the views from Caterpillar Hill
Brooklin, Brooksville, and Sedgwick
kayaking around Castine.
The Blue Hill Peninsula, once dubbed “the Fertile Crescent,” is unique. Few other Maine locales harbor such a concentration of artisans, musicians, and on-their-feet retirees juxtaposed with topflight wooden-boat builders, lobstermen, and umpteenth-generation Mainers. Perhaps surprisingly, the mix seems to work.
The peninsula dangles into Penobscot Bay, anchored by the towns of Bucksport to the west and Ellsworth to the east and tethered via bridge to Deer Isle at its tip. It comprises several enclaves with markedly distinctive personalities—artsy Blue Hill, historic Castine, quiet Orland, boaty Brooklin, rural Brooksville, and sedate Sedgwick—all stitched together by a network of narrow, winding country highways and byways. Thanks to the mapmaker-challenging coastline and a handful of freshwater ponds and rivers, there’s a view of water around nearly every bend.
You can watch the sun set from atop Blue Hill Mountain; tour the home of the fascinating Jonathan Fisher; stroll through the charming village of Castine; visit tiny Brooklin, the self-proclaimed wooden boat-building capital of the world; and browse top-notch studios and galleries salted throughout the peninsula. Mosey even more off the beaten path to Cape Rosier and visit the homestead of back-to-the-landers Helen and Scott Nearing; tour the nearby Four Season Farm, where organic guru Eliot Coleman sets the trend; and hike the underutilized trails of the Holbrook Island Sanctuary. Venture a bit inland of Route 1 and you’ll find lovely lakes for paddling and swimming and another hill to hike.
To truly enjoy this region, you’ll want to spend at least 2-3 days leisurely exploring here, as you won’t be able to zip from one location to another. Traveling along the winding roads, discovering galleries and country stores, and lodging at traditional inns are all part of the experience. Arts fans will want to concentrate their efforts in Blue Hill. For architecture and history buffs, Castine is a must.
Look for S to find recommended sights, activities, dining, and lodging.
S Fort Knox: A good restoration, frequent events, and secret passages make this late-19th-century fort one of Maine’s best (click here).
S Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory: On a clear day, the views from the 447-foot-high tower, one of only three bridge observatories in the world, extend from Katahdin to Cadillac Mountain (click here).
S Castine Historic Tour: A turbulent history detailed on signs throughout town makes Castine an irresistible place to tour on foot or by bike (click here).
S Sea Kayaking: Hook up with “Kayak Karen” in Castine for a tour (click here).
S Parson Fisher House: More than just another historic house, the Parson Fisher House is a remarkable testimony to one man’s ingenuity (click here).
S Blue Hill Mountain Trail: It’s a relatively easy hike to the summit of Blue Hill Mountain, which has fabulous 360-degree views (click here).
S Flash! In the Pans Community Steelband: Close your eyes and you might think you’re on a Caribbean island when you hear this phenomenal steel-pan band (click here).
S Holbrook Island Sanctuary State Park: Varied hiking trails and great birding are the rewards for finding this off-the-beaten-path preserve (click here).
It’s a stretch to consider Bucksport (pop. 4,924) part of the Blue Hill Peninsula, let alone include it in the Acadia region, but it is the gateway to it all, and the area has some sights worth a look-see and reasonably priced accommodations and campsites.
The Penobscot Narrows Bridge provides an elegant entry to Bucksport, a longtime rough-and-ready river port and former papermaking town that’s slowly gentrifying. Bucksport is no upstart. Native Americans first gravitated to these Penobscot River shores in summer, finding a rich source of salmon for food and grasses for basket making. In 1763 the area was officially settled by Colonel Jonathan Buck, a Massachusetts Bay Colony surveyor who modestly named it “Buckstown” and organized a booming shipping business here. His remains are interred in a local cemetery, where his tombstone bears the distinct outline of a woman’s leg; this is allegedly the result of a curse by a witch Buck ordered executed, but in fact it’s probably a flaw in the granite. Most townsfolk prefer not to discuss the matter, but the myth refuses to die—and it has immortalized a man whose name might otherwise have been consigned to musty history books. The monument is across Route 1 from the Hannaford supermarket, on the corner of Hinks Street.
Just south of Bucksport, at the bend in the Penobscot River, Verona Island (pop. 544) is best known as the mile-long link between Prospect and Bucksport. Prospect is home to the Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory and Fort Knox, guarding the mouth of the Penobscot River. Just before you cross the bridge from Verona to Bucksport, hang a left, then a quick right to a small municipal park with a boat launch and broad views of Bucksport Harbor. Admiral Robert Peary’s Arctic exploration vessel, the Roosevelt, was built on this site in 1905 and used in his final 1908 expedition to the North Pole. A scale model can be viewed in the Buck Memorial Library.
Route 1 east of Bucksport leads to Orland (pop. 2,225), whose idyllic setting on the banks of the Narramissic River makes it a magnet for shutterbugs. It’s also the site of a unique service organization called H.O.M.E. (Homeworkers Organized for More Employment). East Orland (officially part of Orland) claims the Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery and Great Pond Mountain (you can’t miss it, jutting from the landscape on the left as you drive east on Route 1).
Looming over Bucksport Harbor, the other Fort Knox (Rte. 174, Prospect, 207/469-7719, www.fortknox.maineguide.com, 9am-sunset May 1-Oct. 31, $4.50 nonresident adults, $3 Maine resident adults, $1 ages 5-11) is a 125-acre state historic site just off U.S. 1. Named for Major General Henry Knox, George Washington’s first secretary of war, the sprawling granite fort was begun in 1844. Built to protect the upper Penobscot River from attack, it was never finished and never saw battle. Still, it was, as guide Kathy Williamson says, “very well thought out and planned, and that may have been its best defense.” Begin your visit at the Visitor and Education Center, operated by the Friends of Fort Knox, a nonprofit group that has partnered with the state to preserve and interpret the fort. Guided tours are sometimes available. The fort’s distinguishing features include two complete Rodman cannons. Wear rubberized shoes and bring a flashlight to explore the underground passages; you can set the kids loose. The fort hosts Civil War reenactments several times each summer as well as a Medieval Tournament, a paranormal-psychic fair, and other events (check the website). The Halloween Fright at the Fort is a ghoulish event for the brave. The grounds are accessible all year. Bring a picnic; views over the river to Bucksport are fabulous.
On a clear day, do not miss the Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory (9am-5pm daily late May-June and Sept.-Nov. 1, 9am-6pm daily July-Aug., $7 nonresident adults, $5 Maine resident adults, $3 ages 5-11, includes fort admission), accessible via Fort Knox. The three-deck observatory caps the bridge’s 447-foot-high west tower, with the observatory’s top floor sited at 420 feet above the Penobscot River. It’s one of only three such structures in the world, and the only one in the United States. You’ll zip up in an elevator, and when the doors open, you’re facing a wall of glass—it’s a bit of a shocker, and downright terrifying for anyone with a serious fear of heights. Ascend two more flights (an elevator is available) and you’re in the glass-walled observatory; the views on a clear day extend from Katahdin to Mount Desert Island. Even when it’s hazy, it’s still a neat experience.
An observatory caps one of the towers of the Penobscot Narrows Bridge.
The 1916 Alamo Theatre (85 Main St., Bucksport, 207/469-0924 or 800/639-1636, event line 207/469-6910, www.oldfilm.org, 9am-4pm Mon.-Fri. year-round) has been digitally retrofitted for a new life. It shows not only contemporary films but also indie and local ones. Before each feature, it screens archival shorts about New England produced or revived by the unique Northeast Historic Film, which is headquartered here. NHF has more than 10 million feet of film in its archives, including rarities. Celebrities ranging from Ken Burns to Oprah Winfrey have requested footage for projects. Stop in, survey the restoration, visit the displays (donation requested), and browse the Alamo Theatre Store for antique postcards, T-shirts, toys, and reasonably priced videos on ice harvesting, lumberjacks, maple sugaring, and other traditional New England topics.
Adjacent to the flashing light on Route 1 in Orland, H.O.M.E. (207/469-7961, www.homecoop.net) is tough to categorize. Linked with the international Emmaus Movement founded by a French priest, H.O.M.E. (Homeworkers Organized for More Employment) was started in 1970 by Lucy Poulin, still the guiding force, and two nuns at a nearby convent. The quasi-religious organization shelters refugees and the homeless, operates a soup kitchen and a car-repair service, runs a day-care center, and teaches work skills in a variety of hands-on cooperative programs. Seventy percent of its income comes from sales of crafts, produce, and services. At the Route 1 store (Rte. 1 and Upper Falls Rd., 9am-4:30pm daily), you can buy handmade quilts, organic produce, maple syrup, and jams—and support a worthwhile effort. You can also tour the craft workshops on the property.
Stroll the one-mile paved walkway from the Bucksport-Verona Bridge to Webber Docks. Along the way are historical markers, picnic tables, a gazebo, restrooms, and expansive views of the harbor and Fort Knox.
