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neworegoncoastcamping-blog · 3 years ago

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Oregon Coast Camping: Free Or Nearly Free Spots

Just north of Bandon, Oregon, Bullards Beach State Park provides up RV camping by the ocean with scenic views of the historic Coquille River Lighthouse. Nestled among shore pines, guests can explore the Coquille River Lighthouse, the mouth of the river, and the shoreline. The lighthouse itself is open to visitors daily for guests to study about the building and the area.

A small campground located just north of Tillcum Beach Campground, this area has 42 tent sites and two yurts with loads of ocean views close by. A beautiful state park situated simply south of Oregon Coast Camping area with 23 tent websites, two rustic yurts, two rustic log cabins, and 6 deluxe yurts. This campground is generally a well-kept secret with Umpqua River Lighthouse, which has an adjoining museum and is managed by the Douglas County Parks Department, nearby. Located two miles north of Bandon-by-the-sea, this state park has lots to see and do with nearby Coquille River Lighthouse and Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge. The park has 13 yurts and no tent websites, unfortunately, however does sport a horse camp with eight primitive websites. The close by city of Bandon, the "Cranberry Capitol of the World," has shops, galleries, and eating places available.

We had a nice time and this activity was particularly enjoyed by our teenage daughter. My first thought is that no matter how a lot time you determine to spend on the Oregon coast, it won't be sufficient. The seashores are all beautiful and the residents are friendly and welcoming.

On the southern half, when such amenities are unavailable, replenish with freshwater from streams and rivers. Study the tide tables so you understand what to expect on long stretches of seashore. Officially, the Oregon Coast Trail is 382 miles lengthy, but the precise distance varies depending on the way you select to hike it.

Further south from right here, much more tenting with breathtaking views could be found, making this a fantastic first night’s stop on a trip down the Oregon Coast. Cape Lookout provides easy accessibility to the seaside and a perfect view of the ocean. If you love to hike, you will find eight miles of mountaineering and walking trails via a lush old-growth forest. The campground also offers 13 yurts, six deluxe cabins, 2 group tent tenting sites, sizzling showers and bogs, and one electrical website with water. Our final pick for the Oregon Coast is the Umpqua Lighthouse State Park, situated in the Central Oregon Coast. This is a smaller campground, featuring solely 17 websites with hookups; eight are full hookups and 9 are electrical and water only. [newline]It’s nonetheless got plenty of features that make it a fantastic possibility for that winter camping journey you’ve been dreaming of.

South Jetty Rv & Tenting Resort

The nostalgic 1920’s-era Promenade is perfect for strolling or biking along the beach and the seaside itself is extensive and clean and ideal for taking part in or relaxing. Harris Beach State Park has everything you’ll need, apart from laundry. Amenities include clear shower and flush bogs, firewood on the market, onsite camp host, playground, dump station. And of course, the best amenity of all, the location right on the coast!

Ask An Rv Pro: 10 Tenting Tips That May Remodel Your Travels 311534

Instead, we ventured on to Cape Perpetua Scenic Area and spent at least an hour making an attempt to seize the perfect shot of the Spouting Horn and Thor’s Well. Tillamook is house to the long-lasting Tillamook Cheese Factory where you'll find a way to watch the production of a few of the one hundred seventy,000 kilos of cheese that they produce day by day. It’s additionally blessed with five rivers, five bays and of course the Pacific Ocean so it’s an excellent spot for water activities. About six miles north of Port Orford on the South Oregon Coast. Large, first-come, first-served campsites tucked into the trees; cabins, group and horse camps additionally out there by reservation.

Nestled close to a river, with straightforward accessibility to the path of the autumn. The coastal campground lies a pair miles south of the place the Alsea River meets the Pacific Ocean. The campground gives a selection of single-family campsites, a few which have each electrical and water hookups. The campground gives a wonderful location for whale watching. Most campsites have beachfront views, and sunsets are to not be missed. Many Campendium guests rave about how clean the park is and the natural beauty you can find here while tenting on the Oregon coast.

Devil’s Lake State Recreation area provides RV and tent tenting, and is lower than a half day’s drive north of Beverly Beach. With 28 full hook-ups and 54 tent sites, you can normally discover the proper spot here in the trees but be ready for crowds. This is the one OR campground positioned in a city, Lincoln City to be specific. Summer activity includes boat leases and day use on the lake. Like nearly all Oregon tenting, yurts are also available for an inexpensive payment. Beverly Beach is five miles north of the city of Newport, and can be a state park.

Pacific

Campsites are amongst sparse bushes ¼-mile inland from a sandy seashore at the mouth of the Umpqua River. Campsites inland amongst bushes, but solely a brief walk from Sunset Bay. Nearby Shore Acres and Cape Arago state parks are a short drive away.

The site is along a big creek with mountaineering trails to Alsea and Green Peak falls. There’s a swimming gap, outhouses, and an attractive landscape filled with ferns and bushes. This web site provides a more primitive camping experience, excellent for the camper on the lookout for a chance to find a little bit of solitude and enjoy nature. A chance to camp at Green Mountain is value braving the tough access road.

At the tip of a enjoyable day exploring and wandering, retire to your Oregon vacation rentals on the coast, excellent for watching the sundown, and rely the celebrities. Come expertise a seaside glamping journey, and guide your individual beach camping! These are simply five of the most effective campgrounds situated alongside the Oregon Coast.

If you need an much more spectacular show, go at sunrise or sundown as well and get a shot that can shock even the most skilled of photographers. After heading again to camp from the Circles in the sand appearance, we were enjoying a lazy and euphoric evening. Luckily our canines were around, the rasciliy raccoon tripped over my tent stake, and triggered Zoey into a barking frenzy. Zoey is my canine that is half Cocker Spaniel, part poodle and definitely likes to chase animals of any type. This group was started by a person named Denny, who in an effort to search out that inner peace, you started to attract in the sand.

The answer is to use designated Oregon coast camping when you don’t wish to hunt down the uncommon coastal tenting to stake your territory with your outside recliner chair or tent. Campsites are on a grassy space with some timber, near Floras Lake. A quick trail leads previous the lake to dunes and a long, sandy seaside.

Oregons 12 Greatest Tenting Locations

We went at low tide later in the evening and it looks like folks had already picked the beach for the whole sand dollars. The Bigelow Hot Springs was solely a 0.1-mile trek in if that. Make certain you include water shoes because the rocks usually are not pleasant on bare ft.

For a whole listing of coastal cities in Oregon go to Visit the Oregon Coast website. This park is positioned on the south finish of town in Florence, OR, and is a superb place to name home while you explore the central Oregon coast. Bring your seashore bag and loosen up at Cape Cove Beach on the south side of Heceta Head after your hike. This rocky beach is a great place to watch sea birds and explore tide pools. Heceta Head is house to a lighthouse on the Oregon coast, is thirteen miles north of Florence, and thirteen miles south of Yachats.

With 33 campsites, Jones Creek is a superb spot to cool off from the summer season heat. With swimming holes at every turn, plenty of shaded campsites, and trails to explore at the Tillamook Forestry Center, there's greater than enough to fill a lazy weekend. The nearby Wilson River offers extra swimming and fishing opportunities. On the larger side,Nehalem Bay State Parkoffers a various vary of actions for all visitors. From crabbing to horseback using on the beach, the chances really feel countless. Quite busy through the warm summer months, reservations are really helpful here.

We found this spot listed on UltimateCampgrounds but we stopped in at the BLM workplace inCoos Bay to get the inside track on the world. They did warn us we wouldn’t be the only campers on the market and once we arrived, we understood what they had been getting at. Southern Oregon Coast Camping near Gold Beach Oregon on Hwy 101 just 37 miles North of the California Boarder close to the Rogue River. In northern California, many of the public campgrounds are within the redwoods they usually refill quickly, so reservations are required during peak months and ought to be made well in advance. If you wish to combine it up, try the close by Yaquina Bay Lighthouse or the Oregon Coast Aquarium.

I hope this text on Free or practically free tenting Oregon coast was value studying. A novel kids’ playground is in fashion with locals in addition to campers. Guests take pleasure in strolling on the seashore and fishing within the surf. Seashore guests have to be cautious of sneaker waves and harmful rip currents. The close-by Sand Lake Estuary offers fishing, swimming, crabbing, kayaking, climbing, and wildlife viewing. Kayak excursions are equipped 7 miles south on Beaver Creek throughout July by the labor-day weekend.

After coming again house we realized we have been zero.25 miles away from where it really was. I don't imagine that path is just 2.5 miles although personally, my Fitbit said I had gone 3.92 miles by the time we rotated. We have been extremely disappointed about missing this feature as this can be a very fashionable trail. Be positive you explore the Tamolitch Blue Pool Trail on Google Maps and drop the little man to see what it looks like on a traditional day. There are a number of areas that appear to be the right spot, however alas aren't any. 1- Continue along the path that can convey you to a total of 10 totally different Waterfalls, every with its own distinctive look.

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hank-vision · 4 years ago

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Skiathos Community: Trying To Find a Walkabout or Some Stars

After a couple of days of beaches, walks, cicadas, dive in the pool, you are ready for a walkabout "downtown". Right here is a great program to start with: initially, have a drink at the Bourtzi, after that some appetizers in the old port, do some shopping on Papadiamantis Road, have a wonderful supper in a tavern along the coast, with your feet almost in the Aegean Sea and afterward, go and also dance up until the break of dawn on the "Nightlife Strip".

Like numerous visitors, you have probably chosen to check out Skiathos in the high season as well as you are currently facing your initial problem. As ALL individuals that rent out a vehicle in ALL the Greek islands in the summer, you do not know where to park this damn car. In Skiathos, there is a community cost-free parking lot, fairly chaotic and "in the local design" (random garage, no marriage on the ground which is NOT in concrete ... ). It lies at the entryway of the city, soon after the supermarket, Asteras on your left (before the exclusive vehicle parking), a little somewhat sloping roadway will certainly take you there. Go as early as feasible and you will have an opportunity to find an area. Get your automobile as late as possible and you may prevent the poor surprise of being blocked by another auto whose proprietor has not left his contact number ... If all this scares you, remember it is also feasible to take the bus or a taxi.

Well, you have ultimately found a place to park your auto, so you can "strike" the city, a bit pompous word since it has just around 5000 citizens in the wintertime (around 80,000 souls at the elevation of August ... ), however, because it is the only town on the island, it deserves this name.

Skiathos Community is developed like an amphitheater around a sheltered bay, southeast of the island. Facing the harbor, in the various other parts of the bay, is the peninsula of Punta: tiny hillsides covered with pine and olive trees, dotted with white suites half-hidden in the plants, obtainable by a road with the shipyards.

Charming old buildings, white wall surfaces, red roofings, blue shutters, which normally came from wealthy sailors, line the harbor. A lot of have been recovered and also are wonderfully brightened at night.

The crowd of tourists flows primarily in 2 areas: the port as well as Papadiamantis Street which is vertical to it. Restaurants, shops, bars, and also bars are plentiful in these 2 locations.

