-date the appearance of life on the planet: though this comes as no surprise to people who have seen it, so wild and unearthly is the landscape.Four great herds of caribou, each containing hundreds of thousands of animals, migrate across Labrador each year in search of pastures. By comparison to the rest of the country Newfoundland is positively metropolitan.LabradorAlthough Newfoundland is commonly thought of as a single island the province comprises a much larger piece of mainland, namely Labrador, a vast and remote hunk of land that seems to have been cut into the north-western flank of Quebec province.One notable feature of Labrador is that it forms part of the so-called Laurentian Shield, said to be one of the earliest geological formations on earth. Enquire when booking.IN ANY other country the wild, weather-beaten terrain of Newfoundland would be considered the back of the back of beyond In Canada, however, this is not quite the case.

Trailfinders: 0171 937 5400.Staying thereSt John's has any number of small hotels and guest-houses, including the antique-furnished Fort William B&B (3 rooms, pounds 45-pounds 80, tel: 001 709 726 2161, fax: 001 709 739-0990) and the ex-PM's house Monroe House B&B (6 rooms, pounds 74-pounds 89, tel: 001 709 754 0610). Canadian Tourism Commission, tel: 0891 715 000.Things To DoAnywhere you stay can arrange any of these activities; whale-watching, iceberg viewing, biking, birdwatching, fishing, car-hire. Dirty snow was packed high against the road-sides as the station-wagon drove through the pre-dawn darkness, out to the little frozen airfield. Mild, green England beckoned from across the north Atlantic.FACT FILEGetting ThereAir Canada offers daily direct flights to St John's (some via Halifax, Nova Scotia) from Heathrow, pounds 700; tel: 0990 247226. To take Michael Gray's route: get a cheap flight to Toronto, the train via Montreal to North Sydney, Nova Scotia, the ferry to Port aux Basques, Newfoundland and the bus to St John's. Air India Heathrow-Toronto is offered by Flightbookers at pounds 250-pounds 415; tel: 0171 757 2000. Charter flights to Toronto start at pounds 199 (from Glasgow, 13 June) rising to pounds 349 plus tax (from Gatwick, 2nd half July and August).

Newfoundlanders have a tradition of a late-late meal, a second supper, begun around 11pm: say, smoked caplin, tomatoes, cheese and jam. They also make awful salads, including a particularly dreadful one called jelly salad.When the weather falters, the locals buy logs (by the "cord") to get the basement boiler through the winter. Delivered to the front lawn as a lorry-load of long thin poles, people set up their electric saws to cut them into two foot lengths, and then carry them by wheelbarrow and stack them in the basement It takes two people three days. Before you can use them, you spend another day cleaning out the boiler chimney, de-tarring it so that it won't explode on you later.In winter, the snow comes suddenly, 10 inches in an hour - and within another hour the fleets of special vehicles are out reclaiming the roads for traffic, commerce and normality. Coming from a country where an inch of the stuff can knock out road and rail transport for days on end, I was exultant at this display of how to conquer snow and ice decisively and fast. Everyone headed for Pippy Park, which looked like a 1950s Perry Como Christmas Show come to life: all orderly pines and wide, smooth white walkways full of people cross-country skiing in brightly-coloured designer arctic-wear.I finally flew out of Newfoundland just before Christmas. His son though could have been any Mid-west American teenager: proud to be loudmouthed and ignorant, living in the audio-visual hell of heavy-metal music.Most native food specialities are, of course, fishy.

Cod's tongues are much enjoyed (and what surprisingly large, fleshy tongues they are too). My host was a local politician who once lived in London as a lefty arts graduate; now he's the lone frontiersman with a macho world-view stylised into huntin'-fishin'-shootin' brusqueness. It still touches their lives.There is live music in most of the bars at weekends. One October night in my favourite bar (The Ship Inn, on Duckworth Street) I spoke to a woman of 25 who told me she was soon "heading back home". Where? Goose Bay in Labrador, a thousand-kilometre ferry-ride away on a boat that in winter sometimes has to ice-break to get through (OK, I admit it, she could have flown instead).Not everyone is so in touch with the splendidly elemental. The city's many Irish lounges, neo-British pubs and live-music venues have thriving folk-club nights not because everything is "behind the times" (though it is) but because even educated young trendies think it makes sense here to explore and enjoy what their "folk culture" offers.