Distance: 2.2 miles round-trip
Duration: 2 hours
Elevation gain: 500 feet
Effort: Easy to moderate
Trailhead: 0.9 mile north of Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery on Don Fish Rd., East Orland
Great Pond Mountain’s biggest asset is its 1,038-foot summit, with 360-degree views and lots of space for panoramic picnics. On a clear day, Baxter State Park’s Katahdin is visible from Great Pond Mountain’s north side. In autumn, watch for migrating hawks. Access to the mountain is via gated private property beginning about one mile north of the hatchery parking area. Roadside parking is available near the trailhead, but during fall foliage season, you may need to park at the hatchery. Pick up a brochure from the box at the trailhead, stay on the trail, and respect the surrounding private property. The mountain is part of the 4,300-acre Great Pond Mountain Wildlands, maintained by the Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust (207/469-7190, www.greatpondtrust.org). For a longer hike, access the Great Pond Mountain Trail via the Dead River Trail and Connector, a moderately difficult multiuse gravel trail, for a total distance of seven miles.
Encompassing two parcels of land and roughly 4,500 acres, the Great Pond Mountain Wildlands is a jewel. Owned by the Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust (207/469-7190, www.greatpondtrust.org), the Wildlands comprises two sections. The larger, 3,420-acre parcel surrounds Hothole Valley, including Hothole Brook, prized for its trout, and shoreline on Hothole Pond. The smaller 1,075-acre tract includes two miles of frontage on the Dead River (not to be confused with the Dead River of rafting fame in northwestern Maine) and reaches up Great Pond Mountain and down to the ominously named Hellbottom Swamp. The land is rich with wildlife, including black bears, moose, bobcats, and deer, and the pond, swamp, and river are ideal for bird-watching. The 14 miles of woods roads lacing the land are open for walking, mountain biking, and snowshoeing, and the waterways invite fishing and paddling. Avoid the area during hunting season. Snowmobiling is permitted; ATVs are banned. Access to the Dead River tract is from the Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery; follow Don Fish Road to the Dead River Gate and Dead River Trail. The South Gate to Hothole Pond Tract is on Route 1 just southwest of Route 176. There’s a parking lot at the gate; when the gate is open, you can drive in along Valley Road about 2.5 miles to another parking area.
For a day of hiking, picnicking, swimming, canoeing, and a bit of natural history, pack a lunch and head for 135-acre Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery (306 Hatchery Rd., East Orland, 207/469-6701, www.fws.gov/northeast/craigbrook), on Alamoosook Lake. Turn off Route 1 six miles east of Bucksport and continue 1.4 miles north to the parking area. The visitors center (8am-4pm Mon.-Sat. summer, free) offers interactive displays on Atlantic salmon (don’t miss the downstairs viewing area), displays of fly-fishing artifacts and memorabilia, maps, and a restroom. The grounds are accessible 6am-sunset daily year-round. Established in 1889, this U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hatchery raises sea-run Atlantic salmon for stocking seven Maine rivers. The birch-lined shorefront has picnic tables, a boat launch, an Atlantic salmon display pool, additional parking, and a spectacular cross-lake view. Watch for eagles, ospreys, and loons.
If you’ve brought a canoe, Silver Lake, just two miles north of downtown Bucksport, is a beautiful place for a paddle. There’s no development along its shores, and the bird-watching is excellent. Swimming is not allowed and is punishable by a $500 fine; this is Bucksport’s reservoir. To get to the public launch, take Route 15 north off U.S. 1. Go 0.5 mile and turn right onto McDonald Road, which becomes Silver Lake Road, and follow it 2.1 miles to the launch site.
Locals come just as much for the coffee and conversation as the selection of new and used reads at BookStacks (71 Main St., Bucksport, 207/469-8992).
Stubborn Cow Glass (55 Main St., Bucksport, 207/433-7505), a working stained glass studio and gallery, sells gorgeous works in all sizes.
It’s difficult to decide where to look first in the Lighthouse Arts Center (86 Main St., Bucksport, 207/702-9135, www.lighthouseartscenter.com). Fine art and craft by more than 60 artisans fills the spacious gallery, which has big windows overlooking Bucksport Harbor.
Just south of Route 1 is Wild Blueberry Patch Gift Shop (Allen’s Wild Maine Blueberries, Rte. 15, Orland, 207/469-7060), a tiny blue cottage next to the Allen family’s blueberry processing building. Stop in for fresh, canned, frozen, or dried wild Maine blueberries and all manner of blueberry merchandise, from baking mixes to T-shirts.
The Local Variety & Bake Shop (79 Main St., Bucksport, 207/469-0865, 7:30am-3pm Mon.-Tues. and Thurs., 7:30am-7:30pm Wed., 7:30am-9pm Fri.-Sat.) is a good choice for breakfast pastries, sandwiches, salads, and goodies.
MacLeod’s (63 Main St., Bucksport, 207/469-3963, http://macleodsrestaurant.com, 4pm-8pm Sun.-Thurs., noon-8pm Fri.-Sat., $10-20) is Bucksport’s most popular and enduring restaurant. Some tables in the pleasant dining room have glimpses of the river and Fort Knox. The wide-ranging American menu has choices for all tastes and budgets. Reservations are wise for Saturday nights.
Wine, craft brews, and hard ciders pair well with the tapas menu at Verona Wine and Design (77 Main St., Bucksport, 207/745-0731, http://veronawineanddesign.com, noon-9pm Wed.-Mon., $4-20). Dine inside or in the hidden courtyard, where there’s a fire pit. There’s occasionally live music.
Carrier’s Mainely Lobster (corner Rtes. 1 and 46, 207/469-1011, www.carriersmainelylobster.com, 11am-9pm daily) doesn’t look like much, but it’s owned by a fishing family and is the best local spot for lobster or fried seafood. The large lobster roll is filled with the meat from about two of the tasty crustaceans. There’s an indoor dining room out back as well as picnic tables.
Roughly 100 yards up the road is another local fave that’s stood the test of time. Crosby’s Drive-In and Dairy Bar (30 Rte. 46, Bucksport, 207/469-3640, www.crosbysdrivein.com, 10:30am-8pm daily) has been dishing out burgers, dogs, fried seafood, and ice cream since 1938. Thursday night is Cruise Night.
In downtown Bucksport, the 40-room Fort Knox Park Inn (64 Main St., Bucksport, 207/469-3113, www.fortknoxparkinn.com, $120-150) is a four-story motel right at the harbor’s edge. A light continental breakfast is included. Be sure to request a water view, preferably on an upper floor, or you’ll be facing a parking lot.
Escape everything at Williams Pond Lodge Bed and Breakfast (327 Williams Pond Rd., Bucksport, 207/460-6064, www.williamspondlodge.com, $150-195), a secluded, solar-powered, eco-conscious, off-the-grid retreat on 20 wooded acres with 3,000 feet of frontage on spring-fed Williams Pond. Three guest rooms are decorated in cozy lodge style. Rates include a full breakfast and snacks and use of canoes. Access is via a long dirt road through the woods, something to keep in mind when arriving after dark.
If only the six simple guest rooms at the old-timey Alamoosook Lakeside Inn (off Route 1, Orland, 207/469-6393 or 866/459-6393, www.alamoosooklakesideinn.com, year-round, $160) actually overlooked the lake, it would be the perfect rustic lakeside lodge. The property is gorgeous, and the location is well suited for exploring the area. All guest rooms, decorated in country style, have windows and doors opening onto a long, enclosed sunporch overlooking the lake (so if the curtains are open, other guests passing by can see into the room). The lodge has 1,300 feet of lakefront and is great for wildlife-watching and fishing, especially for bass, trout, salmon, and pickerel, and guests may use the inn’s canoes and kayaks. Paddle across the lake to the fish hatchery for a hike up Great Pond Mountain. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, retreat to the basement rec room, with games, a fireplace, a library, and even a kitchenette. A full breakfast is served. Do note: The inn often hosts events.
On the edge of downtown and set back from Route 1, The Bucksport Motor Inn (70 Rte. 1, Bucksport, 207/469-3111 or 800/626-9734, www.bucksportmotorinn.com, late May-late Sept., $80-120) is a family-owned, vintage 1956 motel that’s being updated; be sure to ask for one of the renovated rooms. Perks include refrigerators and microwaves. Some rooms are dog friendly ($15).
The rivers, lakes, and ponds between Bucksport and Ellsworth make the area especially appealing for camping, and sites tend to be cheaper than in the Bar Harbor area. Six miles east of Bucksport, on the shores of 10-mile-long Toddy Pond, which is 100 feet deep in places, is Balsam Cove Campground (286 Back Ridge Rd., East Orland, 207/469-7771, www.balsamcove.com, late May-late Sept., $30-66), which leans toward bigger RVs. Facilities on the 50 acres include 60 wooded waterfront or water-view tent and RV sites, rental cabins ($75-80), on-site rental trailers ($95-105), a dump station, a store, laundry, free showers and Wi-Fi, boat rentals, and freshwater swimming. Dogs are welcome on camping sites for $2 per day. During July-August, especially on weekends, reservations are wise.
The best source for local info is the Bucksport Bay Area Chamber of Commerce (207/469-6818, www.bucksportbaychamber.org).
In Bucksport, public restrooms next to the town dock (behind the Bucksport Historical Society) are open spring-fall. Restrooms are open year-round in the Gateway gas station (at the Route 1 traffic light next to the Bucksport bridge) and in the Bucksport Municipal Office (Main St., Mon.-Fri.).
Bucksport is about 20 miles or 35 minutes via Route 15 from Bangor. It’s about 17 miles or 25 minutes via Routes 1 and 15 to Blue Hill, about 22 miles or 30 minutes via Route 1 to Ellsworth, and about 18 miles or 30 minutes via Routes 175 and 166 to Castine.