The port is divided into two components by the little peninsula Bourtzi, in addition to which continue to be some damages of the castle built by the brother's Ghazi in the Venetian period. The Bourtzi is a very wonderful area and also invites you to a stroll amongst the majestic as well as great smelling pine bordering the paved driveway bring about the top. The night sight of the city lights, the pubs of the old harbor, and the watercraft are lovely. The Bourtzi is a sanctuary of tranquility where romantic couples of young lovers like smooch on public benches ... On top, at the end of the smooth driveway, you will certainly locate a bar with a big terrace, where I suggest you go and also have a drink before dinner. Behind the bar, a previous primary school converted into a social facility that uses cinema efficiencies and also concerts throughout the summertime. Descend by the driveway which lies at the rear: it is lined with excellent cactus.

You can also see: Mystery Hotel in Skiathos of Greece

At the right of the Bourtzi (the sea in front of you), on the balconies of the typical taverns, restaurants, cafés of the old port, the waiters are attempting to bring in some clients. Numerous are tourist traps, some are worth a checkout. The old port, where automobiles are prohibited, has kept an attractive beauty thanks to the vivid angling watercraft, called "Matoula", "Dimitris" or "Maria", guiding gently along the quay on crystal clear waters.

At a short distance from the Bourtzi, near the quay where the Traveling Felines confront, every summer some remarkable luxury yachts arrive under the appreciating polish of the holidaymakers. The rumor runs quickly as well as the names of some celebrities circulate throughout the island, incorrectly or rightly ... Every year, American actors, pop stars, or Greek TELEVISION presenters, ship proprietors, or vocalists, which images decorate the dining establishments that have had the honor of a brief check out, simply feed the local papers. This summer season, David Hasselhof, Tommy Hilfiger, Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russel, as well as Philip Environment-friendly have picked Skiathos to invest a few hrs or days.

After your drink at the Bourtzi and your walk in the old harbor, you can walk along the marina where private yachts alternating with sailing boats and rental boats. At the end of it, you will discover some very good dining establishments, where you can eat standard "mezedes" accompanied with a little container of ouzo or "tsipouro" as well as admire the Aegean Sea, practically with your feet in the water ... Wow, it's currently past midnight and you have seen that the human flooding passing by has significantly boosted. Time to visit the "Skiathos nightlife strip" with all the nightclubs and also bars, which start to live after midnight and also where a motley group squeezes up until the wee hours of the early morning.

Let's end our touristic scenic tour with Papadiamantis Road. It undergoes the community, perpendicularly to the sea, as well as ends before the business port. This is the location for shopping: souvenir shops, clothing shops, phony (lots of) or genuine (a couple of), jewelry stores, and some dining establishments, with tables intermixed among the almost unending procession of vacationers who walk Papadiamantis Road until closing time of shops (about midnight in summer).

Alexander Papadiamantis, one of the most renowned Greek authors of the 19th century, was birthed in Skiathos as well as came back to the island to end his life in a small as well as simple home, now open to the public. Papadiamantis's publications have been translated right into several languages and with his job, you will certainly find an additional facet of Skiathos, much away from the touristic as well as the glamourous ambiance of the island.

Like many vacationers, you have probably picked to go to Skiathos in the high season, and also you are now encountering your first issue. In Skiathos, there is a municipal free vehicle parking whole lot, rather chaotic and also "in the local style" (arbitrary car park rooms, no marital relationship on the ground which is NOT in concrete ... ). Time to go to the "Skiathos nightlife strip" with all the nightclubs and bars, which start to live after midnight and where a motley crowd squeezes up till the wee hours of the morning.

Alexander Papadiamantis, one of the most well-known Greek authors of the 19th century, was born in Skiathos and also came back to the island to end his life in a tiny and straightforward residence, currently open to the public. Papadiamantis's publications have been translated into many languages and also through his work, you will find one more element of Skiathos, far away from the touristic and also glamourous ambiance of the island.

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travelcenter-uk · 4 years ago

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The Ultimate Travel Guide to Bali

Here’s what you have to know before you travel to Bali, due to the pandemic the government is thinking of reopening Bali at some point amid June and October, and even though there is no exact reopening date set, the government has already stated that Bali will be one of the first Indonesian islands to do so. The island, and a handpicked number of others, will begin by opening on a partial basis, to stop the number of coronavirus cases from surging a second time.

Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy would start reopening with a plan known as the Cleanliness, Health, and Safety (CHS) program, established in partnership with the Ministry of Health.

The program would start in Bali’s Nusa Dua region, residence to numerous all-inclusive beachside resorts. In this way, it is anticipated that a hygienic, healthy, and secure destination and tourism industry could be obtained so that it does not pose a health threat to tourists, managers, and the public.

Bali Tourism Agency is developing a series of revamped standard operating processes and health procedures which would become the new normal when travel restrictions are relieved.

Holidaymakers need to look forward to immense changes everything from the time they touch down on the island, from airport arrival and immigration procedure to the hygiene of tourist appeals, and entrances, hotel check-in, and increased lodging charges.

Plans are already set for Nusa Dua to become the first region on the island to reopen for tourism. Then they’ll open Ubud, Kuta, and other districts visited by holidaymakers. As a famous island destination wealthy in natural charm, culture, and history, you’ll find that when you travel around Bali there is something for all. The island’s spirit is caught in these must-visit places anyone could enjoy when you travel to Bali.

Kuta Beach

No Bali travel guide will be complete unless it involved Kuta Beach. This is one of the beaches that are situated next to the airport. As it’s so easy to get to, the beach gets packed, with travellers frequently travelling there as soon as their flight lands in Bali. Kuta is a preferred place with the young travel community, and also people who enjoy surfing or want to study how to surf. The beach often gets terrific waves, and the city has a brilliant range of lodging choices for any style and financial plan.

The westward spot makes it one of the ideal locations on the island to view the sunset. Make certain that you travel there for a sunset stroll or a sunset photoshoot!

Ubud Monkey Forest

During your travel to Bali, you’ll discover that this place is a temple, a luxurious jungle, and a natural home to hundreds of monkeys. Tourists are attracted to this location for the pure allure, fresh cool air, and the presence of high-spirited monkeys all through the trip.

Uluwatu Temple

Snuggled at the edge of a breathtaking cliff, this grand temple has more traditional value than what you can see. Tourists could discover several things about the native traditions in one visit, ending the trip with a customary dance and drama presentations during the magnificent sunset hours.

Seminyak

One of the most essential places on the island, tourists can discover almost everything from humble old-fashioned stores to expensive designer shops. This district also has its share of gorgeous beaches, bordered with lively bars and restaurants that stay open until late at night.

Tanah Lot Temple

This emblematic sea temple is a spiritual and cultural monument, also valued for its pure beauty. Resting on an offshore rock at the ocean, this temple has a beautiful background of the big blue sea, and is a remarkable setting for the perfect selfie, particularly during sunset.

Tegalalang Rice Terraces

The spectacular rice terrace provides tourists a grand sight of nature and a cherished understanding of the locals’ lifestyle and traditions. Tourists could travel around the site, taking in fresh village air, while mingling with natives.

Ubud Art Market

Being the cultural center of Bali, Ubud is home to countless traditional artists and innovators making exceptional and genuine items that symbolize the island. Tourists will be able to locate anything here, from artworks to humble mementos to take home.

Besakih Temple

Besakih Temple is Bali’s biggest temple, situated on the hills of Bali’s tallest mountain, Mount Agung. The site consists of about 86 temples that go back to nearly a 1,000 years ago. Every year, the temple holds around 70 religious observances or celebrations graced by Hindu followers from all around the island.

Padang Padang Beach

Perhaps famous for its link with the movie Eat, Pray, Love, this earlier concluded jewel, lives up to its publicity and status. An ideal alcove to relax beside the sand, swim next to spectacular rocky constructions, or surf the waves, encircled by breathtaking ridges.

Mount Batur

A two-hour trek up the mountain would bring tourists to one of the island’s top spots to relax in the sunshine’s first rays. Tourists could view the breathtaking sunrise with the background of the neighboring Mount Abang and the Batur Lake in one beautiful picture.

Elephant Cave

The spectacular cave also works as a Buddhist temple, engraved in stories and holy figures. The temple comprises of a huge bathing pool thought to be constructed to clean the soul and keep away evil spirits.

Amed

Snorkeling and diving in Amed would offer tourists with a spectacular sight of vibrant corals, numerous tropical species, and also Japanese shipwrecks. The Amed beach is famous for its extensive, black volcanic sand.

Tanjung Benoa

Tanjung Benoa is the leading most famous location for water sports in Bali, where tourists could find nearly every beach and ocean pursuit, from banana boat to sea walking, fly-boarding to scuba diving. The region is also filled with lavish resorts for those who’d like to spend the night.

Munduk Village

As a mountain village, this region has a hygienic, green environment, fresh cool air, and attractive natural appeals. From waterfalls to hills, the village is a famous trekking destination in Bali. In the colonial period, it was the Dutch’s preferred mountain getaway, an ancient episode that charms the site with European architecture, old-fashioned structures, and thriving artefacts.

Travel to Bali seems like going on an endless adventure – there is an activity to match every soul! Take part in surfing, yoga, meditation, hiking, try tasty food, or enjoy the brilliant nightlife. Here are 10 travel tips you should know when you travel around Bali.

Bali is one of the most secure destinations! The main thing you have to watch out for is road safety, particularly if you’re hiring a motorbike. Get a taxi if you’re not that certain on how to ride. It would always be less expensive than a hospital bill.

Bali’s entertainment scenes are generally concentrated around the Kuta, Legian, and Seminyak stretch that serves an extensive variety of crowds, styles, and budgets. There are beach clubs to relax at sunset and well into the early hours of the morning, night clubs to dance with live DJs, rooftop bars, theatre shows, or merely a laidback sunset dinner cruise, all prove that you could enjoy life after dark in Bali.

The ideal time to visit Bali is during the island’s dry period. From May until October, you won’t have to worry about rain destroying any outdoor pursuits, and humidity heights are low all summer. The only problem is that it’s the most famous time to go. Flights are costlier during this time, and you’ll need to reserve your first option hotel ahead of time. If you don’t mind the brief rainstorms, visit Bali amid November and April. There are still lots of things to do, and it’s the cheapest time to travel to Bali!

The chief languages conversed in Bali are Indonesian, Balinese, and English.

The currency of Bali is the Indonesian Rupiah. 1 GBP is equal to around 17,716.27 IDR

Hire a Scooter – Hiring a motorbike is the “way” of Bali and it’s low-priced —and it saves time in traffic. If you don’t feel easy driving yourself, you could use the GO-JEK app for an Uber-like service but on the back of a motorbike.

You’ll Need Cash – Cash is very important in Bali. Always take a handful of 10,000 to 100,000 notes (valued from $0.75 to USD 7.50) for day-to-day costs and bargaining. It’s just the more Western, high-class restaurants and stores that would take payment with a credit card. If you’re shopping at the markets or eating at the native warungs, you’ll have to pay with cash.

Tour Past Ubud – Bali is more than Seminyak and Ubud. Get off the frequented path and travel to the north of the island. You’ll discover lesser crowds, isolated temples, and lots of gorgeous waterfalls to visit!

