A Scenic Walk, Bike or Drive!

Exploring a town’s surroundings is one of the best ways to spend a vacation day.  The following scenic course of approximately 6 miles round trip can be hiked, biked, or driven…whichever way you choose to traverse, don’t forget your camera!

Start at Camden National Bank in the center of Camden.  Follow Bay View Street .5 miles to Laite Beach.  This saltwater beach has a grassy park area with swings and picnic tables, public rest rooms and beautiful views of Camden’s outer harbor and Curtis Island and Lighthouse.  It’s a great place to swim, look for sea glass, watch the sailboats, and have lunch.

From there, continue on Bay View St. .9 miles to Seaview Cemetery and take a left onto Chestnut Street.  This peaceful cemetery has gravestones from the 1800s.

Once on Chestnut Street you will come to Aldermere Farm, farmland that straddles both sides of the tree-lined street.  A landmark of midcoast Maine, Aldermere Farm is one of the world’s premier breeders of Belted Galloway cattle–these are the charming black cows with the wide white stripe around their middle, also affectionately known as “Oreo cookie cows.”  The 136 acre farm is owned and managed by Maine Coast Heritage Trust.  The Trust maintains Aldermere as a working farm and educational center.  Once you’ve said hello and taken pictures–perhaps the first time you’ve ever photographed cows!–continue down to Calderwood Lane and take a left.  Passing the Megunticook Golf Club you will see stunning views of the bay to your left.  If you’re not a golfer, seeing the views these holes have may make you want to take up the sport!

Past the golf course, look for a dirt road on your right.  This is Chapel Road, aptly named because it takes you to Vesper Hill Chapel, also known as Children’s Chapel to the locals.  Vesper Hill Chapel was built on property bought by Helene Bok in 1960.  It is supported by the Vesper Hill Foundation and volunteer efforts.  It’s name reflects it’s purpose; Bok wrote: “This Chapel is built to the memory of all young people who have passed through this world and gained God by doing so.  It stands for freedom of thought, prayer and action.  It stands for holiness within the heart and wholesomeness within the body and for God in the heart each waking hour…”  The Chapel sits high on a ledge overlooking Penobscot Bay.  Climbing the stone steps to the Sanctuary, you will be rewarded with the breathtaking beauty of the gardens surrounding it.

So far your total trek is less than 3 miles!

Continue down Chapel Road .3 miles and turn right onto Beauchamp Road.  These are dirt roads, but still accessible by foot, bike or car.  Beauchamp hugs and rolls along the rugged shore of Rockport Harbor for .7 miles.  There are two slight turn offs to allow parking next to paths down to the ocean’s edge.  Hike down onto the rocks of the outer harbor for spectacular views of Indian Head Lighthouse and Rockport Harbor.  These shoreline rocks provide another excellent picnic location to take in the magnificent scenery and watch sailboats and lobster boats enter and exit Rockport Harbor.

Once through Beauchamp, you’ll meet back up with a paved road, Mechanic Street.  Follow this to the end.  To return to Camden, and for the 6-mile round trip route, take a right at the end of Mechanic St. which will bring you back past Aldemere Farm and from there continue on Chestnut St. into Camden Village.  If you’d prefer to go for a bit longer and see the town of Rockport, take a left.  Once through the village, veer left over thebridge.  Take another left down to Marine Park where the harbormaster’s office is and a statue of Andre the Seal.  A section of the Lime Kilns, a key element of Rockport’s history, have been restored, as well as a section of the railway and a locomotive car.  You can watch boats come and go from here or from Walker Park, located around the corner.  The saltwater beach of Walker Park is on Elm St., less than .5 miles from the Marine Park.  Like Laite Beach, Walker Park has a grassy area with a children’s playground, picnic tables and stone grills.  This is a great spot for swimming and looking for sea creatures at low tide!

You can connect to Route 1 after leaving Walker Park, or return to Camden by retracing your path along the back roads!

However you choose to travel, this route will not disappoint!