Castine (pop. 1,366) is a gem—a serene New England village with a tumultuous past. It tips a cape, surrounded by water on three sides, including the entrance to the Penobscot River, which made it a strategic defense point. Once beset by geopolitical squabbles, saluting the flags of three different nations (France, Britain, and the Netherlands), its only crises now are local political skirmishes. This is an unusual community, a National Register of Historic Places enclave that many people never find. Today a major presence is Maine Maritime Academy, yet Castine remains the quietest college town imaginable. Students in search of a party school won’t find it here; naval engineering is serious business.
Castine’s downtown
Visitors will discover a year-round community with a busy waterfront, an easy-to-conquer layout, wooded trails on the outskirts of town, an astonishing collection of splendid Georgian and Federalist architecture, and water views nearly every which way you turn. If you’re staying in Blue Hill or even Bar Harbor, spend a day here. Or book a room in one of the town’s lovely inns, and use Castine as a base for exploring here and beyond. Either way, you won’t regret it.
Originally known as Fort Pentagouet, Castine received its current name courtesy of Jean-Vincent d’Abbadie, Baron de St-Castin. A young French nobleman manqué who married a Wabanaki princess named Pidiwamiska, d’Abbadie ran the town in the second half of the 17th century before his eventual return to France.
A century later, in 1779, occupying British troops and their reinforcements scared off potential American seaborne attackers (including Col. Paul Revere), who turned tail up the Penobscot River and ended up scuttling their more than 40-vessel fleet—a humiliation known as the Penobscot Expedition and still regarded as one of the worst naval defeats for the United States.
When the boundaries for Maine were finally set in 1820, with the St. Croix River marking the east rather than the Penobscot River, the last British Loyalists departed, some floating their homes north to St. Andrews in New Brunswick, Canada, where a few still can be seen today. For a while, peace and prosperity became the bywords for Castine—with lively commerce in fish and salt—but it all collapsed during the California gold rush and the Civil War trade embargo, leaving the town down on its luck.
The state’s only merchant-marine college—one of only seven in the nation—occupies 35 acres in the middle of Castine. Founded in 1941, the Maine Maritime Academy awards undergraduate and graduate degrees in such areas as marine engineering, ocean studies, and marina management, preparing a student body of about 850 men and women for careers as ship captains, naval architects, and marine engineers.
The academy owns a fleet of 60 vessels, including the historic gaff-rigged research schooner Bowdoin, flagship of Arctic explorer Admiral Donald MacMillan, and the 499-foot training vessel State of Maine, berthed down the hill at the waterfront. In 1996-1997, the State of Maine, formerly the U.S. Navy hydrographic survey ship Tanner, underwent a $12 million conversion for use by the academy. It is still subject to deployment, and in 2005 the school quickly had to find alternate beds for first-year students using the ship as a dormitory when it was called into service in support of rescue and rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Midshipmen usually conduct free 30-minute tours of the vessel on weekdays in summer when it’s in port; call 207/326-4311 to check. Photo ID is required.
When in port, it’s possible to tour Maine Maritime Academy’s training vessel State of Maine.
Weekday tours of the campus can be arranged through the admissions office (207/326-2206 or 800/227-8465 outside Maine, www.mainemaritime.edu). Campus highlights include the three-story Nutting Memorial Library, in Platz Hall; the Henry A. Scheel Room, a cozy oasis in Leavitt Hall containing memorabilia from late naval architect Henry Scheel and his wife, Jeanne; and the well-stocked bookstore (Curtis Hall, 207/326-9333).
Of the many historical landmarks scattered around town, one of the most intriguing must be the sign on “Wind Mill Hill,” at the junction of Route 166 and State Street:
On Hatch’s Hill there stands a mill. Old Higgins he doth tend it. And every time he grinds a grist, he has to stop and mend it.
In smaller print, just below the rhyme, comes the drama:
Here two British soldiers were shot for desertion.
Castine has quite a history indeed.
To appreciate Castine fully, you need to arm yourself with the Castine Merchants Association’s visitors brochure-map (all businesses and lodgings in town have copies) and follow the numbers on bike or on foot. With no stops, walking the route takes less than an hour, but you’ll want to read dozens of historical plaques, peek into public buildings, shoot some photos, and perhaps even do some shopping.
Highlights of the tour include the late-18th-century John Perkins House, moved to Perkins Street from Court Street in 1969 and restored with period furnishings. It’s open July-August for guided tours (2pm-5pm Sun. and Wed., $5).
The historic John Perkins House is open for tours.
Next door, The Wilson Museum (107 Perkins St., 207/326-8545, www.wilsonmuseum.org, 10am-5pm Mon.-Fri. and 2pm-5pm Sat.-Sun. late May-late Sept., free), founded in 1921, contains an intriguingly eclectic two-story collection of prehistoric artifacts, ship models, dioramas, baskets, tools, and minerals assembled over a lifetime by John Howard Wilson, a geologist-anthropologist who first visited Castine in 1891. Among the exhibits are Balinese masks, ancient oil lamps, cuneiform tablets, Zulu artifacts, pre-Inca pottery, and assorted local findings.
Open the same days and hours as the Perkins House are the Blacksmith Shop, where a smith does demonstrations, and the Hearse House, containing Castine’s 19th-century winter and summer funeral vehicles. Both have free admission.
At the end of Battle Avenue stands the 19th-century Dyce’s Head Lighthouse, no longer operating; the keeper’s house is owned by the town. Alongside it is a public path (signposted; pass at your own risk) leading via a wooden staircase to a tiny patch of rocky shoreline and the beacon that has replaced the lighthouse.
The highest point in town is Fort George, site of a 1779 British fortification. Nowadays, little remains except grassy earthworks, but there are interpretive displays and picnic tables.
Main Street, descending toward the water, is a feast for historic architecture fans. Artist Fitz Hugh Lane and author Mary McCarthy once lived in elegant houses along the elm-lined street (neither building is open to the public). On Court Street between Main and Green Streets stands turn-of-the-20th-century Emerson Hall, site of Castine’s municipal offices. Since Castine has no official information booth, you may need to duck in here (it’s open weekdays) for answers to questions.
Across Court Street, Witherle Memorial Library, a handsome early-19th-century building on the site of the 18th-century town jail, looks out on the Town Common. Also facing the common are the Adams and Abbott Schools, the former still an elementary school. The Abbott School (10am-4pm Mon.-Sat., 1pm-4pm Sun. July-early Sept., reduced schedule spring and fall, donation), built in 1859, has been carefully restored for use as a museum and headquarters for the Castine Historical Society (17 School St., 207/326-4118, www.castinehistoricalsociety.org). A big draw at the volunteer-run museum is the 24-foot-long Bicentennial Quilt, assembled for Castine’s 200th anniversary in 1996. The historical society, founded in 1966, organizes lectures, exhibits, and special events (some free) in various places around town.
On the outskirts of town, across the narrow neck between Wadsworth Cove and Hatch’s Cove, stretches a rather overgrown canal (signposted British Canal) scooped out by the occupying British during the War of 1812. Effectively severing land access to the town of Castine, the Brits thus raised havoc, collected local revenues for eight months, and then departed for Halifax with enough funds to establish Dalhousie College, now Dalhousie University. Wear waterproof boots to walk the canal route; the best time to go is at low tide.
If a waterfront picnic sounds appealing, settle in on the grassy earthworks along the harbor front at Fort Madison, site of an 1808 garrison (then Fort Porter) near the corner of Perkins and Madockawando Streets. The views from here are fabulous, and it’s accessible all year. A set of stairs leads down to the rocky waterfront.
The Castine Historical Society (17 School St., 207/326-4118, www.castinehistoricalsociety.org) offers free guided walking tours at 10am Saturday in July and August. Private tours may be available on other days; call for details.
See Castine’s sites from aboard Scarlet, a five-passenger, street-legal golf cart operated by the nonprofit Castine Touring Company (207/812-0032). A 90-minute tour around downtown Castine is $60.
The 185-acre Witherle Woods, owned by Maine Coast Heritage Trust (www.mcht.org), is a popular walking area with a 4.2-mile maze of trails and old woods roads leading to the water. Many Revolutionary War-era relics have been found here; if you see any, do not remove them. Access to the preserve is via a dirt road off Battle Avenue, between the water district property (at the end of the wire fence) and the Manor’s exit driveway, and diagonally across from La Tour Street. You can download a map from the website.
Right near Dennett’s Wharf is Castine Kayak Adventures (17 Sea St., Castine, 207/866-3506, www.castinekayak.com), spearheaded by Maine Guide Karen Francoeur. All skill levels are accommodated; “Kayak Karen,” as she’s known locally, is particularly adept with beginners, delivering wise advice from beginning to end. Three-hour half-day trips are $55; six-hour full-day tours are around $110 and include lunch. Sunset tours (2.5 hours) are $55; the sunrise tour includes a light breakfast for $55. Bioluminescent Night Paddle tours (weather permitting) run about 2.5-3 hours and are $55 per person. If you have your own boat, call Karen; she knows these waters. She offers instruction for all levels as well as a Maine Sea Kayak Guide course. Karen also rents kayaks (from $45/day single, $60 double) and bicycles ($20/day).
Kayaking provides a different perspective on Castine’s harbor.
Backshore Beach, a crescent of sand and gravel on Wadsworth Cove Road (turn off Battle Ave. at the Castine Golf Club), is a favorite saltwater swimming spot, with views across the bay to Stockton Springs. Be forewarned, though, that ocean swimming in this part of Maine is not for the timid. The best time to try it is on the incoming tide, after the sun has had time to heat up the mud. At mid- to high tide, it’s also the best place to put in a sea kayak.