Stay in Your Budget – While Bali is a simple destination to tour on a shoestring, you still have to be attentive about your budget. It’s easy to spend additional cash than you wanted to at the restaurants that serve tourists and the beach clubs.

Eat at the Native Restaurants – Bali’s food alone makes it worth the trip. Delicious traditional dishes such as nasi goreng (fried rice), mie goreng (noodles), satays, martabak pancakes, and noodle soups are a must-try for traveling foodies.

The Co-working lifestyle in Bali is very popular. If you enjoy being creative and relaxing all at once, then being a digital traveller will perhaps be perfect for you. In Bali, you could work anywhere, live a great worry-free life while also relishing the sun and beaches.

Bali has plenty of co-working spaces that are ideal for every kind of worker, here are a few of those places;

Ubud is a center for secluded workers, freelancers, bloggers, and other experts.

Canggu is one of the most famous destinations for digital travellers as you would never come across any pestering to tourists.

Home to perhaps some of the top restaurants, bars, and villas, Seminyak is emigrant capital. Making it a center for plenty of cool places to work and relax.

If you believe in a work-life balance, Dojo is appropriate for your lifestyle. In Dojo, you could work, construct your network, work together, learn, and enjoy. The aura is very fitting for you to be extremely creative.

Be creative and innovative in Tempatkita, a co-working place in Sanur Bali. You could feel like you’re at home while working here. You also can improve your skills while taking part in courses or events held in Tempatkita.

With stunning year-round weather, extremely secure conditions, and a cheap cost of living, it is no wonder that people from all around the world travel to Bali to follow their online dreams.

Get in touch with Travel Center today and travel to Bali and experience all that this gorgeous destination has to offer!

Read More:- https://blog.travelcenter.uk/the-ultimate-travel-guide-to-bali/

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benjaminwilliamsonphoto · 5 years ago

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Best Places to Photograph in Maine - Coast

How to Use this Guide:

The goal of this post is to get you started on your journey of discovery on the coast of Maine. I’ve done my best to lay out some of the most inspiring and beautiful places to make photographs. These are proven winners, so to speak. If you haven’t seen them before, you will revel in visual impact of these locations. That said, I hope that you go beyond this list and find your own favorite places and create new and exciting images that haven’t been done before. Thankfully in outdoor scenic photography, changing weather conditions provide changing opportunities to capture familiar places in a new light. And, before you copy that composition that you saw someone else do, take a look around and consider how you might see things differently. Go beyond the obvious. Remember, there is much more than just checking off icons. Explore, drive aimlessly, look around on Google Maps, surf the web for interesting places and find out where they are. That’s where the real fun for me is, the feeling of discovery and the creation of something that hasn’t been done before. So, show us what you are interested in and how you see the world.

1. Nubble -

The Cape Neddick Light, also known as Nubble, is a can’t miss location for several reasons. The lighthouse sits at the peak of a rocky island just a few yards offshore. The tower is connected by a covered walkway to a beautiful gingerbread-style keeper’s house, with several outbuildings neatly arranged around it. These just happen to be painted a photographer’s favorite colors, red and white. The very exposed location means it is subject to the extremes of light and weather. Most photographers like to visit at sunrise, because facing east, the sky is likely to be more interesting. That said, I’ve seen many compelling images of Nubble taken at sunset, as direct light falls on the lighthouse and island. The accessibility of this location makes it very popular, but also a great opportunity for folks with limited mobility and for photographers who don’t want to have to hike for miles. The view from the parking lot is great! If you are a bit more adventurous, I suggest you photograph this lighthouse from the rocks below the parking lot and include some wave action in your foreground. Just be careful because the ocean isn’t something you should mess around with. Always be aware of the water and remember no photo is worth hurting yourself, or even worse, your gear!

Photo Tips: I recommend using a wide-angle lens here, something in the 24mm range on a full frame camera. That way you can craft a classic landscape composition with interesting rocks and crashing waves in your foreground, the island and lighthouse in the mid-ground, and hopefully a beautiful sky in the background. At super wide angles the lighthouse appears too small in the frame, so I usually stay away from anything smaller than 16mm. For this same reason, I find the mid-ranges of 35-70mm to be useful, as you can set up further away and pull in the lighthouse a bit for more “normal” perspective. Those interested in just showing the arrangement of buildings should use a telephoto lens.

Best Times of Day: Sunrise, Pre-Sunset, Blue Hours

Best Times of Year: Year-Round

Tides: Mid to High

Access: Easy

Other Notes: Nubble has become a go-to destination to capture a dramatic moonrise. This is done with a long telephoto lens, usually 400mm or more, from Long Sands Beach, between November and February, as the angle of moonrise is farther to the north.��Also, round the Christmas season, and also during a “Christmas in July” celebration, the structures are decorated with lights, making a beautiful photo op at twilight or after dark.

2. Marginal Way Ogunquit -

Marginal Way in Ogunquit is one of the most popular places in Maine to take a walk along the ocean. The trails are well maintained and the grade is gentle, providing an easy way to enjoy the jagged rocks of the Maine coast. More adventurous landscape photographers tend to shrug their shoulders at the idea of making images here, but it should not be ignored. If you like to create seascapes, I think Marginal Way is possibly the best location in Southern Maine to practice this. Sure, there are great rocks down the road at Bald Head Cliff in York, Ocean Ave. in Kennebunkport, and at the tip of Biddeford Pool, but Marginal Way has the best combination of rock formations, sandy and rocky beaches, angles of light, and accessibility. I really like the beaches to the left of Israel’s Head. There are many rocks embedded in the sand here that create great foreground interest as the waves lap over them. To the right of Israel’s Head are a more uniform expanse of jagged rocks. Of special interest is a large chasm that marks the edge of the head to the southeast. There is a bit of elevation at points along the walking path, but if you stand too far back from the water, the foreground can be far too busy, without discernible lines and shapes, to be of much use. I recommend getting close to the water’s edge where you can get a simpler, more dynamic image.

Photo Tips: A wide-angle lens is my go-to for capturing waves crashing over rocks in my foreground along with a great sky. Try varying your shutter speed from anywhere from 1/15 second to 5 seconds to show the motion of water in your image. A ND filter can help you achieve these results as the light gets brighter.

Best Times of Day: Sunrise

Best Times of Year: Summer

Tides: Mid to High

Access: Easy at sunrise, restricted by a large number of tourists creating very limited parking in season during the day and evening

Other Notes: Like most of our coastal locations, this spot can be much more interesting in high surf. As for parking, I like to park on Israel Head Road by the small concrete “lighthouse”. This probably isn’t an option any time after 9 AM, especially in the summer, but again, my preferred time to be here is at sunrise, not when everyone else is here!

3. Cape Porpoise -

Seemingly just in the last year or so, Cape Porpoise has been discovered by photographers. What is everyone coming for? An authentic working harbor almost smack-dab in the middle of the crazy tourist nonsense that is the south coast of Maine. Standing on the pier at sunrise or sunset, I rarely come across anyone other than fishermen. From there you can see Goat Island Lighthouse, lobster boats and dinghies, and often, piles of lobster traps stacked around you. The big photographic attraction these days, though, is across the harbor at the brand-new, made to look historic, fishing shed on stilts near Langsford Road Lobster & Fish. There has been a steady stream of New England photographers all getting their take on this subject, and it’s easy to see why. The best time to capture this is at high tide in the winter, when the sun rises behind it, hopefully with still water so you can get a great reflection. Parking might be a challenge here, and there might be a time when locals tell us to buzz off, but in the meantime, I think this area has a lot to offer the photographer looking for great scenery in Southern Maine.

Photo Tips: I use the full range of lenses in Cape Porpoise, a wide-angle to capture the sunrise behind the shack, a medium lens to juxtapose boats in the harbor with distinctive buildings, and a long lens to pull in Goat Island Lighthouse. If you are looking for inspiration here, Bob Dennis is a great local photographer who has many beautiful images from this neighborhood. Find him at www.kportimages.com.

Best Times of Day: Sunrise

Best Times of Year: Fall and Winter

Tides: High

Access: Somewhat Restricted

Other Notes: Please be mindful of both private property and folks trying to live and work. Don’t be a jerk and make the rest of us look bad and lose access to this wonderful place.

4. Old Orchard Beach Pier -

Old Orchard Beach is a tourist trap during the day, but during the golden hours and bad weather, it’s one of the best photo opportunities in Maine. The long pier loaded with tacky businesses jutting out into the ocean is an easy-to-capture subject in an extremely easy-to-reach location. Sometimes I think the easiness can be misleading, and we relax our creative muscles when approaching it. I like to see photographs that capture something different, and this can certainly be a challenge. Sunrise at high tide can seem like the most flattering time to capture the pier, but actually, low-tide sunsets have provided the best images I’ve seen. That’s because the muddy sand takes on a glossy sheen at low tide that reflects the pier and ferris wheel at the adjacent Palace Playland amusement park. The angle is not looking out to sea, but instead, looking back at the land from out beyond the pier. There are also opportunities to capture large waves, sea smoke, and other visual delights on this stretch of sandy beach. Be creative!

Photo Tips: Try going from a wide-angle to a telephoto lens, slap on a ND filter on for long exposures, walk up and down the beach, get low and get high. One popular way to capture the pier is to shoot the sun through the pilings at sunrise in the winter. You can also find patterns in the sand at times, and the shadows from the pilings at sunrise make a great foreground.

Best Times of Day: Sunrise year-round and Sunset in the off-season

Best Times of Year: Year-Round

Tides: Low to High

Access: Easy at sunrise, restricted by a large number of tourists creating very limited parking in season during the day and evening

Other Notes: Hot summer day? Stay Away!

5. Portland Head Light -

This place deserves every superlative and more. I simply cannot think of a better location to make a landscape photo in Maine if I could only pick one. The generally east-facing shoreline makes this a sunrise location. I’m not a fan of sunsets from this location, as it falls into shadow long before, but you could prove me wrong and capture a great sunset here. Just be aware that they start asking folks to leave the park then, and sometimes you might be kicked out just as things are getting good! My favorite time to capture PHL is when the sun’s first rays are hitting the landscape. There is an obvious photo op from behind the fence to the right of the lighthouse looking out to sea. With a strong c-curve and a well balanced composition with the lighthouse placed at the intersection at the left and upper third, this is a no-brainer great shot, but I advise you to do more. They’ve been kind enough to install a gate to allow people who like to climb around on the rocks to go explore. That’s where I like to be these days, looking for leading lines in the rocks above and getting down close to the waves, as well. On the other side of the light, to the north, you can walk out on a high cliff and capture a beautifully backlit scene during winter sunrises, or get directional light from the northeast on the cliffs and buildings in summer. You can also walk further up the path and down onto beautifully rounded cobbles that make a fantastic foreground for those willing to risk falling on the extremely slippery stones. I visit at all times of year, but I must admit that winter is my favorite for the drama, and the fact that I can usually have it all to myself.

Photo Tips: I use all of my lenses here, but most often a wide-angle. In the spring there are beach roses that make a great foreground subject, and at all times of the year you have great rocks and hopefully some wave action to create interest in your images. Don’t forget to look out to sea and see Ram Island Ledge Light, which makes an especially great subject to capture with a full moon and also large waves during an ocean storm!

