The bridge slightly sways more then swings. It is a pretty sight to see. The walking trail however…read morewasn't as impressive as I thought it would be. I probably won't come back again even though it was nice to see the location for a short time.

This cute little walking path meanders next to the Androscoggin river and over the Swinging bridge…read more I love walking this when looking for a short peaceful walk. I can go down to the mini beach to see the ducks, walk over the swinging bridge, grab a coffee from one of the local cafes on Maine street or Union street, and even lengthen my walk onto the Androscoggin Pedestrian and Bike Path to make for a 9 mile plus walk round trip if I want. Be aware though,there are three roads to cross to get to the other pathway, all have crosswalks, one which has a flashing light for pedestrians. Taken from their website: When completed, the Androscoggin Brunswick-Topsham Riverwalk will be a year-round, in-town walking loop, 1.25 miles long. Fully-accessible paths, including sidewalks in the more urban portions of the route, will link the Frank J. Wood ("Green") Bridge to the historic Androscoggin Swinging Bridge along the Androscoggin River in both Brunswick and Topsham. Benches will be installed along the route, particularly at sites that provide spectacular views of the Androscoggin River and the neighborhoods adjacent to the river. There will be directional signage along the route and informational signage at points of natural, historic or other significance. As necessary, existing sidewalks will be extended or improved. New safety buffers will protect pedestrians and cyclists from vehicles in the more high-traffic sections of the Riverwalk. The Riverwalk is being implemented in phases. Initial components included the restoration of the Swinging Bridge and creating of a new pedestrian walkway on the Frank J. Wood Bridge as well as an extension to the Summer Street sidewalk in Topsham. In October 2012, the Mill Road section through the woods in Topsham was completed, linking the Swinging Bridge to the Summer Street sidewalk. Future phases include improvements along the busy Mill Street Route One connector in Brunswick and the Fort Andross area in Brunswick as well as a riverfront park at the Priority Business Center in Topsham.

An early morning walk proved to be quite peaceful as I meandered along the wooded trails in this 71…read moreacre park. Early on I did encounter a dog that raced by followed a 1/2 hour later by its owner calling out its name. The set of interlocking trails offers the opportunity to customize the length of each individual's walk with much of it appearing to be handicap accessible.

I love these trails for peaceful walks, jogging, Geocaching (there's a bunch), and hopefully this…read morewinter I will remember to hit this place up for cross country skiing and snowshoeing. There are plenty of trails to pick from to help make your adventure different from your prior adventure here. The main trails are well packed for safe running while the narrow side trails have some rocks, roots, and stumps to navigate. Most of the trails are well marked with blazes while some of the side trails need a keen eye to keep on track. Be aware that some of these trails hug residental areas, so please be respectful of boundary lines. There are a few picnic tables that located near the main entrance. Some of these are nestled in wooded areas by themselves to offer a more secluded feel to your picnic lunch. Come and enjoy nature! Taken from www.brunswickme.org By their vote of May 8, 1719, the Pejepscot Proprietors "Granted one thousand acres of land to lay in general commonage." Unlike the village green or town common found in the center of many New England towns, the Brunswick Town Commons was a specific grant from the private lands of the Pejepscot Co., and not from town-owned common and undivided land. Located near the geographic center of town, the Commons has influenced the growth of the Brunswick region. Upon the promise of two hundred acres of land from the Commons, Bowdoin College was established in Brunswick. In the late 1800's the Town appropriated money to plant and cultivate blueberries on the Commons. Granite monuments placed in 1891 by D. E. Campbell, Civil Engineer, marked all angle changes of the boundaries. Monument E marks the south western corner and is located in the Peat Heath. Five more of the historic granite markers are located within the boundaries of the Naval Air Station. In 1905 the Town began a planting and management program for White Pines and Red Oaks. In 1930 Brunswick voted to establish an airport on the Commons and the first aircraft landed in June, 1934. Later known as the Brunswick Municipal Airport, this land was the nucleus of what is now the Brunswick Naval Air Station. Today the Commons provides year-round recreational opportunities for Brunswick citizens and serves as a living laboratory for local elementary school children. The Town Commons Planning Committee oversees the general management of the Commons, but policy decisions are by vote of the Town Council as "successors in office" of Nathaniel Larrabee, Andrew Dunning, and William Stanwood, Selectmen at the time of the Pejepscot Proprietors' grant. The Town recognized the unique status of the Commons in the Town Commons Resolution adopted February 1968, which states, "We, the Selectmen of the Town of Brunswick, being mindful of the history and heritage of our Town; respectful of the inspiring wisdom of the first Planners of our community; and proud of the part they have played in preserving to our use a portion of the lands with which they were so richly endowed knowing full well our later needs in that respect; do declare that the Commons (thousand acres) is an HISTORIC LANDMARK."