The nine-hole Castine Golf Club (200 Battle Ave., 207/326-8844, www.castinegolfclub.com) dates to 1897, when the first tee required a drive from a 30-step-high mound. Willie Park Jr. redesigned it in 1921.
Glide over Penobscot Bay aboard the handsome and quite comfortable wooden motor-sailer Guildive (207/701-1421, www.castinecruises.com), constructed in 1934 and captained by Kate Kana and Zander Parker. Two-hour sails, departing up to three times daily from the Wharf at 15 Sea Street, cost $50; sunset sails, which include a light appetizer, are $55.
Possibilities for live music include Danny Murphy’s Pub, tucked underneath the bank and facing the wharf’s parking area and the harbor.
The Castine Town Band often performs free concerts on the common; check www.castine.org for its schedule.
A different band performs on the Town Dock every Wednesday evening for free Waterfront Wednesdays.
The Wilson Museum (107 Perkins St., 207/326-8545, www.wilsonmuseum.org) frequently schedules concerts, lectures, and demonstrations.
The Trinitarian Church often brings in high-caliber musical entertainment.
Castine sponsors the intellectual side of the early-August Wooden Boat Regatta. The Castine Yacht Club brings in a who’s who of big-name sail-related designers and racers for this annual lecture series. Other events include on-the-dock boat tours and limited sailing opportunities.
Gardening fans should ask about kitchen and garden tours, which occur every few years.
Clustered downtown along Castine’s Main Street are Gallery B (5 Main St., 213/839-0851, www.gallerybgallery.com), showing fine art and crafts; Lucky Hill (15 Main St., 207/326-1066), a combination gallery and home-goods boutique; and the Compass Rose Bookstore (3 Main St., 207/326-8526).
Oil paintings by local artists Joshua and Susan Adam are on view at Adam Gallery (140 Battle Ave., 207/326-8272).
MarKels (26 Water St., Castine, 207/326-9510, www.markelsbakehouse.com, 7am-3pm daily), a higgledy-piggledy eatery of three rooms and a deck at the end of an alleyway tucked between Main and Water Streets, is a delicious find for breakfast, lunch, or sweets. Stop here for coffee, cold juices, pastries, interesting snacks and salads, homemade soups, specials, and delicious sandwiches.
Dudley’s Refresher (Town Dock, 207/812-3800, www.dudleysrefresher.com, 11am-7pm Tues.-Sun., $3-15), a waterfront take-out stand, is an excellent bet for summer classics such as fish-and-chips and lobster rolls. You can’t beat the location or the view, and much of the menu is locally sourced and made from scratch.
Luscious baked goods fill the counter of Castine Variety (5 Main St., 207/326-9920, 7am-8pm Mon.-Fri., 7am-7pm Sat.-Sun., $3-22), a restored former general store. The menu blends classic American fare with seafood and Hawaiian flavors, a nod to the owner’s background. BYOB.
Your best bet for late-night eats is Danny Murphy’s Pub (2 Sea St., on the wharf, tucked underneath the bank facing the parking area and harbor, 207/326-1004, 11am-1am daily), a sports bar with video games, a pool table, and frequent live entertainment. The pizza gets high marks.
The Castine Farmers Market takes place on the Town Common 9am-11:30am Thursday.
On a warm summer day, it’s hard to find a better place to while away a few hours than The Wharf at 15 Sea St. (15 Sea St., 207/326-9045, 11am-11pm daily May-mid-Oct., $12-30). Next to the Town Dock, it’s a colorful barn of a place with an outdoor deck and front-row windjammer-watching seats in summer. The American menu emphasizes seafood.
The Wharf at 15 Sea St. restaurant hangs over Castine’s harbor.
Jazz music plays softly and dinner is by candlelight at the S Pentagöet (26 Main St., Castine, 207/326-8616 or 800/845-1701, www.pentagoet.com, from 6pm Tues.-Sat., entrées $18-29). In fine weather you can dine on the porch. Choices vary from roasted loup de mer to slow-cooked lamb shank, or simply make a meal of bistro plates, such as lamb lollipops and crab cakes and a salad. Don’t miss the lobster bouillabaisse or the chocolate budino, a scrumptious warm Italian pudding that melts in your mouth (a must for chocoholics). On Tuesday nights, there’s live jazz on the porch during dinner.
Castine is not the place to come if you require in-room phones, air-conditioning, or fancy bathrooms. The pace is relaxed, and the accommodations reflect the easy elegance of a bygone era.
The venerable Castine Inn (41 Main St., 207/326-4365, www.castineinn.com, $130-235), dating from 1898, has 19 2nd- and 3rd-floor guest rooms and suites; some have water views, and a few have air-conditioning. Public space includes a formal living room as well as a wraparound porch overlooking the gardens. Breakfast ($10 guests, $12 public) is served in the dining room, which features a wraparound mural of Castine.
The three-story Queen Anne-style S Pentagöet Inn (26 Main St., 207/326-8616 or 800/845-1701, www.pentagoet.com, May-late Oct., $140-295) is the perfect Maine summer inn, right down to the lace curtains billowing in the breeze, the soft floral wallpapers, and the intriguing curiosities that accent but don’t clutter the guest rooms. Congenial innkeepers Jack Burke and Julie Van de Graaf have upgraded rooms and furnished them with Victorian antiques, adding handsome gardens and carving out a niche as a dining destination. Their enthusiasm for the area is contagious. The inn’s 16 guest rooms are spread between the main house and the adjoining, beautifully renovated, pet-friendly 1791 Federal-style Perkins House. A hot buffet breakfast, afternoon refreshments, and evening hors d’oeuvres are provided. Jack holds court in the Baron Pub (chock-full of vintage photos and prints as well as exotic antiques), advising guests on activities and opportunities. The inn’s restaurant is the area’s best. Borrow one of the inn’s bikes to explore town, or simply walk—the Main Street location is convenient to everything Castine offers. Better yet, just sit on the wraparound porch and take it all in.
the Queen Anne-style Pentagöet Inn
Several Castine real estate agents have listings for summer cottage rentals; start with Saltmeadow Properties (207/326-9116, www.saltmeadowproperties.com).
Castine has no local information office, but all businesses and lodgings in town have copies of the Castine Merchants Association’s visitors brochure-map. For additional information, go to the Castine Town Office (Emerson Hall, 67 Court St., 207/326-4502, www.castine.me.us, 8am-3:30pm Mon.-Fri.).
Check out Witherle Memorial Library (41 School St., Castine, 207/326-4375, www.witherle.lib.me.us). Also accessible to the public is the Nutting Memorial Library, in Platz Hall on the Maine Maritime Academy campus.
Find public restrooms by the dock, at the foot of Main Street.
Castine is about 16 miles or 25 minutes via Routes 1, 175, and 166 from Bucksport. It’s about 20 miles or 30 minutes via Routes 166, 199, 175, and 177 to Blue Hill.
Twelve miles south of Route 1 is the hub of the peninsula, Blue Hill (pop. 2,686), exuding charm from its handsome old homes to its waterfront setting to the shops, restaurants, and galleries that boost its appeal.
Eons back, Native American summer folk gave the name Awanadjo (“small, hazy mountain”) to the mini-mountain that looms over the town and draws the eye for miles around. The first permanent settlers arrived in the late 18th century, after the French and Indian War, and established mills and shipyards. More than 100 ships were built here between Blue Hill’s incorporation in 1789 and 1882—bringing prosperity to the entire peninsula.
Critical to the town’s early expansion was its first clergyman, Jonathan Fisher, a remarkable fellow who has been likened to Leonardo da Vinci. In 1803, Fisher founded Blue Hill Academy (predecessor of today’s George Stevens Academy), then built his home (now a museum), and eventually left an immense legacy of inventions, paintings, engravings, and poetry.
Throughout the 19th century and into the 20th, Blue Hill’s granite industry boomed. Scratch the Brooklyn Bridge and the New York Stock Exchange and you’ll find granite from Blue Hill’s quarries. Around 1879, the discovery of gold and silver brought a flurry of interest, but little came of it. Copper was also found here, but quantities of it, too, were limited.
At the height of industrial prosperity, tourism took hold, attracting steamboat-borne summer boarders. Many succumbed to the scenery, bought land, and built waterfront summer homes. Thank these summer folk and their offspring for the fact that music has long been a big deal in Blue Hill. The Kneisel Hall Chamber Music School, established in the late 19th century, continues to rank high among the nation’s summer music colonies. New York City’s Blue Hill Troupe, devoted to Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, was named for the longtime summer home of the troupe’s founders.
Scoot over to neighboring Surry (pop. 1,466) for an oceanfront lobster shack with views over Mount Desert Island followed by to-die-for ice cream.
Named for a brilliant Renaissance man who arrived in Blue Hill in 1794, the Parson Fisher House (44 Mines Rd./Rte. 15/176, 207/374-2459, www.jonathanfisherhouse.org, 1pm-4pm Wed.-Sat. early July-late Aug., 1pm-4pm Fri.-Sat. to mid-Oct., $5) immerses visitors in period furnishings and Jonathan Fisher lore. And Fisher’s feats are breathtaking: He was a Harvard-educated preacher who also managed to be an accomplished painter, poet, mathematician, naturalist, linguist, inventor, cabinetmaker, farmer, architect, and printmaker. In his spare time, he fathered nine children. Fisher also pitched in to help build the yellow house on Tenney Hill, which served as the Congregational church parsonage. Now it contains intriguing items created by Fisher, memorabilia that volunteer tour guides delight in explaining, including a camera obscura. Don’t miss it.
the Parson Fisher House
A few of Blue Hill’s elegant houses have been converted to museums, inns, restaurants, and even some offices and shops, so you can see them from the inside out. To appreciate the private residences, you’ll want to walk, bike, or drive around town.