Best Times of Day: Sunrise

Best Times of Year: Year-Round

Tides: Low to High

Access: Easy, although be aware that the gate can be locked before 5 AM and you will be ushered out of the park at sunset.

Other Notes: A lot of folks worry about getting into the park early. In my experience, the Cape Elizabeth police usually open the gates around 5AM, which is fine every month of the year except June and July, when the sunrise time is extremely early and the gate can sometimes be closed.

6. Portland Waterfront -

Portland’s waterfront can be an absolute playground for photographers. You just can’t think of it as a pure landscape photo-op. This is gritty, working waterfront, with dirty boats, dilapidated sheds, concrete piers and wooden pilings, and these days, fancy yachts, restaurants, offices, condominiums, and a gleaming cruise ship terminal. These contrasts are what makes it interesting. Portland has become a hotspot for travelers and especially foodies, but it remains only lightly touched by photographers. That means you can and should explore the wharves and search for your own unique compositions, unaware of any preconceived notions. My favorite areas to look are behind Harbor Fish Market, Widgery Wharf, and at the end of the Portland Fish Pier. The waterfront really extends all the way around Portland Harbor to South Portland, and there are great views looking back at the city from that side. While you’re at it, you might as well head down to Bug Light, an awesome sunset and sunrise location. If you make it there, you might as well continue on to Spring Point Ledge Light, one of the most impressive sea smoke photo opportunities in the world with that great leading line of the breakwater. Is that still the Portland waterfront? I think so.

Photo Tips: There are a lot of opportunities for detail shots here, so photographers who aren’t just into grand landscapes will go nuts. Bring a mid-range lens and a telephoto to take advantage of these smaller scenes, and think about what kind of stories you want to tell. This place really shines in the fog, and overcast days are just fine, too. I like to shoot across the harbor looking back at the city during the blue hour, and also look for the full moon lined up with one of the spires with a telephoto lens.

Best Times of Day: Any

Best Times of Year: Year-Round

Access: Mostly Easy, some of the wharves are restricted, and parking can be a challenge in during the day and evenings in season

Tides: Low to High

Other Notes: I love stopping at Becky’s Diner after a sunrise shoot for breakfast.

7. Lookout Point -

A hidden gem for the most part, Lookout Point in Harpswell offers two great delights for photographers, a working lobster pier and two picturesque islands sitting just offshore. This allows you to capture either a pure landscape, or, as I like to do, show something of the culture that makes this part of the world unique. Along with Marshall Point and Bass Harbor Head Light, this is one of the finest sunset locations in the state. The shoreline faces generally west, with a big open bay and more islands offshore. There is a great opportunity to see the progression of the sunset from northwest in the summer to the southwest in the winter. It really is eye-opening to how photo opportunities change with the seasons. I love watching storms roll in here, and I’ve caught some awesome lightning bolts from the safety of my hatchback. Don’t be afraid to walk out on the pier, the owner Albert is a nice guy and loves sharing the beauty he enjoys on a regular basis.

Photo Tips: I usually shoot into the light at sunset here, focusing on silhouettes of the islands, hopefully with great reflections at high tides. Another way to approach this scene is to shoot side-light on the lobster fleet parked to the south. This is also a great location to shoot in the fog. I find the wide-angle range to be very effective looking at the islands to the northwest from the pier, but I like to zoom in a little tighter when I’m shooting from the parking lot or the pier looking southwest.

Best Times of Day: Sunset

Best Times of Year: Year-Round

Access: Easy

Tides: Mid to High

Other Notes: On the other side of the parking lot, you can sometimes find a dory filled with fishing nets that makes a wonderful photo opportunity. I hope it is still there when you read this.

8. Five Islands -

Maine has many wonderful fishing harbors. It’s hard to single out just a few, because they are all special. What sets Five Islands a notch above are the namesake islands sitting just offshore. These provide a dramatic setting for a working harbor filled lobster boats, the town wharf, and a popular local seafood shack. I rarely visit in the summer when this place can be very busy, but even when I have, I usually have it to myself at sunrise. In the summer you’ll see a few sailboats and pleasure craft among the work boats, but they don’t really detract from the sense of place. A red cottage sits at the end of Malden Island, and this has been incorporated into many of my favorite compositions from here. There is also a yellow cottage sitting on a cliff to the right when you come down the hill, another great subject.

Photo Tips: Putting together a strong image can be a challenge here. Most of the time, boats are my main subject, and I build the image around them. A wide-angle lens is a good place to start, but a mid-range lens will be effective just as often. Walk around to get a feel for the place, and notice any dinghies or skiffs that are pulled up to the wharf that might make a good foreground. The buildings are quite unique here, and I love incorporating them in my images, or making them the focus entirely.

Best Times of Day: Sunrise

Best Times of Year: Year-Round

Tides: Low to High

Access: Easy

Other Notes: The seafood shack is a great place to grab lunch if you find yourself there on a sunny summer day.

9. Pemaquid Point Light -

A true gem of Maine, Pemaquid Point has some of the most interesting coastline in the state, and a picturesque lighthouse with sweeping ocean views from the northeast to the southwest. Down East Magazine calls it the #1 lighthouse in the state. It was also chosen to represent Maine on our state quarter. Surely that’s enough to recommend this awesome location. I like coming at sunrise, but I’ve seen good images made at all times of the day and night. Of course, during the day in the summer, you will have to clone out hundreds of people from your images, so it’s best to come either very early, very late, or in the off-season. The best angles are from the rocks and rosa rugosa bushes down to the left when you walk from the parking lot, and of course from the incredible striated rocks to the right. The famous puddle reflection will beckon you, and you should listen and go ahead and take it. It’s cliched for a reason, the composition is really cool. But please, look around and make your own images, there’s still a lot to work with!

Photo Tips: A 24mm lens on a full frame camera or 18mm on a crop sensor will gather the majority of your major scenics here, but there is so much more than just the big views. I love making graphic compositions with the bell tower, the chimneys, the fence and lighthouse tower, the windows, etc. Try to include the ocean in your photo, which can be a real challenge here. Photograph the rocks by themselves and look for interesting abstracts.

Best Times of Day: Sunrise, Any Time

Best Times of Year: Year-Round

Tides: Low to High

Access: Easy (fee during the day)

Other Notes: Pemaquid is extremely dangerous when the surf is high. The rocks are terribly slippery, and there is really no way to get back to shore without getting pummelled against them.

10. Monhegan Island -

While well-known among painters for centuries, Monhegan has been generally overlooked by serious photographers. Maybe that’s because it requires a little effort to get out here. You need to take a ferry to this small island that’s ten miles from the mainland. The island itself if barely a square mile, and when you walk around you feel like you are going back in time. There are less than 70 year-round residents, and no cars. You definitely want to stay overnight if you can to take advantage of the golden hours here, and the relaxed pace, perfect for art-making. Over half of the island is a nature preserve, and if quaint New England fishing villages aren’t your scene, there are 150-foot cliffs on the back side of the island. These are the tallest cliffs on the eastern seaboard of the U.S.! The wooded paths are beautiful, and perfect for photographing on foggy or overcast days. The village itself is a dream for photographers like me who revel in culture as well as natural beauty, with spots such as Fish Beach and the Landing holding all kinds of potential. There is also a shipwreck on the south side of the island, a large rusted hulk of metal splayed out on the rocks. The best location on the island has to be lighthouse hill. The view from the top is stunning. You are looking down on the entire village and also Manana Island, and behind you is a beautiful 19th-century lighthouse with the classic New England architecture of a main house with sheds and covered walkways added on throughout the years, creating a beautiful jumble of boxed shapes and lines.

Photo Tips: The backside cliffs can be challenging to capture, and I think midday light is sometimes better than the deep shadows of the sunrise, especially in the summer. There are many, many opportunities for detail shots here. I particularly like the hand-painted signs you see everywhere. At sunset, the best places to be are at the lighthouse, fish beach, and the landing. Be sure to turn around and notice what the light is doing around you. Many times that will be more interesting than the sunset itself.

Best Times of Day: All Day

Best Times of Year: Spring and Fall

Tides: Low to High

Access: Difficult

Other Notes: Ferries leave from Port Clyde, New Harbor, and Boothbay Harbor. There are 3 Inns on the Island, and I like them all. Monhegan Brewing Company is a must-visit, even if you don’t like beer. I’ve seen two people who have never liked beer sit and enjoy one here, and it’s a great opportunity to meet other folks who live on or visit the island. It really is an amazing place.

11. Marshall Point Light -

Sunset locations in Maine can be hard to come by. Most of our shoreline faces east, in the direction of the rising sun. There are a few exceptions to this, however, and Marshall Point in Port Clyde is one of the most notable. The walkway is the defining feature of this lighthouse, and the keepers house is also particularly beautiful. In the summer it can be crowded at sunset, and more than once I’ve seen wedding parties here, crowding the walkway for the majority of the time. I like to visit in the fall and winter, as the walkway points more to the southwest, so you get a better angle on any potential sunsets anyways. In addition to the obvious down-the-walkway image, there are opportunities to photograph through the pillars on the porch, behind wildflowers on the shore, and the rocks all around the lighthouse. I’ve seen one or two stunning puddle reflection shots here, too.

Photo Tips: A medium range lens is your friend at Marshall Point. I find that a wide-angle lens makes the lighthouse appear too small in my images. Try stitching a panorama of the view from the rocks far over to the left. More adventurous souls can walk out onto the rocks and get dramatic impressions looking at the tower from underneath.

Best Times of Day: Sunset

Best Times of Year: Fall and Winter

Tides: Mid to High

Access: Easy, closed after sunset

Other Notes: This used to be a wonderful place to capture the milky way at night, but since they replaced the lantern with an led light, it just doesn’t look as good. They are also shoo-ing photographers out after sunset, from what I hear.

12. Boulder Beach -

There are a few of what I would classically beautiful, pure landscape photo opportunities in Maine. This is one of them. The wonderfully rounded boulders that give this location its name make a perfect foreground for a sweeping c-curve that brings you to a focal point of the wonderful Otter Cliffs and then into what is hopefully a beautiful sky. The angle of light is from the side year-round, but in the winter you are much more likely to get colorful clouds in the field of view. The trick here is to carefully compose around the most picturesque boulders. Most of these are found above the high tide line, but there are a few at and below this line that can be captured with waves crashing against them. I think both of these options work.

Photo Tips: A wide-angle lens can seem like the obvious option here, but again, the background just looks too far away at 14-18mm. I like to stay in the 24-50mm range, and keep Otter Cliffs looking impressive.

Best Times of Day: Sunrise

Best Times of Year: Fall and Winter

Tides: High

Access: Somewhat challenging due to very slippery stones and a steep climb down an embankment.

Other Notes: This is a great location to capture the milky way. The best time of year to do this is in March and April, when it rises right in the most optimal position above the beach. It will likely be bitterly cold, and maybe even snowy, but you will love the results.

