Walking, walking and more walking.

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Maine is without doubt the most beautiful place I have ever been to and we have been very lucky with the weather, not particularly hot, but crisp clear days when the sky and sea are a brilliant deep blue.
We are early in their tourist season which is a bonus really. Although some of the shops, restaurants and campsites are still closed, the benefit of going to fabulous places and being the only people there more than compensates and parking is pretty easy too. We spent the last two nights at Camden Hills State Park in Camden, our favourite so far. Camden is famous for its windjammers, old cargo sailing ships that have been converted into yachts and the little harbour was full of them as well as restaurants and up market tourist shops. Most of the campsites so far have been beyond walking distance to towns so we took advantage of the mile and a half 'stroll' into Camden and headed in on the first evening for dinner. The walk down to town was gorgeous, the road lined with big summer houses in amongst forest. One lobster and a couple of glasses of wine later, we realised that not only was the return journey uphill all the way, it was also unlit and we had neither torch or even a mobile phone between us. Dark in Maine is REALLY dark, not like London dark so me, my husband, my half digested lobster and my two glasses of wine began a route march through the dwindling dusk to get back while we could still find the way. Just made it and have almost forgiven my resident Boy Scout who had no room for my birthday present in amongst all his survival kit, including head torch, which was safely stowed in the RV... The next morning was bright and beautiful and we decided to go on one of the hikes around the state park. Apparently the best view of sea and lakes was from the top of Mount Megunticook, 1,385 feet up. So up we went, mostly trail, with a bit of scrambling over rocks and pretty steep in places, but so worth it. The summit is smooth rock with spectacular views and we had the place to ourselves for about twenty minutes. Just as I was silently congratulating myself on being pretty fit still for fifty, we were joined by what appeared to be an over 70s walking club, who obviously popped up on a weekly basis for a picnic.... Tomorrow we head inland towards Vermont and the lakes.

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