In downtown Blue Hill, a few steps off Main Street, stands the Holt House (3 Water St., www.bluehillhistory.org, 1pm-4pm Tues. and Fri., 11am-2pm Sat. July-mid-Sept., $3 adults, free under age 13), home of the Blue Hill Historical Society. Built in 1815 by Jeremiah Holt, the Federal-style building contains restored stenciling, period decor, and masses of memorabilia contributed by local residents. In the carriage house are even more goodies, including old tools, a sleigh, carriages, and more.
Walk or drive up Union Street (Rte. 177), past George Stevens Academy, and wander The Old Cemetery, established in 1794. If gnarled trees and ancient headstones intrigue you, there aren’t many good-size Maine cemeteries older than this one.
One of Maine’s more unusual institutions is the Bagaduce Music Lending Library (49 South St., 207/374-5454, www.bagaducemusic.org, 10am-4pm Mon.-Fri. or by appointment), where you can borrow from a collection of more than 250,000 titles. Somehow this seems appropriate for a community that’s a magnet for music lovers. Annual membership is $20 ($10 for students 18 and younger); fees range $1-4 per piece.
Parker Point Road (turn off Rte. 15 at the Blue Hill Public Library) takes you from Blue Hill to Blue Hill Falls the back way, with vistas en route toward Acadia National Park. For more serene views, drive the length of Newbury Neck, off Route 172 in Surry; you might even bookend the drive with a lobster dinner at the tip followed by an ice cream back in downtown Surry.
Distance: 2 miles round-trip
Duration: 1.5-2 hours
Elevation gain: 500 feet
Effort: Easy to moderate
Trailhead: Mountain Road, off Route 15 (Pleasant St., Blue Hill)
“Mountain” seems a fancy label for a 943-footer, yet Blue Hill Mountain stands alone, visible from Camden and even beyond. On a clear day, head for the summit and take in the wraparound view encompassing Penobscot Bay, the hills of Mount Desert, and the Camden Hills. In mid-June the lupines along the way are breathtaking; in fall the colors are spectacular, with reddened blueberry barrens added to the variegated foliage. Go early in the day; it’s a popular, easy-to-moderate hike. Allow about 1.5 hours for the Osgood Trail, a two-mile out-and-back from the Mountain Road trailhead. For more challenge, connect with the moderate to challenging Hayes Trail, about one mile each way.
Hike Blue Hill for splendid views.
Take Route 15 (Pleasant St.) to Mountain Road and follow it 0.8 mile to the trailhead (on the left) and the small parking area (on the right). You can also walk (uphill) the mile from the village.
Another option is the easier Becton Trail, departing from the Turkey Farm Road trailhead (0.6 mi. off Rte. 172) and continuing approximately 2 miles to the summit.
Blue Hill Heritage Trust (157 Hinckley Ridge Rd., Blue Hill, 207/374-5118, www.bluehillheritagetrust.org, 8:30am-5pm Mon.-Fri.) works hard at preserving the region’s landscape. Trail maps for all sites can be downloaded from the website. It also presents a Walks and Talks series, with offerings such as a mushroom walk and talk, a full-moon hike up Blue Hill Mountain, and farm tours. Many include talks by knowledgeable folks on complementary topics. The trust publishes Hiking Trails & Public Access Points of the Greater Blue Hill Peninsula, a 60-page booklet with details about trails, boat launches, swimming spots, and preserves.
At the end of Water Street is a small park with a terrific view, along with a small pebble beach, picnic tables, a portable toilet, and a playground.
A favorite spot for experienced kayakers and canoeists is Blue Hill Falls, which churns with white water when the tide turns. Check for times of high and low tide. Roadside parking is illegal, but the law is too often ignored. The Route 175 bridge is narrow, and cars often stop suddenly as they come over the hill, so be particularly cautious here.
The Activity Shop (139 Mines Rd., 207/374-3600, www.theactivityshop.com) rents bicycles for $110/week and canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards for $125-240/week, including delivery on the peninsula.
Variety and serendipity are the keys here. Check local calendar listings and tune in to radio station WERU (89.9 and 102.9 FM, www.weru.org), the peninsula’s own community radio; there might be announcements of concerts by local resident pianist Paul Sullivan or the Bagaduce Chorale, or maybe a contra dance. George Stevens Academy has a free Tuesday evening lecture series in July-August.
The October Foliage Food & Wine Festival has workshops, lectures, music, and plentiful dining opportunities.
If you’re a fan of steel band music, the Flash! In the Pans Community Steelband (207/374-2172, www.flashinthepans.org) usually performs somewhere on the peninsula 7:30pm-9pm Monday mid-June-early September. Local papers carry the summer schedule for the nearly three-dozen-member band, which deserves its devoted following. Admission is usually a small donation to benefit a local cause.
Since 1922, chamber-music students have been spending summers perfecting their skills and demonstrating their prowess at the Kneisel Hall Chamber Music School (Pleasant St./Rte. 15, 207/374-2811, www.kneisel.org). Festival concerts by faculty and guest artists run Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons late June-late August. The concert schedule is published in the spring, and reserved-seating tickets ($35 inside, $25 on the porch outside, nonrefundable) can be ordered online or by phone. Other opportunities to hear the students and faculty exist, including young-artist concerts, children’s concerts, open rehearsals, and more. Kneisel Hall is about 0.5 mile from the center of town.
The volunteer Blue Hill Concert Association (207/326-4666, www.bluehillconcertassociation.org) presents professional chamber music concerts January-March at the Congregational church. Recommended donation is $30.
The New Surry Theatre (918 Union St., Blue Hill, 207/200-4720, www.newsurrytheatre.org, $57 adults, $44 seniors, $41 students) stages musicals and classics each summer.
Home to the former Surry Opera Company, the Surry Concert Barn is being revitalized by Surry Arts: At The Barn (8 Cross Rd., Surry, 207/669-9216, http://satb-surry.com, $15), which presents a wide range of performances, from flamenco guitar to jazz, classical to blues.
The Marine & Environmental Research Institute (55 Main St., 207/374-2135, www.meriresearch.org) sponsors an evening lecture series, which tackles subjects such as Climate Change and Our Ocean Planet.
Held Labor Day weekend, the Blue Hill Fair (Blue Hill Fairgrounds, Rte. 172, 207/374-9976, www.bluehillfair.com) is one of the state’s best agricultural fairs.
Independent shops line Blue Hill’s main and spill over onto the side streets.
Blue Hill Books (26 Pleasant St./Rte. 15, 207/374-5632, www.bluehillbooks.com) is a wonderful independent bookstore that organizes an “authors series” during the summer.
Three Wishes (28 Water St., 207/374-5400) carries home and gift items.
For women’s clothing, dip into Sara Sara’s (3 Main St., 207/374-2227).
MAE Blue Hill (49 Main St., 207/374-2506) carries splurge-worthy housewares and clothing.
You’re all but guaranteed to find the perfect Maine something for that hard-to-buy-for someone at The Meadow of Blue Hill (140 Maine St., 207/374-3785).
Picnic fare and pizza are available at Merrill & Hinckley (11 Union St., 207/374-2821, 6am-9pm Mon.-Fri., 7am-9pm Sat., 8am-8pm Sun.), a quirky, 150-year-old family-owned grocery and general store.
The Blue Hill Wine Shop (138 Main St., 207/374-2161, www.bluehillwineshop.com, 10am-5:30pm Mon.-Sat.), tucked into a converted horse barn, carries more than 1,000 wines, plus teas, coffees, breads, and cheeses. Wine tastings and music nights pepper the calendar.
Craving chocolate? Black Dinah Chocolatiers Tasting Room (5 Main St., 207/374-2228, www.blackdinahchocolatiers.com, 8:30am-5pm Mon.-Sat., 11am-4pm Sun.) shares space with Fairwinds Florist. Here you’ll find the confectioner’s freshly made to-die-for chocolates as well as a coffee/tea/hot chocolate bar. Don’t miss the Art Box, a vending machine with $10 works by 10 local artists—a perfect gift for someone back home.
Black Dinah Chocolatiers Tasting Room
I think Pug Nuts (1276 Surry Rd., Surry, 207/412-0086) is a contender for world’s best ice cream and gelato, with intriguing flavors such as birch beer, rosewater, and lavender and honey, as well as the usual favorites.
A good option for midday sandwiches, salads, smoothies, or baked goods—especially cupcakes—is MáVa’s Café (49 Water St., Blue Hill, 207/374-3700, 10am-4pm Tues.-Sat., 11am-3pm Sun., $7-13).
The Blue Hill Co-op and Cafe (4 Ellsworth Rd./Rte. 172, 207/374-2165, http://bluehill.coop, 7am-8pm daily) sells organic and natural foods. Breakfast items, sandwiches, pizzas, salads, and soups—many with international flavors—are available in the café. Note: In late 2018 or early 2019, the café is moving to a new, larger location on South Street.