13. Jordan Pond -

Wait, you say, this isn’t a coastal location! While not on the ocean, I’m considering Jordan Pond a coastal location based on the fact that it sits a little more than a mile from the sea in the middle of what is considered the finest coastal national park in the United States. Acadia has many popular spots that are totally overrun with tourists and selfie-takers, this being one of them. While this is true during the day, don’t let that deter you from visiting at sunrise or sunset. Even at the height of the summer season, you can find a spot to set up on the shoreline and have some peace and quiet, along with about 1,000 mosquitoes and a couple of other photographers. The form of the two hills rising behind the pond is very attractive. Why it is so attractive, I can’t be sure. I think it has something to do with them resembling certain parts of the human anatomy. Anyways, I digress.

Photo Tips: You can go for the obvious composition by placing rocks in your foreground, the pond in the mid-ground, and hills in the background, but you can also incorporate attractive trees, some mysterious underwater pilings, and water streaming through the rocks to take your composition to the next level. A wide-angle lens works here, but also try exploring opportunities in the mid-range, as well.

Best Times of Day: Sunset

Best Times of Year: Year-Round, more backlit in summer

Tides: N/A

Access: Easy

Other Notes: If you happen to be in Maine when there is the opportunity to see the northern lights, or aurora borealis, this is the place to be. The north view across the pond with the two hills makes the perfect photo opportunity.

14. Bass Harbor Head Light -

I almost left this location off the list. Why? Because it is insanely frustrating to shoot here most of the time. There is really only room for a few people to set up tripods in the most optimal spots, and even then you aren’t guaranteed that someone won’t simply walk in front of you when the light is going off. Parking can be a nightmare. The only option in the summer is to arrive hours before sunset and claim your spot, and then wait. A much better plan is to come back in the off-season, when the light is actually better, anyways. That’s because the shoreline here faces south, and in the summer the sun sets behind the lighthouse and land to the north. A much more flattering set up happens in the fall and winter when the sun sets to the south out over the water, and can cast wonderful golden light on the landscape. Did I mention that there are too many people here in the summer?

Photo Tips: A wide-angle lens makes the most sense here because you are literally feet away from the lighthouse. Although the optimal position is right below the light, on the shoreline with waves crashing at your feet, you can get good images a little further up on the rocks, too. I’ve seen lobster traps washed up here that make a great foreground, and sometimes you can get a nice shot looking at the lighthouse framed by trees, as well.

Best Times of Day: Sunset

Best Times of Year: Fall and Winter

Tides: High

Access: Challenging due to crowds and treacherous footing on slippery granite.

Other Notes: This might be a good time to brush up on photographer etiquette. At no time is it OK to set up in front of someone who is already there and set up for their shot.

15. Raven’s Nest -

Another pure landscape location, with no sign of the hand of man, Raven’s Nest is a dramatic perch on tall cliffs looking west on the Schoodic Peninsula. This used to be a very hard-to-find spot, although now it has been marked on Google Maps. There is only room for a few cars to park here, so arrive early and claim your spot. The cliffs are very dramatic, and you’ll see great views to the south and west here. There is a spot you can wedge yourself underneath the trees and point through a chasm that nicely frames the cliffs to the south. If you find that too treacherous, the views to the right looking back at MDI and Cadillac Mountain are great, too.

Photo Tips: One of the better night locations in New England, Raven’s Nest is a great place to practice Milky Way photography. I’ve been lucky enough to capture bioluminescence in the water here, one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had. Use a wide-angle lens to accentuate the drama, and time your visit with high surf if you can. The basic setting to capture the night sky are as follows: Use your fastest wide angle lens, hopefully f/2.8 or better. Open it up to the widest aperture. Focus manually on the brightest star or distant point of light you can find. Set your shutter speed from 10-30 seconds. Set your ISO from 3200-6400. Check your histogram to insure that you are getting the proper exposure, remembering that the lcd can be deceptively bright at night.

Best Times of Day: Sunset and Night

Best Times of Year: Summer

Tides: High

Access: Challenging due to limited parking and unstable footing at the edge of very high cliffs.

Other Notes: My friend Adam Woodworth is a world-renowned expert on landscape astrophotography. Download his free e-book to learn more about the subject by clicking on this link: Adam’s E-Book

16. West Quoddy Head Light -

It is fitting that the last item on this list happens to be the easternmost point in Maine, and also the country. West Quoddy Head is a spectacular location. The light tower has very distinctive red and white stripes, and there are expansive views of the ocean, a prominent rock just offshore called sail rock, and the impressive cliffs of Grand Manan Island, which is part of Canada. I like to walk all around here, and not just around the lighthouse.

Photo Tips: A wide-angle lens usually makes the most sense when you are underneath and very close to the lighthouse. The most obvious composition utilizes some wooden fence posts to the left of the lighthouse, which require you to walk through a field full of, no joke, porcupines. You can also get nice views from right around the light at sunrise.

Best Times of Day: Sunrise or Sunset

Best Times of Year: Year-Round

Tides: Low to High

Access: Easy, but it takes a long drive for most of us to get here

Other Notes: There’s more to explore here. A fantastic walking path to the right of the lighthouse goes along the shore with views of and from very impressive cliffs. The forest here looks positively primeval and can be a great subject as well.

Runners-Up (to be featured in another blog post): Bald Head Cliff, Biddeford Pool, Pine Point, Willard Beach, Spring Point Ledge Light, Giant Stairs, Popham Beach, Reid State Park, Southport, New Harbor, South Bristol, Friendship, Port Clyde, Camden Harbor, Vinalhaven, Stonington, Thunder Hole, Sand Beach, Cutler Coast, Lubec

I hope you’ve found this list useful. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out. I offer tours and workshops to many of these locations, and I also have galleries with more images to inspire your visit. Please visit www.benjaminwilliamsonphotography.com to find out more.

#maine landscapephotography maineguide guidetomaine lighthouse lobster newengland

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simoncardonefishes · 5 years ago

Photo

Dinner Bell Cod

By Simon Cardone

It is widely accepted that quality Murray Cod are the “fish of a thousand casts”. But really, does it need to be that hard? Why cast repeatedly at the same snag or troll past inactive cod dozens of times when an active fish may be closer than you think. The key to achieving success in less time means understanding your quarry and his habits.

King of the Rivers

For the purpose of this article I will be discussing the habits of wild river cod, particularly those found in the lower Murray River (lock pools 1 – 11). I find chasing these magnificent fish in their natural habitat more rewarding than chasing stocked fish in impoundments. Both scenarios present the angler with many challenges to overcome, but for my money catching a cod that is a product of natural recruitment in a waterway where they have flourished for thousands of years cannot be beaten for overall fishing satisfaction. Add to this the beautiful backdrop of the Australian bush and you have the complete package.

At home on the range

River cod have been known to migrate hundreds of kilometres upstream or downstream for both breeding purposes and to find better conditions in which to live. Flood events or periods of high river flow allow fish to travel more freely as most manmade barriers such as locks and weirs are fully open. Blackwater events trigger native fish to find oxygenated water to ensure their survival. Fish will swim from one system to another if conditions are bad enough. Unfortunately those fish already trapped will not survive resulting in heartbreaking fish kills such as those we witnessed in 2010 in rivers such as the Wakool. My advice to the lure fisherman is to pack the gear away when these scenarios are present, just as you would during a normal closed season.

In periods of normal or low flows the big fat lazy cod of the lower Murray don’t move too far at all. A couple of kilometres at best for most of the year then possibly a small migration to the next weir pool to breed. It is at this time (in open season) that lure fishing is at its best. Extended periods of low flow equals clear green water. This in turn means the murray cod has to hunt more actively to fill his belly, as they have to rely on their eyesight just as much as their lateral lines picking up vibrations in the water.

Feeding Stations

So assuming that the favourable conditions I just mentioned are present, it is important to think about how a cod moves about his home range and why. The three obvious reasons are for shelter, to breed, and the one we anglers are most interested in – to feed. What follows is a list of cod habitats that you would expect to find on the Murray, why the fish is likely to be there, when and how to target him.

Willow Trees: In the absence of other obvious structure, such as big old snags or rocky cliffs, cod along with every other fish in the river will use the shade and root structure of willow trees for shelter. The added bonus here for angler and fish alike is that a whole ecosystem can be found underneath the water line, which means food for predators and foragers. Vertically jigging lipless crankbaits or spinnerbaits underneath any willow tree that is in deep water is a very effective way of fishing for golden perch, but we have had little interest from cod with this method. If a cod is actively feeding in this area, he will be sitting out from the willow tree on the fringes waiting for unsuspecting fish to swim out from underneath or along the willow. These fish can be easily seen on any good sounder, especially one with side imaging capability. Trolling past any willow trees you come across in water that is more than five metres deep is a must. If you mark big cod on your sounder you can be sure that these are feeding fish and this will warrant multiple passes of the area with big hard bodied lures. If no fish are sighted they are either tucked up right underneath the willow or in their normal place of residence such some old timber which will be very close by.

Old Timber: The giant river red gum snags of the Murray River are classic cod habitat, but they have broken the spirit of many a lure caster who has probed every nook and cranny of these “cod condominiums” for zero result in what seemed to be ideal conditions. So what is the right approach? 50 or more casts at each snag used to be the norm before moving on, trying to entice a territorial strike out of a big lazy fish. But with so many snags to choose from in close proximity it is far better to look for the feeding fish in my opinion. This will be the fish sitting on top of a snag or higher in the water column, not one that is sitting deep underneath a log. This is the fish that will smash your lure on the first or second cast in that particular area. I have lost count of the number of cod we have caught which has hit a spinnerbait on the drop or a hard bodied lure after a few cranks of the handle in these situations. No more than two accurate casts in any given spot before moving on to the next snag. In saying this a large snag may require 20 casts from different angles to get every different branch, but generally speaking a typical snag will be done in less than 10.

Trolling past the extremities or over big laydown timber in deep water is also an effective method if the cod are in feeding mode. Once again a good sounder will pick up the tell-tale arch sitting above or adjacent to the timber. There is nothing like the feeling of a lure bouncing off a piece of wood then getting smashed almost instantaneously after it deviates from its course – hang on to that rod tight!

Sandbars: By day these can be a barren wasteland with only the odd carp mooching around, but at night these areas can come alive with life, especially if on the opposite bank to good fish holding structure. Cod will use these areas to hunt and also to remove parasites from their skin. It was after several conversations with some of the older generation of cod fishermen that I really ever gave this any serious thought. Stories and photos of many big cod caught on yabbies at night off sandbars all along the Murray River – especially during the warmer months – certainly got my attention. Casting surface lures, wake baits, spinnerbaits and shallow diving hard bodied lures after dark have accounted for many good fish. Give it a try, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Rock bars and bommies: These areas can be difficult to fish due to massive changes in water depth, but once located they can be fished by trolling and casting around or over the bar or rock formation. Cod will always frequent these areas regardless of time of day or season as baitfish are drawn to these areas to shelter, however give them extra attention if you have cod sitting on top of the shallowest part of the bar. When casting we prefer one angler to use a spinnerbait to probe the deeper areas and the other angler to use a shallow diver such as a size 1 stump jumper to bang its way across the top of the feature. Similarly with trolling, one rod has a shallow diver and the other a deep diver such as a JD Python.

