Normally when we visit Rockport, it's only for two or three days so our time is spent in Rockport and neighboring Gloucester. This visit, however, we decided to take a day to drive up the coast to visit some sights we haven't seen in a very long time. Come along as we travel up Route 1 and 1A from Rockport to York, ME.
We woke up after an overnight rain to cloudy skies that quickly melted into a crisp blue. The humidity was low and a nice coastal breeze made for a beautiful day. After breakfasting in our room, we took a short walk on the 'neck' to capture some familiar views and then packed up some lunch and headed out for some exploration.
A little way up the road is Rockport Granite Pier. According to David Ting describing his video on You Tube, "In the mid-1800's, Rockport's Granite Pier bustled with the activity of ships being loaded with granite cut from quarries around Pigeon Hill and transported in by rail." (Check out his cool drone video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOa61vwnRNE
Then just down the road...Pigeon Cove, home mainly to commercial lobstermen and fishermen.
From here we continued up the road to Ipswich where we enjoyed a drive through the Crane Estate at Castle Hill.
The Crane Estate at Castle Hill This is a wonderful place to tour and we did back in 2009. Owned originally by the Crane plumbing folks, this mansion and grounds rivals the Newport mansions and the views are spectacular.
Next stop - the Pink House. According to Wikipedia, the house's notoriety is in part due to a popular local urban legend about its creation. The story suggests the house's location was a result of a divorce in which the wife demanded an exact replica of their Newburyport house, but failed to specify the location, resulting in the spiteful husband building it on the edge of town, in the Great Marsh with saltwater plumbing. For this reason, the building is often listed as an example of a spite house. In 2015, amid community concerns the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge would demolish the property, a group founded by local residents was formed to advocate for the preservation of the house.
From there we took some time to enjoy the view in Newburyport where we enjoyed our packed lunch
.Next stop...Portsmouth, NH to visit a shop called Scallops Shell Emporium where we found a great collection of shells for the granddaughters and this colorful building.
We continued up the coast, reminded of the breathtaking views along this route. We hadn't been to Maine since 1993. As we passed through Salisbury, I reminisced about my grandparents taking me to the amusement park here during our stays at Hampton Beach. Speaking of Hampton Beach - wow, is this built up since we vacationed there when our girls were small!
We finally reached our destination, Nubble Light House.
On our trip back to Rockport, we enjoyed the hospitality of an old friend and neighbor who now lives in Rye, NH. From growing up with a view of Saratoga Lake to enjoying retired life with a view of the Atlantic, we surely savored every reconnecting moment on her seaside deck.
One last shot, taken from a fast moving vehicle....sums up the beauty of the east coast...
It's safe to say, Day 2 of our getaway couldn't have been more perfect. Thanks for allowing me to share. Stay tuned for at least one more installment of our Summer Getaway.
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