Deep Water Brew Pub (33 Tenney Hill Rd., 207/374-2441, 4:30pm-9pm Tues.-Sun., $10-18) serves pub-style fare such as ribs, burgers, and tacos. Dine inside or out. Ask about tours of the solar-powered brewery, located in a beautifully renovated historic barn behind the pub.
Local gardeners, farmers, and craftspeople peddle their wares at the Blue Hill Farmers Market (9am-11:30am Sat. late May-early-Oct.). It’s a particularly enduring market, well worth a visit. Demonstrations by area chefs and artists are often on the agenda. Find it at the Blue Hill Fairgrounds, unless it’s fair week, during which it moves to the Blue Hill Congregational Church.
Marlintini’s Grill (83 Mines St./Rte. 15, 207/374-2500, www.marlintinisgrill.com, 11am-9:30pm daily, $10-20) is half-sports bar and half-restaurant. You can sit in either, but the bar side can get raucous. Best bet: the screened-in porch. The American and tavern fare menu includes nightly home-style specials, and there’s also a kids’ menu. The portions are big, the service is good, and the food is decent.
Just south of town is Barncastle (125 South St., 207/374-2300, www.barn-castle.com, noon-8pm Tues.-Sat., entrées $9-16), serving a creative selection of wood-fired pizzas in three sizes as well as sandwiches, calzones, salads, and entrees such as spanakopita and ribs in a lovely Shingle-style cottage. There are vegetarian options. Expect to wait for a table; this is one popular spot.
The wide-ranging menu comprising small plates such as Greek lemon chicken or mussels ($6-10), pub favorites including crab cake BLT or farmhouse cheesesteak ($14-17), and entrées such as pasta de jour and baked stuffed burrito ($15-18) at The Farmhouse Inn (578 Pleasant St., 207/374-5286, www.thefarmhouseinnmaine.com, from 4pm Wed.-Sat.) makes it easy to find something to everyone’s liking and in the right price range. Dine indoors or on the patio. The inn often offers live music.
For a lovely dinner by candlelight, make reservations at S Arborvine (33 Upper Tenney Hill/Main St., 207/374-2119, www.arborvine.com, 5:30pm-9pm Tues.-Sun., entrées $28-35), a conscientiously renovated, two-century-old Cape-style house with four dining areas, each with a different feel and understated decor. Chef-owner John Hikade and his wife, Beth, prepare American entrées such as crispy roasted duckling and roasted rack of lamb. Their mantra has been fresh and local for more than 30 years. A vegetarian plate is always available.
For lobster, fried fish, and the area’s best lobster roll, head to The Fish Net (163 Main St., 207/374-5240, 11am-8pm daily), an inexpensive, mostly take-out joint on the eastern end of town.
It’s not easy to find S Perry’s Lobster Shack (1076 Newbury Neck Rd., Surry, 207/667-1955, 11am-8pm daily), but it’s worth the effort for a classic lobster-shack experience. This traditional Maine lobster shack is about five miles down Newbury Neck, just after the Causeway Place beach. Expect lobster, lobster and crab rolls, corn, chips, mussels, and clams. From the pier-top picnic tables, you’re overlooking the water with Mount Desert Island as a backdrop. Unlike most lobster shacks, this one has waitress service. No credit cards.
What’s old is new at Barncastle (125 South St., 207/374-2330, www.barn-castle.com, $145-195), a late-19th-century Shingle-style cottage that’s listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It opens to a two-story foyer with a split stairway and balcony. Rooms and suites open off the balcony. All are spacious, minimally decorated, and offer contemporary accents, including a fridge and a microwave. Rates include a continental breakfast. The downstairs tavern serves pizza, salads, and sandwiches; noise can be a factor.
The Farmhouse Inn (578 Pleasant St., Blue Hill, 207/374-5286, www.thefarmhouseinnmaine.com, $150-300) comprises a beautifully renovated 1870s farmhouse and connected barn, sited on 48 acres at the base of Blue Hill Mountain and about three miles from downtown Blue Hill. Guest rooms in the barn are small; those in the farmhouse are more spacious. All guests have use of the public rooms, including one with Ping-Pong table, and a backyard fire pit.
S The Blue Hill Inn (Union St./Rte. 177, 207/374-2844 or 800/826-7415, www.bluehillinn.com, $225-385) is the epitome of a classic country inn. Built as a private residence in 1830 and converted to an inn in 1841, the antiques-filled inn is just steps from Main Street’s shops and restaurants. Ten air-conditioned guest rooms and a suite have real chandeliers, four-poster beds, down comforters, fancy linens, and braided and Oriental rugs; three have wood-burning fireplaces. Rear rooms overlook the extensive cutting garden, with chairs and a hammock. A three-course breakfast is served in the elegant dining room, where a five-course tasting menu ($90 including dinner, wines, taxes, and gratuity) is served on Mondays in summer and fall. In winter, a la carte bistro dinners ($13-15) are available on Fridays by reservation. Afternoon refreshments with sweets appear in the living room daily, and superb hors d’oeuvres are served 6pm-7pm in two elegant parlors or the garden. Also available are two year-round, pet-friendly suites with cooking facilities in the contemporary Cape House.
The Blue Hill Inn has been welcoming guests since 1840.
The S Wavewalker Bed and Breakfast (28 Wavewalker Ln., Surry, 207/667-5767, www.wavewalkerbedandbreakfast.com, $225-320) has a jaw-dropping location near the tip of Newbury Neck. It sits on 20 private acres with 1,000 feet of shorefront as well as woods and blueberry fields. The newly built inn is smack on the oceanfront, with views across the water to Mount Desert Island. Four spacious guest rooms have wowser views; some have fireplaces and/or oversized whirlpool tubs. The 1st-floor room is a good choice for those with mobility problems. Guests also have use of a living room, sunroom, and oceanfront deck. A full, hot breakfast is served. Kayaks are available. A separate two-bedroom-plus-loft cottage rents for $1,000-1,800 per week; in spring, fall, and winter daily rates are available ($200-250) with a three-night minimum.
Weekly or longer rentals can pay off if you have a large family or are planning a group vacation. The Blue Hill Peninsula has lots of rental cottages, camps, and houses, but the trick is to plan well ahead. This is a popular area in summer, and many renters sign up for the following year before they leave town. For information, contact Sandy Douvarjo of Peninsula Property Rentals (15 Main St., Blue Hill, 207/374-2428, www.peninsulapropertyrentals.com).
The Blue Hill Peninsula Chamber of Commerce (207/374-3242, www.bluehillpeninsula.org) is the best source for information on Blue Hill and the surrounding area.
At the Blue Hill Public Library (5 Parker Point Rd., Blue Hill, 207/374-5515, www.bluehill.lib.me.us), ask to see the suit of armor, which may have belonged to Magellan. The library sponsors a summer lecture series.
Public restrooms are in the Blue Hill Town Hall (Main St.), Blue Hill Public Library (Main St.), and Blue Hill Memorial Hospital (Water St.).
Blue Hill is about 17 miles or 25 minutes via Routes 1 and 15 from Bucksport and about 20 miles or 30 minutes via Routes 166, 199, 175, and 177 from Castine. It’s about 14 miles or 20 minutes via Route 172 to Ellsworth, and about 11 miles or 15 minutes via Route 15 to Buck’s Harbor in Brooksville.
I’m going to let you in on a secret—a part of Maine that seems right out of a time warp, a place with general stores and family farms, where family roots go back generations and summer rusticators have returned for decades. Nestled near the bottom of the Blue Hill Peninsula and surrounded by Castine, Blue Hill, and Deer Isle, this often-missed area offers superb hiking, kayaking, and sailing, plus historic homes and unique shops, studios, lodgings, and personalities.
The best-known town is Brooklin (pop. 824), thanks to two magazines: The New Yorker and WoodenBoat. Wordsmiths extraordinaire E. B. and Katharine White “dropped out” to Brooklin in the 1930s and forever afterward dispatched their splendid material for The New Yorker from here. (The Whites’ former home, a handsome colonial not open to the public, is on Route 175 in North Brooklin, 6.5 miles from the Blue Hill Falls bridge.) In 1977, WoodenBoat magazine moved its headquarters to Brooklin, where its 60-acre shore-side estate attracts builders and dreamers from all over the globe.
Nearby Brooksville (pop. 934) drew the late Helen and Scott Nearing, whose book Living the Good Life made them role models for back-to-the-landers. Their Harborside compound on Cape Rosier now verges on must-see status. Buck’s Harbor, a section of Brooksville, is the setting for One Morning in Maine, one of Robert McCloskey’s beloved children’s books.
Easy-on-the-eyes scenery and solitude are Cape Rosier’s calling cards.
Incorporated in 1789, the oldest of the three towns is Sedgwick (pop. 1,196), which once included all of Brooklin and part of Brooksville. Now wedged between Brooklin and Brooksville, it includes the hamlet of Sargentville, the Caterpillar Hill scenic overlook, and a well-preserved complex of historic buildings. The influx of pilgrims—many of them artists bent on capturing the spirit that has proved so enticing to creative types—continues in this area.
You can easily spend a day moseying the twisting highways and byways looping though this region. Look at the route numbers, which double on many roads, and it’s possible to think you’re driving north, south, east, and west simultaneously, which also explains how you can watch the sun both rise and set over the Atlantic. It’s easy to get turned around, so keep your Maine Atlas & Gazetteer or other detailed map handy.