Weed banks: We have all cursed when our lure gets fouled up by long strands of weed, but the fact is just like the willow tree there is a whole ecosystem living amongst it. If you come across a bank with a depth of two metres or more, good weed growth and some scattered timber you are definitely looking at a prime cod feeding station. Position your boat parallel to the bank and search the fringes of the weed with either spinnerbait or hard body before you hit up the timber. Early morning and summer evenings are great times to fish these areas and during winter anytime of the day is worth a crack.

Cliffs: The South Australian section of the Murray is known as gorge country and with good reason. Massive limestone cliffs are the dominating feature of the landscape and some of the cod that call the cliffs home are equally massive, with fish of the 100lb mark and more a reality for those willing enough to put in the time. When faced with so much real estate it is important not to get overawed by the situation and just troll aimlessly along an entire cliff face (which may stretch for kilometres). Instead take the time to study the feature both above and below the water line before deciding on your approach.

Yes it is true that where the cliff rises up vertically from deep water that cod tuck themselves away in caves to keep out of the current and to ambush any nearby bait, however locating these caves is akin to searching for a needle in a haystack unless you have side scan imaging on your sounder, and even then it is a low percentage way of fishing. The best places to target are the rock falls created by large pieces of the cliff crumbling away and any other areas that have an undulating and rocky hard bottom. Water that is three to ten metres deep is ideal habitat for cod, remembering the shallower the fish is the more likely he will be in feeding mode. Throw in a couple of random pieces of timber and some vegetation and you have found yourself another feeding station. Keep you trolling runs short and fish up and downstream as long as you are marking fish on the sounder.

Don’t get sucked in to fishing hard up against the cliffs too, there are quite often many big formations in the middle of the river too, the amount of fish that these attract is unbelievable and you can bet that the cod on these random formations seemingly in the middle of nowhere have seen less fishing pressure too.

Armed and Dangerous

Knowledge is power and with cod fishing you can never stop learning a trick or two. Hopefully this article has given you a greater understanding of the behaviour of this fickle fish and will give you some food for thought next time you hit the river. And don’t forget all the usual things, the one percenters such as checking leaders for damage, upgrading hooks and split rings on lures, setting drags correctly – you can bet the fish of lifetime will expose any weakness you may have - whether it be your gear or your concentration!

Have fun, fish responsibly and respect this wonderful environment.

#cod murraycod fishing freshwaterfishing australia jarviswalker kingstonlures

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lovemesomesurveys · 6 years ago

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When was the last time you swam in a pool? It’s been like 4-5 years. Do you like to party? Who doesn’t like to party? Not me. If your ex suddenly kissed you right now, what would you do? I would definitely be caught off guard. I’d kind of just be like uh wtf are you doing.

Are you a virgin? Yes.

Is your best friend dating anyone? My best friend is my mom, and she’s married to my dad.

Describe the shirt you’re wearing? It’s a gray shirt I got from my UC. Could you go out in public without wearing makeup? I do all the time. What is one feature that you don’t like? On me? I hate my smile the most. Would people describe you as happy? No.

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I’m not listening to music. Do you say ‘legit’? Sometimes. What’s the funniest nickname you have? Boob or Boobala. lol. Would you ever keep your favorite animal as a pet? I have a dog. (: I unfortunately could never have a giraffe. Were any of your close friends born in January? Nope. Did the last hand you held belong to a male or a female? Female. Could you survive without Google? I think I’d get along okay. It’d suck, though. I love Google. Do you listen to Kanye West? I like some of his stuff. What would you do if you were stuck on a boat in the middle of the ocean? Freak out. ha. When was the last time you played Guitar Hero? It’s been yearsss. I want to play. Where did you last wear a bathing suit? I don’t wear bathing suits. Who did your last notification come from? I don’t remember. Who is the funniest person you know? My younger brother. When did you last see that person? Earlier. When sitting on the floor, in what position do you normally sit? Cross legged. Did you remember to wear deodorant today? I haven’t put any on yet today. Who’s the main actor in your favorite TV show? I have a lot of favorite shows. Do you get along with your parents? Yes. My mom is my best friend. Does the last person you kissed know what color your eyes are? I believe so. Do you feel more comfortable with a male or female doctor/nurse? Female. Do you miss anyone? Yes. In the past 48 hours have you hung out with a guy? My brother. Is there anyone getting on your nerves at the moment? No. Do you remember the first time you kissed the last person you kissed? Yes. Have you ever walked on the beach at night? No. What was your last thought before you went to bed last night? What I wanted for lunch. lmao. Is anyone else in the room with you? No. Do you like being kissed spontaneously or asked? Spontaneously if it’s a person I want to be kissed by. Well, if we’ve already kissed before and we have a thing going on that is. What are you excited about? Summer being over. What are you not excited about? My upcoming doctor appointments. Do you know anyone who has the same last name as you, that you aren’t related to? Yes, actually. it was pretty weird because my last name isn’t a common one. Ever cried so much you threw up? No, but I get to where I dry heave. What were you doing at 2 AM this morning? It hasn’t been 2AM, yet. When was the last time something bothered you? Earlier. Do you believe teenagers can be in love and stay in love? Sure. Where do you wish you were right now? I’m good with being in bed right now. Have you done anything embarrassing lately? Just being me. Ever been kissed on the forehead? Yes. Is there anyone who doesn’t like you? It’s possible. How many kids do you want? None. Is anyone overprotective over you? My parents, but I don’t mind that. I know they just love and care about me. They worry about me a lot. Do you trust all of your friends? Yeah. Do you have a reason to smile? Not at the moment. Are you completely over your last relationship? Yes. When was your last cigarette? Never. Is anyone ignoring you right now? I don’t believe so. Last song you listened to? I don’t recall. Have you ever passed out on the bathroom floor? No. Do you like to cuddle? Yes. Tell us about your latest ex? Nahhh. You’ve heard about him in other surveys if you read them. How tall is the last person you hugged? 5′6. What is something you wish you had more of? Just better health. Do you have an addiction? Caffeine? Your last ex said they were in love with you, what would you say? Oh, I wouldn’t believe that for one second. Has anyone ever said they would die for you? Yes. Do you like thunderstorms? I do. What would you say if you were to die tomorrow? I have no idea. What is your current mood? I’m tired. Who do you know that can make you feel better if you’re not feeling happy? My pup can always put a smile on my face. Do you hate when people call you when you’re sleeping? Yes. Biggest annoyance in your life right now? Health crap. Who will be your next kiss? No idea. What’s going on between you and the last person you kissed? Absolutely nothing. Have you ever tried to break someone up? No. Are you a bad influence? Maybe I am now. Would you ever get a tattoo? I want to, but I’m too big of a baby. Do you get nervous before going to doctor appointments? Always. Even to the one I go to weekly and pretty much know what to expect. How many drugs are in your system? 2. How tall is the last person you kissed? Not sure. What’s on your schedule for tomorrow? Hang out with my mom and catch up on some of our TV shows that we’re behind on. Do you currently have any bite marks/hickeys on your body? No. Do you usually answer your texts? Usually. Do you call anyone baby? My pup sometimes. Who was the last person to text you? My brother. Have you ever dressed unlike yourself to impress a guy? No. I tried to look nice, but it wasn’t something that I wouldn’t wear otherwise. When is the next time you will kiss someone of the opposite sex? I. Don’t. Know. Do you have to sleep with a television on? Yes. Do you think you are a good person? I try to be, but I could use some work. I don’t feel like I have been as of late. Are all of your friends virgins? No. Are you wasting your time on the person you like? I don’t like anyone. Think back to the last person you kissed, how many times have you cried in front of them? Zero. What do you want right this second? Sleep. If you were offered to smoke some weed right now would you accept? Maybe, honestly. Do you think it makes him weak if a guy cries? Absolutely not. Are they not humans with emotions? What would you do if the last person you kissed told you that kissing you was a mistake? He probably did feel that way, but it didn’t stop him. Do you like it when people call you babe? I didn’t when my first, and only technically, boyfriend called me that. Joseph didn’t call me that. Can you control your dreams if you realize you are dreaming? No. What were you doing before filling out this survey? A different survey. How late did you stay up last night? Until like 4ish. When was the last time you cried really hard? A few days ago. Are you afraid of roller coasters? Yep. I do not do roller coasters. Have you ever done something outrageously dumb? Oh yes. Do you think you can last for an hour without talking? Yeah, I do that a lot. Has anyone put their arms around you in the past 7 days? Yes. Is your hair longer than your shoulders? Yep. It reaches my butt. Do you know anyone else with your name? Yes. Last person who gave you a ‘good morning’ text? I don’t remember. Have you ever watched a movie in another language? Yeah. The last person that made you angry, did you tell them? No. What did you purchase last? Makeup. What are you listening to? Catfish. Have you ever changed clothes in a vehicle? Yeah. Are you an alcoholic? Nope. I don’t even drink at all. Is anything bothering you? Yes. Do you believe that everything happens for a reason? Yes. What is your favorite perfume to wear? I don’t have one as of now. Do you drink water? Yes. Do you go to the mall on Friday nights? No. I haven’t been to the mall in forever. Where do you buy most of your clothes at? Online these days. What is your favorite thing to watch on TV? I watch Catfish, The Golden Girls, and I Love Lucy a lot. And then there’s my other shows that I watch on certain days, but those are shows I watch all the time and have seen every episode. Have you ever been to “Dollywood”? Nope. Do you listen to country music? Yes. It’s Friday night. What are you doing? Same thing as any other night. Do you wear a lot of make up or not that much? I started wearing foundation and concealer now as well. Do you even care what people think of you? I do. Do you have a cousin who is like your own child? No. How to spend your birthdays? With my family out to dinner. You can go back to one time in your life: Where do you go? Childhood. Do you use Victoria’s Secret spray? It’s been years. Do you shop at Pacsun? I have. At school, are you always getting in trouble? I never did. Are you close to any teachers? I’m not in school anymore. Who is your best guy friend? I don’t have one. What do you two do when you hang out? What is a movie that you thought you would hate but you ended up loving? Napoleon Dynamite. I actually did hate it when I first saw it and thought it was so stupid. it is dumb, but I somehow grew to really like it lol. Do you even like horror movies? Yes, some. Do you live in the country? No. Have you ever had a boyfriend your parents didn’t like? No. If so, did you hide it from them? Were you ever a trouble maker? Nope. Do you shave your legs? Yes. Don’t you love the feeling of how they feel when you’re done shaving them? Sure. Which do you prefer to write with: pencil or pen? Pen. Have you ever drove? Nope. Do you have any person in your family with an addiction to beer? No. Do you take a lot of pictures? Of my pup. What did you want to be when you were younger? A teacher. Do you like small or large dogs? I love dogs. Have you ever watched “The Blind Side”? Yes. Who is your favorite cousin? I do not have a favorite cousin. I used to be really close to two of them (I have way over 30 cousins), but I’ve become distant from everyone over the last two years. Do you have a favorite aunt? I am close to one of my aunts on my mom’s side. If you could be anywhere else but here, where would you be? Somewhere on a nice vacation. Right now I’d love to be lying in a nice hotel room with a beautiful ocean view. Has a boy ever spent the night at your house? Just family. Who was the last person to sleep over? My aunt and cousin. Do you have a MySpace? It still exists out there, but I haven’t used it since like 2008. Do you own anything zebra striped? No. I have stuff with giraffe print, though. What is the most expensive thing you own? My MacBook Air. Do things always have to go your way? No. It’s not in my hands. What is something you eat but everybody else thinks it’s gross? Hmm. I like Pizza Rolls with mustard? I know some people find that weird and a lot of people don’t like mustard in general. Do you use the internet heart (<3)? Every once in awhile. Do you forward the chain letters in your email? Uh, no. I hated those. Does drama always seem to follow you? Not drama, just other stressful stuff. Do you like watching motorcross? No. Does anybody in your family race? Yes. How many pairs of shoes do you have? I think about 6 pairs. Do you support your best friend’s choices? Yes. Are you in a relationship? No. Are you closer to your mom or dad? My mom. Do you have a laptop or desktop? A laptop. What color is it? Silver. I have a rose gold case on it.