One of the newest trail systems in Harpswell boosts wide trails, marsh views, and sections of pines…read morethat will make your nose believe it's Christmas time. The main trail branches off into two loops in case you want to do a short adventure. Parts of the trails are rooty, but easy to navigate. There is no climbing or unstable rocks to hunker over. Be sure to wear bug spray and or tick spray as the sign suggested there is a population of ticks here. The parking lot is a well maintained flat lit that can accommodate up to about 10 cars, as long as people park appropriately. Check this and many of the well maintained and scenic Harpwell trails soon!

This quiet tract of land is in the heart of a major conservation focus area for the town of…read moreHarpswell. The habitat is quite varied with a mix of wetlands, stream and pond along wide mixed upland forest. You can find all kinds of wildlife here since it is both an important migration corridor running all the way to Brunswick to the north and to the ocean to the south. Wild turkeys and white-tailed deer, fox and coyotes, waterfowl, amphibians, migrating song birds including many species of warblers, this lovely preserve has much to offer those of us who enjoy the peaceful natural world. Highly recommended for a visit when you have an hour or two to relax.

Walking along the Cathance River reminded me a lot of Swift River in the Kancamagus - a stunning…read morehike through the forest alongside a rushing body of water (stretches of which include Class IV rapids). So much of it felt so organic too - rocks and tree roots making paths and stairs through the gently winding quiet woods. It's well marked, the directional signs are in the perfect places, and the trails are all extremely well maintained. What a fantastic way to spend an autumnal morning - had a picnic on some of the rocks that were jutting out into the river with the sun pouring down around me. For sure the way to go for maximum water views, with the most privacy, is: park at the Ecology Center, walk down to it and hook a left on Highland Trail (blue), which connects to Cathance River Trail (white), take Cathance River Trail to Rapids Trail (yellow), Rapids Trail back to Highland Trail and the Ecology Center. I say this because... You should know that this hiking area is basically within a housing development on a golf course and is currently undergoing a lot of construction on the eastern side of the trail system (anything around and beyond the actual Hiker Parking area - didn't see the wooden bridge near Old Quarry Road or the Clay Brook bridge to Head of Tide Park because I wasn't allowed to access them when I came). Also, you can hear the traffic from 295 pretty clearly throughout most of the trail system. I didn't know either of these things, so both were a bit off-putting. As an aside, I was yelled at twice: once by a golfer and once by some lady in her backyard who could see me through the trees. Both wanted to know what I was doing, why I was doing it, and where my destination was (not even kidding). It seems to me there needs to be bit more communication with these folks about the trail system here - that people actually come to hike them. Until that happens, my advice is to avoid anything and everything to do with the heath (all trails to it and around it since this is where golfing and people's backyards seem to be). I'm looking forward to coming back when construction is done and the area is a less confusing and awkward place to navigate as a hiker. But I will stick to the trails near the water!

This was a beautiful snowshoe hike. It's a great way to clear your mind on a Sunday afternoon…read more Maybe 4 miles of trails if you want to do it all in one day. Well marked and they have maps.