Forest Farm, home of the late Helen and Scott Nearing, is now the site of The Good Life Center (372 Harborside Rd., Harborside, 207/326-8211, www.goodlife.org). Advocates of simple living and authors of 10 books on the subject, the Nearings created a trust to perpetuate their farm and philosophy. Resident stewards lead tours (usually 1pm-5pm Thurs.-Mon. mid-June-early Sept., Sat.-Sun. early Sept.-mid-Oct., $10 donation). Ask about the schedule for the traditional Monday-night meetings (7pm), featuring free programs by gardeners, philosophers, musicians, and other guest speakers. Occasional work parties, workshops, and conferences are also on the docket. The farm is on Harborside Road, just before it turns to dirt. From Route 176 in Brooksville, take Cape Rosier Road and go eight miles, passing Holbrook Island Sanctuary. At the Grange Hall, turn right and follow the road 1.9 miles to the end. Turn left onto Harborside Road and continue 1.8 miles to Forest Farm, across from Orrs Cove.
About a mile beyond the Nearings’ place is Four Season Farm (609 Weir Cove Rd., Harborside, 207/326-4455, www.fourseasonfarm.com, 1pm-5pm Mon.-Sat. June-Sept.), the lush organic farm owned and operated by internationally renowned gardeners Eliot Coleman and Barbara Damrosch. Both have written numerous books and articles and starred in TV gardening shows. Coleman is a driving force behind the use of the word authentic to mean “beyond organic,” demonstrating a commitment to food that is local, fresh, ripe, clean, safe, and nourishing. He’s successfully pioneered a “winter harvest,” developing environmentally sound and economically viable systems for extending fresh vegetable production October-May in cold-weather climates. Visitors are welcome to drive in and around the farm, but no produce is sold here.
The Brooksville Historical Society Museum (150 Coastal Rd./Rte. 176, Brooksville, www.brooksvillehistoricalsociety.org, 1pm-4pm Wed. and Sun. July-Aug.) houses a collection of nautical doodads, farming implements, blacksmith tools, and quilts in a converted boathouse. The museum is restoring a local farmhouse for more exhibits.
Get way, way off the beaten path with a loop around Cape Rosier, the westernmost arm of the town of Brooksville. The Cape Rosier loop takes in Holbrook Island Sanctuary, Goose Falls, the hamlet of Harborside, and plenty of water and island views. Note that some roads are unpaved, but they usually are well maintained. Cape Rosier’s roads are poorly marked, perhaps deliberately, so keep your DeLorme atlas handy.
In the early 1970s, foresighted benefactor Anita Harris donated to the state 1,230 acres in Brooksville that would become the Holbrook Island Sanctuary (207/326-4012, www.parksandlands.com, free). From Route 176, between West Brooksville and South Brooksville, head west on Cape Rosier Road, following brown-and-white signs for the sanctuary. Trail maps and bird checklists are available in boxes at trailheads or at park headquarters. The easy Backshore Trail (about 30 minutes) starts here, or go back a mile and climb the steep-ish trail to Backwoods Mountain for the best vistas. Other attractions include shorefront picnic tables and grills, four old cemeteries, super bird-watching during spring and fall migrations, a pebble beach, and a stone beach. Leashed pets are permitted, but no bikes are allowed on the trails, and camping is not permitted. The park is officially open May 15-October 15, but the access road and parking areas are plowed in winter for cross-country skiers.
Bicycling in this area is for confident, experienced cyclists. The roads are particularly narrow and winding, with poor shoulders. The best bet for casual pedal pushers is the area around Cape Rosier, where traffic is light.
You can take a picnic to the Bagaduce Ferry Landing, in West Brooksville off Route 176, where there are picnic tables and cross-river vistas toward Castine. Another good spot is Holbrook Island Sanctuary State Park on Cape Rosier.
Most of these businesses are small, owner-operated shops, which means they’re often catch-as-catch-can.
When you need a slate sink, a claw-foot tub, brass fixtures, or a Palladian window, Architectural Antiquities (52 Indian Point Ln., Harborside, 207/326-4938, www.archantiquities.com), on Cape Rosier, is just the ticket—a restorer’s delight. Prices are reasonable for what you get, and they’ll ship your purchases. It’s open all year by appointment; ask for directions when you call.
Amelia Poole handcrafts one-of-a-kind scarves, clothing, and art from all-natural and sustainable textiles—including cotton, silk and linen—dyed with plant-sourced colors at Ecouture Textile Studio (30 Bagaduce Rd., Brooksville, 339/832-2930, http://ecouturetextilestudio.com). She also conducts one-day workshops.
In North Brooksville, where Route 175/176 crosses the Bagaduce River, stands the Bagaduce Lunch (145 Franks Flat, Penobscot, 11am-7pm Thurs.-Tues, 11am-3pm Wed.), a take-out shack named an “American Classic” by the James Beard Foundation in 2008. Owners Judy and Mike Astbury buy local fish and clams. Check the tide calendar and go when the tide is changing; order fried clams, settle in at a picnic table, and watch the reversing falls. If you’re lucky, you might sight an eagle, osprey, or seal.
You often can find Tinder Hearth’s (1452 Coastal Rd., Brooksville, 207/326-8381, http://tinderhearth.com) organic, wood-fired, European-style breads and croissants in local shops and at farmers markets, but you can buy them right at the bakery on Tuesday and Friday. Pastries are baked Tuesday-Saturday. On some evenings, Tinder Hearth bakes thin-crust pizzas, usually 5pm-8pm; reservations are required, so call for the current schedule and menu. It’s on the western side of Route 176 north of the Cape Rosier Road. It’s not well marked, so keep an eye out for the Open sign.
Lunch is the specialty at Buck’s Harbor Market (6 Cornfield Hill Rd., South Brooksville, 207/326-8683, www.bucksharbormarket.com, 8am-6pm daily), a low-key, marginally gentrified general store popular with yachties in summer. Pick up sandwiches, cheeses, prepared foods, breads, and treats for a Holbrook Island adventure.
Buck’s Restaurant in Brooksville
Three varieties of English-style hard cider are the specialty at The Sow’s Ear Winery (Rte. 176 at Herrick Rd., Brooksville, 207/326-4649, no credit cards), a minuscule operation in a funky two-story shingled shack. Winemaker Tom Hoey also produces sulfite-free blueberry, chokecherry, and rhubarb wines, all of which you can sample. Ask to see his cellar. Lining the walls in the tiny tasting room/shop are books, also for sale, that concentrate on architecture and history, with specialty areas highlighting Gothic arches and Russian history, but including plenty of other esoteric topics.
The Sow’s Ear Winery produces wines and hard ciders.
Behind Buck’s Harbor Market is S Buck’s Restaurant (6 Cornfield Hill Rd., Brooksville, 207/326-8688, 5:30pm-8:30pm Mon.-Sat., $20-28), where guests dine at white-clothed tables inside or on a screened porch. Chef Jonathan Chase’s American menu reflects what’s locally available and changes frequently. Service is excellent.
The two operations in this category feel much like informal family compounds—places where you quickly become an adoptee. These are extremely popular spots, where successive generations of hosts have catered to successive generations of visitors, and reservations are usually essential for July-August. Many guests book for the following year before they leave. We’re not talking fancy; the cottages are old-shoe rustic, of varying sizes and decor. Most have cooking facilities; one colony includes breakfast and dinner in July-August. Both have hiking trails, playgrounds, rowboats, and East Penobscot Bay on the doorstep.
The fourth generation manages the Hiram Blake Camp (220 Weir Cove Rd., Harborside, 207/326-4951, www.hiramblake.com, Memorial Day-late Sept., no credit cards), but other generations pitch in and help with gardening, lobstering, maintenance, and kibitzing. Thirteen cottages and a duplex line the shore of this 100-acre property, which has been in family hands since before the Revolutionary War. The camp itself dates from 1916. Don’t bother bringing reading material: The dining room has ingenious ceiling niches lined with countless books. Guests also have the use of rowboats, and kayak rentals are available. Home-cooked breakfasts and dinners are served family-style; lobster is always available at an additional charge. Much of the fare is grown in the expansive gardens. Other facilities include a dock, a recreation room, a pebble beach, and an outdoor chapel. There’s a one-week minimum (beginning Sat. or Sun.) in July-August, when cottages go for $1,100-3,500 per week (including breakfast, dinner, and linens). Off-season rates (no meals or linens, but cottages have cooking facilities) are $700-2,250 per week. The best chances for getting a reservation are in June and September. Dogs are welcome.
The best source of information about the region is the Blue Hill Peninsula Chamber of Commerce (207/374-2281, www.bluehillpeninsula.org).
Local Penobscot Bay Press (www.penobscotbaypress.com), which publishes a collection of local newspapers, also maintains an excellent website, with listings for area businesses as well as articles highlighting area happenings.
Check out Free Public Library (1 Town House Rd./Rte. 176, Brooksville, 207/326-4560).
Buck’s Harbor, Brooksville, is about 8 miles or 15 minutes from Blue Hill via Routes 15, 175, and 176. From Buck’s Harbor, it’s about 8 miles or 15 minutes to Harborside on Cape Rosier via Route 176 to the Cape Rosier Road or about 9 miles or 15 minutes to Sedgwick.
