# In Newfoundland you can walk on the mantle of the Earth?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-newfoundland-you-can-walk-on-the-mantle-of-the-earth/1018562>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 20, 2025, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-newfoundland-you-can-walk-on-the-mantle-of-the-earth/1018562 "2025-05-20T03:27:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-newfoundland-you-can-walk-on-the-mantle-of-the-earth/1018562/1 "2025-05-20T03:27:10Z")

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Is it just a huge slab that somehow got to the surface, or does that mean that there’s a gap in the crust and the mantle is poking up?

I’m having trouble understanding. Apparently there is an area called the Tablelands at Gros Morne National Park, where you can walk on the mantle of the Earth. What exactly does that mean?

> **[The Tablelands](https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/nl/grosmorne/activ/experiences/tablelands)**
>
> Find information on Canada's National Historic Sites, National Parks, National Marine Conservation Areas and on other cultural and natural heritage related topics.

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**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-newfoundland-you-can-walk-on-the-mantle-of-the-earth/1018562/2 "2025-05-20T03:56:04Z")

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You can also do that on Macquarie Island (Tasmania, Australia).  
It’s actually much cheaper there because the penguins only pay the base level of 10% tariffs.

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**Author:** ![Xocomil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xocomil/32/14927_2.png) [@Xocomil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xocomil)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-newfoundland-you-can-walk-on-the-mantle-of-the-earth/1018562/3 "2025-05-20T04:31:32Z")

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It means that the Tablelands is made up of peridotite, which is made in the mantle. [Wikipedia says](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peridotite), “Peridotite is derived from Earth’s mantle, either as solid blocks and fragments, or as crystals accumulated from magmas that formed in the mantle.”

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**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-newfoundland-you-can-walk-on-the-mantle-of-the-earth/1018562/4 "2025-05-20T07:16:31Z")

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> [@Northern\_Piper](#):
>
> Is it just a huge slab that somehow got to the surface, or does that mean that there’s a gap in the crust and the mantle is poking up?

The first one.

> [@Northern\_Piper](#):
>
> you can walk on the mantle of the Earth

No. You can walk on rock that _used_ to be part of the mantle, way in the past. This is also not the only place in the world you can do this. [Take your pick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiolite#Notable_examples).