Dog friendly hikes and exploring, mostly around New England. Our Adventures includes: waterfalls, the beach, conservation land, lighthouses, state parks, the woods, the mountains, statues, and castles.
This month Wilma, Gus, and I Adventured to Long Sand Beach (South) in York, Maine. Long Sand Beach is approximately one and a half miles long, located in between the villages of York Town and York Beach on route 1A.
We had a peaceful Adventure to Long Sands Beach (South). I am often hesitant to venture onto beaches due to the chaotic off leash scene, however we did not see anyone on the South end of Long Sands Beach, so decided to check it out. The parking area is above the beach, which provided us the ability to view the scene before heading down the stairs. Although a dark day the sky, and water was still quite lovely, the clouds quite scenic. Immediately upon landing on the sand Gus began some chaotic digging, and Wilma decided it was time to play. The beach makes these two happy, just like most of us.
We wandered to the water’s edge although neither Wilma nor Gus wanted to venture in, which generally does not surprise me. We walked along the water and around the sandy beach. It was so nice to have a quiet adventure to the beach. Another wonderful adventure with Wilma and Gus (this blog will not be rated).
I will have sections of my blog that I will title “Throwback Adventure”, and will plan on posting them every Thursday. These are journeys we have taken before I started the blog, but are well worth sharing. Many of these Throwback Adventures will include our Buster, who was known for his crazy tail, his happy howl, and his zest for life. We miss him dearly…he is forever in our hearts!
In April 2015 Shadow, Buster, and I adventured to Edwards Harborside in York, Maine. In researching Edwards Harborside to create this blog I learned that it is a marina with several beach areas. However I was unclear on the exact title of the beach which was in front of the Edwards Harborside Inn, therefore not officially the Edwards Harborside Beach as I expected. Even without this official title I still decided to blog about this location, possibly a less known area for travelers.
We had a beach-filled Adventure to Edwards Harborside, one of our many stops that day. It was a sunny spring April day. I believe we found this location accidentally, parking after finding a sign for “Edwards Harborside”. The beach we found nearby was small and quiet. Shadow and Buster were energized by the beach, digging, wrestling, and romping! They always made me smile on our beach trips, as on on this Adventure to Edwards Harborside. We explored the entire beach, walking in the water, and checking out the rocky areas. Definitely a fun day of memories at Edward Harborside (Throwback blogs will not always be rated).
Today Shadow, Wilma, and I Adventured to Cape Neddick “Nubble”. Cape Neddick “Nubble” Lighthouse is located in Cape Neddick, York, Maine. It is on Nubble Island off of Cape Neddick point. It was initially put into use in 1879, and continues to be a working lighthouse. The area is popular for visitors, and even has a small gift shop and restrooms (available in season).
We had a perfect Adventure to the Cape Neddick “Nubble” Lighthouse. We have been to the Nubble Lighthouse many times previously, but it really is quite spectacular, so I decided to blog about it again. We arrived to find huge gust of winds, an incoming tide, and an abundance of crashing waves, a gorgeous scene. Upon wandering around, we soon found some scuba divers performing a practice exercise. Wilma was quite intrigued by the divers, unsure of the scene. We observed for a bit before moving on, climbing on the rocks, and loving every moment. There were flowers between the rocks, and in the grass, bright yellows, pinks, and whites, just lovely. We explored, and explored, cherishing the full coastal experience. Shadow especially loved his rolls, and often searched for a tidal pool, hoping for a sip and dip. Wilma was quite wild at this location, energized by the rocks, and guest attention. Thankfully I manged to stay on my feet in Wilma’s exuberance. After wandering around for awhile we sat in the grass to relax and savor our wonderful afternoon.
Before we left Nubble Lighthouse I decided to check out the food at Fox’s Lobster House, located on the property. I was quite thankful to see an outdoor window. The menu appeared a bit pricey so a good excuse to order myself an ice cream, and a “puppy pop” for Shadow and Wilma. Although there was a seating area the location was very busy with guests so I felt it ideal to find a rock and a grassy spot to savor our treats. Our timing was not ideal as it began pouring! Shadow quickly began eating his “pop” while Wilma wanted nothing to do with the rain. So I attempted to eat my ice cream, and next thing I knew Shadow’s had vanished. I searched the crannies of the nearby rocks and was unable to locate the “pop”. Shadow decided to go for seconds, grabbing Wilma’s bowl. I somehow was able to rescue it for Wilma and we scurried back to the car. I felt badly I could not locate Shadow’s dish, and thought for a quick moment – did he eat that too?! Wilma was able to eat her “pop” in the car but seemed to have lost interest.
The Nubble Lighthouse is a special place. The only downfall is the large tourist draw, buses even arriving and dropping off guests. However, we had a magnificent visit to the Nubble Lighthouse, a quintessential New England landmark (Rating: 4.5)
Please see below for photos and videos from today’s visit, and at the bottom I included several from previous visits, including with our love Buster
Today Shadow, Wilma, and I Adventured to Ellis Park in York Beach, Maine. Ellis Park is adjacent to Short Sands Beach. It contains a basketball court, a playground, and is a popular location for summer concerts, and locals. The Park is owned by the Town of York and managed by the Trustees.
We had a short Adventure to the Ellis Shorts Sands’ Park on a dark and dreary day. I had noticed the Park in the past but do not believe we ever have explored it. There was a fee to park based on the expected time. The word “Park” did not seem to fit the location as it was really just a big square with a gazebo in the center, appearing more like a town common. However, we sauntered around the park as I worked hard to notice little details of appreciation. Shadow and Wilma relished their happy grass rolls, and as always were enthused to explore a new place, never a complaints from these amazing two! There were benches around the park, and flowers, many past season. My favorite part of the Ellis Short Sands Park was walking above the beach. The tide was in, and the waves a rough, a beautiful scene. I was disappointed that dogs were not allowed on the beach, but was pleased we could walk nearby. There were few people on the beach on this windy and drizzly day. Although I was quite unimpressed with this Park, the coastal border made it just right (Rating: 3).
The Adventures of Shadow and Wilma 