Now used as the museum and headquarters of the Sedgwick-Brooklin Historical Society, the 1795 Reverend Daniel Merrill House (Rte. 172, Sedgwick, 2pm-4pm Sun. July-Aug. donation) was the parsonage for Sedgwick’s first permanent minister. Inside the house are period furnishings, old photos, toys, and tools; a few steps away are a restored 1874 schoolhouse, an 1821 cattle pound (for corralling wandering bovines), and a hearse barn. Pick up a brochure during open hours and guide yourself around the buildings and grounds. The Sedgwick Historic District, crowning Town House Hill, comprises the Merrill House and its outbuildings, plus the imposing 1794 Town House and the 23-acre Rural Cemetery (the oldest headstone dates from 1798) across Route 172.
No one seems to know how Caterpillar Hill got its name, but its reputation comes from a panoramic vista of water, hills, and blueberry barrens—with a couple of convenient picnic tables where you can stop for lunch, photos, or a ringside view of sunset and fall foliage. From the 350-foot elevation, the views take in Walker Pond, Eggemoggin Reach, Deer Isle, Swans Island, and even the Camden Hills. The signposted rest area is on Route 175/15; watch out for the blind curve when you pull off the road.
the Caterpillar Hill scenic vista
Between Sargentville and Sedgwick, Route 175 offers elevated views of Eggemoggin Reach, with shore access to the Benjamin River just before you reach Sedgwick village.
Get way, way off the beaten path with a loop around Cape Rosier, the westernmost arm of the town of Brooksville. The Cape Rosier loop takes in Holbrook Island Sanctuary, Goose Falls, the hamlet of Harborside, and plenty of water and island views. Note that some roads are unpaved, but they usually are well maintained.
Just south and below the Caterpillar Hill scenic overlook, take the Cooper Farm Road to find two preserves, one for an easy to moderate hike and the other for a swim or paddle.
The Blue Hill Heritage Trust’s Cooper Farm at Caterpillar Hill offers a three-loop trail network winding through blueberry barrens and woods. The entire outer loop is 1.5 miles round-trip, but you can shorten or lengthen the route via the cross trails. In late July and August you can help yourself to the blueberries.
Afterward, continue a bit farther along the Cooper Farm Road to Landing Road, which leads to the Sedgwick/Brooksville Town Landing on Walker Pond. Here you’ll find docks and floats, picnic tables, and a small sand beach with shallow water. It’s a fine place to picnic, swim, paddle, or launch a small boat.
Most of these businesses are small, owner-operated shops, which means they’re often catch-as-catch-can.
Early furniture, handmade furniture, and a full range of country accessories and antiques can be found at Thomas Hinchcliffe Antiques (26 Cradle Knolls Ln., off Rte. 176, West Sedgwick, 207/326-9411). It’s usually open on summer afternoons, but call first to be sure.
Painted country furniture, decoys, and unusual nautical items are specialties at Peg and Olney Grindall’s Old Cove Antiques (106 Caterpillar Rd./Rte. 15, Sargentville, 207/359-2031 or 207/359-8585), a weathered-gray shop across from the Eggemoggin Country Store.
Don’t miss the “world’s smallest bookstore,” Bill Henderson’s Pushcart Press Bookstore (380 Christy Hill, Sedgwick, 207/266-2531). It’s a trove of literary fiction both used (paperbacks $2, hardbacks $5) and new, including editions of the Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses annual series. Sales help support Pushcart fellowships.
S El El Frijoles (41 Caterpillar Rd./Rte. 15, Sargentville, 207/359-2486, www.elelfrijoles.com, 11am-8pm Wed.-Sun., $5-16)—that’s L. L. Beans to you gringos—gets raves for its made-from-scratch California-style empanadas, burritos, and tacos, many of which have a Maine accent. Try the spicy lobster burritos or a daily special, such as ranchero shrimp tacos or crab quesadillas. Dine in the screen house or on picnic tables on the lawn; there’s a play area for children.
El El Frijoles
Family-run Strong Brewing Company (7 Rope Ferry Rd., Sedgwick, 207/359-8722, http://strongbrewing.com, noon-7pm daily) is open daily for tastings and offers Pints & Pizza 5pm-8pm Fridays (the only time they offer pizza). Find it at the intersection of Routes 15 and 176.
The best source of information about the region is the Blue Hill Peninsula Chamber of Commerce (207/374-2281, www.bluehillpeninsula.org).
Local Penobscot Bay Press (www.penobscotbaypress.com), which publishes a collection of local newspapers, also maintains an excellent website, with listings for area businesses as well as articles highlighting area happenings.
Check out Sedgwick Village Library (Main St., Sedgwick, 207/359-2177).
Sedgwick is about 8 miles or 15 minutes via Route 175 from Brooksville. It’s about 5 miles or 10 minutes to Brooklin via Route 175 or 10 miles or 15 minutes to Blue Hill via Route 172.
On Naskeag Point Road, 1.2 miles from Route 175 in downtown Brooklin, a small sign marks the turn to the world headquarters of WoodenBoat (Naskeag Point Rd., Brooklin, 207/359-4651, www.woodenboat.com). Buy magazines, books, clothing, and all manner of nautical merchandise at the handsome store, stroll the grounds, or sign up for one of the dozens of one- and two-week spring, summer, and fall courses in seamanship, navigation, boatbuilding, sailmaking, marine carving, and more; tuition varies by course and duration. Special courses are geared to kids, women, pros, and all-thumbs neophytes. The camaraderie is legendary, and so is the cuisine. School visiting hours are 8am-5pm Monday-Saturday June-October.
WoodenBoat headquarters
Naskeag Point Road begins off Route 175 in “downtown” Brooklin, heads down the peninsula for 3.7 miles past the entrance to WoodenBoat Publications, and ends at a small shingle beach (limited parking) on Eggemoggin Reach. Here you’ll find picnic tables, a boat launch, a seasonal toilet, and a marker commemorating the 1778 battle of Naskeag, when British sailors came ashore from the sloop Gage, burned several buildings, and were run off by a ragtag band of local settlers. Cape Rosier’s roads are poorly marked, perhaps deliberately, so keep your DeLorme atlas handy.
Bicycling in this area is for confident, experienced cyclists. The roads are particularly narrow and winding, with poor shoulders. The best bet for casual pedal pushers is Naskeag Point Road.
Virginia G. Sarsfield handcrafts paper products, including custom lampshades, calligraphy papers, books, and lamps, at Handmade Papers (113 Reach Rd., Brooklin, 207/359-8345, www.handmadepapersonline.com).
It’s worth the mosey out to Flye Point to find Flye Point Sculpture & Art Gallery (436 Flye Point Rd., Brooklin, 207/610-0350), where Peter Stremlau displays fine works in varied media by Maine-based and Maine-inspired artists. Wander through gardens and woodlands accented with sculptures. More sculptures, as well as paintings and accordion books, are inside the gallery. The waterfront location is spectacular.
Leaf and Anna (12 Reach Rd., 207/359-5030), in Brooklin village, is a browser’s delight filled with garden and kitchen must-haves, items for boats, and books.
The Brooklin General Store (4 Reach Rd., junction of Rte. 175 and Naskeag Point Rd., Brooklin, 207/359-8359, 5am-8pm Mon.-Fri., 7am-7pm Sat.-Sun.), dating from 1866 but completely rebuilt in 2017, carries groceries, beer and wine, newspapers, and local chatter as well as sandwiches, breakfast treats, baked goods, and pizza.
What’s not organic is local, and what’s not local is organic at The Brooklin Inn (Rte. 175, Brooklin, 207/359-2777, www.brooklininn.com, 5:30pm-9pm Wed.-Mon., $10-36). The upstairs restaurant is old-school genteel. A children’s menu is available. In addition to à la carte selections, a three-course fixed-price menu usually is offered daily for about $25. Downstairs, the less formal Irish pub (5:30pm-10pm daily) serves burgers, Guinness stew, and pizza in addition to the upstairs menu. Friday night offers an all-the-fresh-baked haddock you can eat special.
It’s an easy walk to the village center from the Maine Hideaway Guest House (19 Naskeag Point Rd., Brooklin, 207/610-2244, www.themainehideaway.com, $80-$140), a nicely renovated and updated 1874 Victorian with contemporary décor. Rates include breakfast. Some rooms share baths. It’s popular with Wooden Boat School students.
With 730 feet of waterfront on Eggemoggin Reach and 16 wooded acres, Oceanfront Camping @ Reach Knolls (666 Reach Rd., Brooklin, 207/359-5555, www.reachknolls.com, $25-30, no credit cards) is a no-frills campground with 32 wooded sites. The camp office building has free showers and potable water; there is no water at the sites. The campground can accommodate RVs up to 35 feet in length, and electricity is available. There are privies and a dump station. A path leads to the pebbly beach, where you can launch a kayak.
The best source of information about the region is the Blue Hill Peninsula Chamber of Commerce (207/374-2281, www.bluehillpeninsula.org).
Penobscot Bay Press (www.penobscotbaypress.com), which publishes a collection of local newspapers, also maintains an excellent website, with listings for area businesses as well as articles highlighting area happenings.
The Friends Memorial Library (Rte. 175, Brooklin, 207/359-2276) has the lovely Circle of Friends Garden, with benches and a brick patio. It’s dedicated to the memory of longtime Brooklin residents E. B. and Katharine White.
Brooklin is about 5 miles or 10 minutes via Route 175 from Sedgwick. It’s about 12 miles or 20 minutes to Blue Hill via Route 175 or about 18 miles or 30 minutes to Deer Isle Village via Routes 175 and 15.