#personal #text #survey #surveys

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blogintelli251 · 3 years ago

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Dating Springs Eldersburg Maryland

Dating Springs Eldersburg Maryland Post Office

Dating Springs Eldersburg Maryland 2018

Dating Springs Eldersburg Maryland

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ON STATE MAP BELOW:

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BLUE = swimming hole, RED = hot spring

See a SLIDESHOW of swimming hole photos in this state. >I-68'; return true' shape='rect'>>I-70 & US15'; return true' shape='rect'>>I-83'; return true' shape='rect'>>I-68'; return true' shape='rect'>

This swimming hole listing is by www.swimmingholes.org

BEAVER DAM (BEAV)

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TOWNSBALTIMORE, HUNT VALLEYLAT, LON lat=39.47931, lon=-76.65703(source: DeLorme) (accuracy:exact) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP STATEMD WATERQuarry TYPEQuarry DESCRIPTION This is a commercial swim club with some unique features. A filled quarry with diving floats and rope swings. See their web site for fees, hours, etc: BEAVER DAM SWIM CLUB. Things have unfortunately changed here - I received this in 6/2005: 'Thanks for your website. I was a season pass holder at Beaver Dam Swimming Club in MD from 1991 to 2002. In early 2002 they closed off about 1/4 of the shimming hole. In 2003 to present they closed off more than 3/4 of the hole. Now only the corner is open near the rope swing, even the cliffs are roped off. The roped off portion includes one of the logs. The reason for closing it off was 1) lost lawsuits and 2) Baltimore County regulations. My problem (aside from missing my summer swimming) is that neither Baltimore Magazine(who listed it last month) , your website, or the Beaver Dam website(link below) mention this. In fact they post old pictures on their website that indicate that long closed portions of the swimming hole are open. I wish you would indicate this on your website.' AREASNone SANCTIONOfficial FEEYes FACILITIES Picnic tables, rest rooms, snack bar ACTIVITIES Swimming, Diving, Rope Swing PHONE(410)785-1826 CAMPINGUnknown BATHING SUITSRequired DIRECTIONS From Baltimore, take I-95 N to I-695 W toward Towson. Take I-83 north to exit 18 (Warren Rd. ) go left at Beaver Dam Rd. CONFIDENCEHighly confident VERIFIED no DATE UPDATED6/22/2005

This swimming hole listing is by www.swimmingholes.org

BETTERTON BEACH (BETT)

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TOWNSCHESTERTOWN, BETTERTON LAT, LON lat=39.37083, lon=-76.06667(source: Topozone) (accuracy:approximate) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP STATEMD WATERSassafras River TYPERiver (Tidal) DESCRIPTION A public, sandy County beach on Sassafras River where it empties into the Chesapeake Bay. This is a tidal river, like swimming in the Bay, but in years of normal rainfall the water here is too fresh for the jellyfish that plague the lower Chesapeake Bay. Check before you swim here - there are sometimes pollution alerts for this part of the bay. Betterton Beach Web Site. AREASEastern Shore SANCTIONOfficial County beach FEENo FACILITIES Picnic tables, bath house, free parking. County Picnic Pavilion, restaurant overlooking bay called Five Rivers Tavern, snack bar. Country store called the Still Pond Store with sandwiches etc., located in Still Pond, 3 miles from beach. ACTIVITIES Swimming, canoe-kayak and cartop boat launching, fishing (state license needed). PHONEUnknown CAMPINGTry Bay Country Campground, near Rock Hall, or Duck Neck Campground south of Chestertown 410-778-3070 BATHING SUITSRequired DIRECTIONS From Chestertown (on Maryland's Eastern Shore) take RT 213 north then RT 297 north to Worton. Turn right on RT 298 east. Turn left on RT 292 west. Turn left in Still Pond. Betterton is 3 miles from the crossroads. CONFIDENCEHighly confident VERIFIED Yes, 6/99 DATE UPDATED6/2010

This swimming hole listing is by www.swimmingholes.org

CAMP HARDING PARK (CAMH)

SEE LINK BELOWTO STATE MAP='>

TOWNSHAGERSTOWN, BERKELEY SPRINGS (WV), PECKTONVILLE LAT, LON lat=39.66924, lon=-78.04293(source: map) (accuracy:approximate) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP STATEMD WATERLicking Creek TYPECreek DESCRIPTIONThis from a visitor:� Now a county park, with long-time swimming hole adjacent to park where the slope of the creek gets deeper and deeper slowly like a large Olympic pool. Maybe 8-10 foot deep at the hole. At times the health department will post swimming is dangerous (too many farms north and south). We swam there as kids and now as adults.. incredible beauty. Named Camp Harding after the president who would camp there. There's a photo of Harding Firestone and Henry Ford all camping there together.. not sure if photo is online anywhere. County park does not include swimming hole so it does not list it as such. Holes sits adjacent to the park. At times there's a rope swing off a huge old oak tree.. way too much fun.' CAMP HARDING PARK WEB SITE. AREASCamp Harding Park SANCTIONUnofficial (swimming hole is not actually in the park) FEENone FACILITIESAt county park ACTIVITIES Water play, Swimming PHONEUnknown CAMPINGNone at site. BATHING SUITSCustomary DIRECTIONS From Hagerstown, take RT 40 west (parallels I-70) for about 20 miles, turn right onto Pectonville Rd and go about 1 mile then turn right into Camp Harding Park. The swimming hole is just behind (south of) the park. No better directions. CONFIDENCEPretty confident VERIFIED No DATE UPDATED2/2013

This swimming hole listing is by www.swimmingholes.org

CASCADE LAKE (CASC)

SEE LINK BELOWTO STATE MAP='>

TOWNSWESTMINSTER, HAMPSTEAD LAT, LON lat=39.61636, lon=-76.89000(source: Topozone) (accuracy:exact) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP STATEMD WATERUnknown TYPELake DESCRIPTIONCASCADE LAKE WEB SITE. AREASNone SANCTIONOfficial FEEYes, see web site FACILITIESAll ACTIVITIES Swimming, water slide, petting zoo, fishing PHONE(410) 374-9111 CAMPINGNone at site. BATHING SUITSRequired DIRECTIONS From Baltimore take: I-695, exit 19 to I-795 north to RT 30 north to Hampstead, left on RT 482, right on Snydersburg Road. CONFIDENCEVery confident VERIFIED No DATE UPDATED11/8/2004

This swimming hole listing is by www.swimmingholes.org

CUNNINGHAM FALLS S. P. (CUNN)

PHOTOS BELOWTO STATE MAP='>

TOWNSFREDERICK, THURMONT LAT, LON lat=39.63139, lon=-77.47167(source: Topozone) (accuracy:exact) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP STATEMD WATERUnknown TYPEWaterfall DESCRIPTIONSeventy eight foot high cascading falls, has numerous pools for dipping. PHOTO AT FALLS. Cold water, rocks can be slippery, be very careful. (Not for small children - take them the lake for 'official' swimming.) Brief hike to falls, wheelchair access to bottom of falls. Swimming in falls is not officially sanctioned. Official swimming lake is nearby in the S.P. PHOTO OF LAKE. Web site: CUNNINGHAM FALLS S. P. AREASCunningham Falls S.P. SANCTIONUnofficial FEEYes FACILITIES (at lake) Toilet, Changing room, Picnic tables, ACTIVITIES Swimming, PHONE(301)271-7574 CAMPING Camping at state park, reservations available, very well developed. Some sites are 'camper ready' with tents, stoves, etc provided. Call (301)271-7574. BATHING SUITSCustomary DIRECTIONS From Frederick, follow RT 15 N for about 15 mi to signs for Cunningham Falls S.P. CONFIDENCEVery confident VERIFIED yes DATE UPDATED6/30/1999

This swimming hole listing is by www.swimmingholes.org

ELK NECK S. P. (ELKN)

PHOTOTO STATE MAP TO ='>

TOWNSWILMINGTON (DE), ELKTON, NORTHEAST LAT, LON lat=39.50278, lon=-75.97917(source: Topozone) (accuracy:approximate) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP STATEMD WATERChesapeake Bay TYPEBay DESCRIPTION A large, public, sandy beach on the northern reaches of the Chesapeake Bay. Not really a swimming hole, but attractive because the jellyfish that plague the lower Chesapeake don't reach up this far. NOTE: In 8/2007, a Washington Post article noted that upper Chesapeake Bay beaches frequently exceed pollution levels for human and animal waste. We DO NOT recommend swimming here unless you have specific information that it is acceptably clean here at the time you are visiting. AREASElk Neck S. P. SANCTIONOfficial FEEYes, $2.00 per vehicle FACILITIES Picnic tables, toilets, playground

ACTIVITIES Swimming PHONE410-287-5333 CAMPINGAt site, also cabins to rent. BATHING SUITSRequired DIRECTIONS From Wilmington DE, go south on I-95 (toll) to exit 100 then take RT 272 south to the state park. CONFIDENCEHighly confident VERIFIED Yes, 6/99 DATE UPDATED8/8/2007

This swimming hole listing is by www.swimmingholes.org

FERRY PARK (FERR)

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TOWNSCHESTERTOWN, ROCK HALL LAT, LON lat=39.139431, lon=-76.25767(source: map) (accuracy:approximate) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP STATEMD WATERChesapeake Bay TYPEBay DESCRIPTION A small public, fine-sand beach on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Chester River is the swimming area for the town of Rock Hall. Check before you swim here - there are sometimes pollution alerts for this part of the bay and there may be jellyfish present in large number. Rock Hall Info. Fabulous sunsets! AREASEastern Shore SANCTIONOfficial town beach FEENo FACILITIES Picnic tables, toilets, changing room, gazebos. ACTIVITIES Swimming, picnicking, sunsets PHONEUnknown CAMPINGNone at site

Dating Springs Eldersburg Maryland Post Office

BATHING SUITSRequired DIRECTIONS From Chestertown (on Maryland's Eastern Shore), take RT 20 West to Rock Hall. Continue through the blinking light on Route 20 to where the road ends. Turn left on Beach Rd. Go about 1/2 mile. CONFIDENCEVery confident VERIFIED Yes, 6/2013 DATE UPDATED6/2013

This swimming hole listing is by www.swimmingholes.org

GREEN RIDGE S. F. AREA (4 PLACES) (GREE)

