Tag: hiking

Hiking Maine | Hirundo Wildlife Refuge Trail

11 Comments

Spring hikes can be beautiful but challenging.  As soon as you pause, you are swarmed with mosquitoes. While the bug spray keeps the biting at bay, it is still distracting to have hundreds of mosquitoes buzzing around your face as you’re trying to take a sip of water. The mosquitoes are especially thick in forest hikes with nearby water sources.

So, of course, this past weekend we decided to head to the Hirundo Wildlife Refuge. The trail we picked starts off near a stagnant pond before heading deeper into the woods and then turning along a stream. No surprise the mosquitoes were bad but at least the views were beautiful.

Continue reading →

Hiking Maine | A Visit to a Salt Marsh at Cutts Island Trail

2 Comments

As winter was winding down, we headed south to the Cutts Island Trail which is part of the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. It is a short, two-mile circular hike by a salt marsh.

The first part of the trail follows along Chauncey Creek and was easy to maneuver. It is not a strenuous hike. It leads to beautiful views of the marsh. Somehow, even though it’s a loop trail we did struggle to stay on the return part of the trail.

Continue reading →

#AtoZChallenge | Y is for Yarmouth and an Island Hike at Littlejohn Island Preserve

18 Comments

There are over 4,600 islands off the Maine coast. Some are more remote than others. In winter, all are a little quieter.

Some islands are actually accessible by road including two off the coast of Yarmouth: Cousins and Littlejohn Islands. Littlejohn Island has a preserve that includes a hiking trail with scenic views of Casco Bay.

We actually hiked the trail a few days into spring so the snow cover was spotty but the wind chill was intense making it feel like we were still in winter. We hiked late on a Sunday afternoon which probably impacted the cooler temperatures.

Continue reading →

#AtoZChallenge | N is for the Noyes Trail in Norway and Skiing Past Tense

21 Comments

I use to ski. If there were a way to make that statement not just past tense, but past-past tense it would be more accurate. It has been at least thirty-five years since I skied last but I have fond memories of being on the slopes even if my first attempt did result in frostbite. Fortunately, my toes thawed.

My childhood best friend’s family skied every weekend and I was lucky enough to tag along on many trips to the ski resort. There was also an active ski club in my high school. Every Friday night, we headed to the mountain. Skiing is big in Maine.

Continue reading →

#AtoZChallenge | K is for Kettle Cove in Cape Elizabeth

20 Comments

While a popular summer destination, I found the quieter winter scene at Kettle Cove in Cape Elizabeth especially beautiful during a recent visit. The sun gleaming off the water, a persistent patch of snow by the edge of the sand and an abandoned lobster trap make it a true Maine winter scene.

This was my first visit to the beach area at Kettle Cove, but my daughter and I did enjoy a delicious lunch at the Kettle Cove Creamery & Cafe a few summers ago which I blogged about here:  Serendipity and Strawberries lead us to a stop at the Kettle Cove Creamery & Cafe.  Unfortunately, it’s closed during the winter so we didn’t get to enjoy a second visit on this trip.

Continue reading →