Bridges ships and art…read more Harbor View park is an unusual little park that is basically under a highway bridge. Nice views of the under side of the bridge if that is what you are interested in but also some nice views of the docks and harbor once you get to the top of the park on York Street. Not a whole lot in this park, just some walking paths that lead under the bridge and then up to a grassy field. Several strange art type of sculptures are scattered around the park. They appear to be made from artifacts from the past. The best part of this park are the views. Great views of the harbor and ships that past through this area. If you are lucky you can even see a container ship being unloaded by huge cranes onto the docks. This is a park that is probably used mostly by local people cutting down from York Street to Commercial. It is a cool and very scruffy place that is probably not a good place to be after dark. But it is a very interesting place to visit for anyone tired of the usually touristy stuff in Portland.

Nice work city of Portland to make this public green space! It has a lovely view to the harbor, as…read moreexpected from the name. There is a lot of grass to throw around a frisbee, toss a baseball, run a game of tag, relax on a blanket, read a book and all the other fun outdoor activities you might enjoy on a grassy area. There are some trees around and some pathways. These pathways lead you down or up. Depends on where you started, but head down to Commercial Ave or up to the West End area, all while having the harbor backdrop. The park is visible from the Casco Bay Bridge, so of course, if you are in the park, expect a buzz from the nearby traffic. It still feels like a small tucked away green space that few take advantage of enjoying.

This is such a beautiful park! So many lovely places to sit overlooking the Kennebec River and the…read moreSagadahoc Bridge; you could for sure bring a book and an iced coffee (or just come and people watch or have a think!) and have plenty of Adirondack chairs or benches to choose from either shaded under big trees or soaking up the sun. Saw lots of people walking their dogs and pushing strollers along the water; it's very clean, very well maintained, very convenient, and offers lots of immediate parking. Also, who doesn't love placards with historical info about the working shipyard and the geology of the waterway? Such a lovely spot!

After dining downtown, we made the short walk to this city park. It is a city gem offering locals…read moreand tourists exceptional views of both the Kennebec River and Sagadahoc Bridge. There are benches for those that choose to linger.

This is one of our favorite places in Harpswell, it's beautiful to walk around and have some great…read moreviews of the ocean and the sunsets here are amazing. If you haven't been here this is a must in Harpswell, when the tide is low you can also walk out to the two little islands that are under water in high tide.

Maine is full of secret nooks and crannies. Glorious, magnificent, breathtaking places untouched by…read moreman or time. It's getting increasingly difficult to find these places, but they exist and Pott's Point Preserve is proof of that. Driving to and around Harpswell in and of itself is stunning. But coming specifically here is otherworldly as far as nature scenes go. Park to the side of the road (carefully and at your discretion) at a seemingly dead-end near a bunch of lobster traps and a wharf. Walk up the private Pott's Point Road and walk for nearly a half mile through a picturesque, straight-out-of-a-movie-set seaside neighborhood. It may seem awkward to walk through (metaphorically) people's backyards, but eventually you'll reach "the end" of the road where there's a tiny, sandy path through thick greenery. Through it? The literal end of the land. A beautiful acre of rocks and rosa rugosa bushes and gravel beaches and tide pools full of marine life. You can loop around and explore (especially at low tide; you'll have to carefully navigate the rugged coastal landscape otherwise), and see a plethora of islands in the distance. It's unspoiled Maine beauty at it's finest.

"The way life should be" - Maine's famous saying and logo - this place depicts just that. We went…read moreexploring and found this wonderful place. You're lost in time filled with algae, rocks, shells and grassland. We love this beautiful and breathtaking place. Perfect for puppies, children and couples. There is nothing quite like it and it's a short hike to the most gorgeous point. This place is perfect for this time of year- autumn with the leaves changing. Please come visit and find yourself at peace.