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TOWNSHANCOCK, CUMBERLAND, LITTLE ORLEANS STATEMD WATERFifteen Mile Creek TYPECreek DESCRIPTION Swimming holes in Fifteen Mile Creek in the Green Ridge State Forest (and nearby) in western Maryland NOTE: In all cases, getting a map from Green Ridge S.F. Ranger's Station is a necessity! The Ranger Station is at Exit 64 (near GREEN RIDGE 3 below). Green Ridge S.F. Web Site. See also nearby in West Virginia: MOUNT STORM AREA . See 'DIRECTIONS' below for details. AREASGreen Ridge State Forest SANCTIONUnofficial FEENone FACILITIES None ACTIVITIES Swimming (Tubing in Potomac River, at Green Ridge 4 below) PHONE 301-478-3124 CAMPINGThere are 100 primitive camping sites (no tables or toilets, $7.00)in the State Forest; get a permit at the State Forest Visitor's Center at Exit 64. Can also camp at the C&O Canal at GREEN RIDGE 4 (see below, tables and Johnny toilets, $10.00). For luxury, go west 15 miles on I-68 to Rocky Gap S.P., expensive camping but very nice - on a big lake with swimming and boating and a lodge. BATHING SUITSVaries, see below DIRECTIONSFrom Hancock, take I-68 west. Then:

GREEN RIDGE 1 (GRE1): Near the town of Flintstone in Fifteen Mile Creek is a not terribly scenic but convenient and fun swimming hole with rope swing (someone usually puts one up every year). This place may have no water later in the summer. PHOTO 1, PHOTO 2 . Not really in the State Forest but nearby. Bathing suits customary (it is a local hangout). To get here: From I-68, take Exit 62 (Scenic 40 and Fifteen Mile Creek Rd) and go north onto Scenic RT 40. At about a mile, Scenic 40 will curve to the right. Go left onto Fifteen Mile Creek Rd (gravel). At approximately .8 miles, the swimming hole will be on the right, at a culvert/bridge just past Carpenter Rd. LAT, LON : lat=39.6934, lon= -78.4523(source: measured) (accuracy: exact) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. Very confident. Verified 4/04. Updated 4/04.

GREEN RIDGE 2 (GRE2): Near the town of Little Orleans in Fifteen Mile Creek are a series of pools along the creek. Also an outstanding large pool called Longs Pond. Great informal (backpack) camping spots. Bathing suits may be optional in places. To get here: From I-68, take Exit 62 (Scenic 40 and Fifteen Mile Creek Rd). Go south on Fifteen Mile Creek Rd (gravel, sometimes rough but passable in a car) for 2.6 miles, keeping left at all decision points (e.g., do NOT go onto Greenridge Rd.) At 2.6 miles (past campsite #55 but BEFORE campsite #56) you will go down a hill and cross a creek and see a trailhead on the immediate other side of this bridge. Park here. There is a trail information sign here saying �Long Pond Ridge Trail.� Take the trail downstream (left) along a stream (it is not Fifteen Mile Creek, yet). The trail is marked red on the maps and also is marked red on the trees. Walk about .6 miles to where the trail splits. The red trail (Long Pond Ridge Trail) continues to the right; a blue-blazed trail goes to the left after crossing a stream. From here, there appear to be two ways to go toward Long Pond - the 'Bushwack' way and the 'Long Pond Ridge Trail' way (below) - neither one is clearly better. Long's Pond: LAT, LON : lat=39.65842, lon= -78.44737(source: measured) (accuracy: exact) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP . Bushwack: If you take the blue-blazed trail you will soon come to a trail registry. In a short distance, when the trail begins to go steeply uphill. Here, leave the trail and wade across the creek and bushwhack pretty much straight downstream - there is an old overgrown road here which you are roughly following. (Keep on the lookout for snakes and use long pants and/or deet to repel ticks along the bushwacking parts of the trail.) You will bushwack for about 20 minutes, passing some wading/swimming places (and campsites) that are NOT Long Pond NOT LONG POND, then you will come to Long Pond itself which is a wide and deep spot on Fifteen Mile Creek with pronounced diagonally sloping rock strata on the rock bluff on the far side. LONG POND , LONG POND. There is a nice shady picnic area/campsite set up with natural stones to make seats. Pretty confident. Partially verified 4/04. Updated 6/2010. Long Pond Ridge Trail: At the trail split, you continue on the red trail, 'Long Pond Ridge Trail', and it rises very steeply, and the hike continues along the ridge before going down to the creek. From where the red and blue trails split to the bottom of the ridge is about a mile. Expect a steep, tiring hike of about 30 minutes from where the trails split - to be avoided unless you have good hiking shoes. When you finish the descent from the ridge, then you will see a 1.6 mile marker. Long Pond is maybe a hundred yards from there on the left. There is a path leading to it where people have set up a picnic area/campsite, so it is easy to spot. The water (in early June) was about 5 feet deep in a few places. As for bathing suits, the �Pond� is secluded in general, but not from the trail. Anyone hiking the red trail would be able to see. Pretty confident. Not verified. Updated 6/2010.

GREEN RIDGE 3 (GRE3): Swimming hole where 15 mile Creek dumps into the Potomac River. There is a boat ramp and there is usually a rope swing attached. The water is between 4' and 8' deep, depending on area and water level. The C&O Canal towpath allows you to cross the creek so you can enter the water on either side. You can swim in the creek or in the Potomac and even cross over to West Virginia.PHOTO. NOTE: Only adults who are also strong swimmers should enter the main stream of the Potomac, as the current is very strong. Sharing the area with locals and fishermen needs to be taken into account. For rafting / tubing, hike up the Potomac on the C&O Canal towpath as far as you want and you can raft down the Potomac back to your car. To get here: From MD I-68 take Exit 68 and go south on Orleans Road for about 6 miles. After 6 miles, take a left (east) at an intersection, where the signs point to the C&O Canal (right/straight continues west as Oldtown Orleans Rd). Pass by a small country store and outfitter shop called 'Bill's Place', pass under railroad tracks, and turn right immediately. Turn left at the campground entrance and cross the wooden bridge over the C&O canal. There is plenty of parking and several fee camping spots, with self-registration at $10 a night. (Recommend camping at one of the many camping spots at Green Ridge State Forest, which are more private ($7 a night). LAT, LON : lat=39.62412, lon= -78.38626(source: measured) (accuracy: exact) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. Very confident. Verified 4/04. Updated 4/04. TOWN CREEK (TOWN): Nice small swimming hole in Town Creek (near where it empties into the Potomac River) that is 7-10 feet deep with a rock formation to jump off of with jumps at 8, 15 and 25 feet. Plus size speed dating near ferndale missouri. To get here from I-68 in Cumberland, take RT 51 south for 20-25 miles. After you cross Town Creek (steel bridge) go about another .6 mile to a sign on the right that says �Town Creek Aquaduct/ C & O Canal entrance�. Turn right on to this access road and go until you come to the barricade at the end. About 200 yards before the barricade you will see a trail going down to your right. Walk down here and you will find the swimming hole. A great place on a hot day. LAT, LON : lat=39.52437, lon= -78.5441(source: map) (accuracy: approximate) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. Pretty confident. Not verified. Updated 2/2011.

CONFIDENCEVaries - see above VERIFIED Partially, 4/04 DATE UPDATED2/2011

This swimming hole listing is by www.swimmingholes.org

GUNPOWDER FALLS S. P.-HEREFORD AREA (4 PLACES) (GUNH)

PHOTOS BELOW TO LOCAL AREA MAP TO STATE MAP

TOWNSBALTIMORE, HEREFORD, MONKTON LAT, LON lat=39.6108, lon=-76.6806(source: DeLorme) (accuracy:general area) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP STATEMD WATERBig Gunpowder Creek TYPECreek DESCRIPTIONGunpowder Falls S.P. is comprised of separate parks where you can access the Gunpowder Falls River via several trails. This one, which is called the 'HEREFORD AREA', is up I-83 north of Baltimore. It includes several river access points and trails, several with swimming places. I name these (below) by the road from which you access the river. See directions below for details. AREASGunpowder Falls S.P. SANCTIONUnofficial FEENoFACILITIES Toilets, picnic tables at Bunker Hill, nothing at the other points ACTIVITIES Swimming, Tubing PHONE(410)592-2897 Gunpowder Falls S.P. CAMPINGNone at site. Continue up I-83, just past York, PA follow signs to Gifford Pinchot S.P. Great camping and lake swimming. BATHING SUITSCustomary DIRECTIONS From Baltimore, take I-83 north to exit 27 (RT 137, Hereford). From here: BUNKER HILL RD. (BUNK): Go east (right) at the bottom of the ramp onto RT 137. Then north (left) onto York Rd. RT 45). Go about 1 mi to just past Hereford High School (on the right) to Bunker Hill Rd. on the left. Go left onto Bunker Hill Rd. which ends at a parking lot for Gunpowder Falls S. P. and a picnic area. Walk upstream (left) on the south side of the river, keeping on the trail closest to the stream. After you get through the picnic area (about a 5 min. walk altogether), there is a deep swimming hole in the stream with a beach area. LAT, LON: lat=39.612855, lon=-76.676311(source: map) (accuracy: approximate) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. BUNKER HILL RD. PHOTO 1 - PHOTO 2 YORK RD. (YORK): Continue north on York Rd. past Bunker Hill Rd. until you reach the bridge over Gunpowder Falls River. Park on either side of York Rd. south of the bridge (before you cross the bridge.) The most easily accessible place here is 'Hobo Beach'. It is right near the parking area with a grassy lawn and deep swimming place on the far side of the creek with a rope swing and large rock. Cold water! Popular spot for ending tubing trips down the Gunpowder. LAT, LON: lat=39.61428, lon=-76.65908(source: map) (accuracy: general area) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. For other places, walk north along York Rd. across the bridge (carefully, there is no sidewalk.) After you cross the bridge, on the east (right) side of the road there is a sign saying 'Wiseburg'. At this sign, there is a trail going down steeply toward the river. Where you first reach the river is an apparent swimming place by a couple of large rocks. Continue on this trail (blue blazes) downstream (this is the Gunpowder Falls North trail, it is a very easy and pretty walk) for about 30 minutes and you will come to Raven Falls (a very small but picturesque falls)YORK RD. PHOTO 1 entering the river from the left. There is a small pool at the very bottom of the falls but a better swimming hole is there in the Gunpowder Falls River where a large rock goes down to the water.YORK RD. PHOTO 2 Another trail: Across York Rd. from the Wiseburg sign there is another trail going down to the river and following it in the upstream direction. There is said to be a local swimming hole a short distance down this trail but I did not see any real swimming places on a visit 2/20/01, except maybe right under the I-83 bridge, but it is very noisy and not very scenic there. BIG FALLS RD. (BIGF): From RT 137 in Hereford, go south on York Rd. (RT 45) a short distance then east (left) on Monkton Rd.(RT 138) Take Monkton Rd through Hereford to Big Falls Rd on the left (before Monkton). Turn left on Big Falls Rd, bear right at the 'T' intersection to stay on Big Falls Rd. Just before Big Falls Rd crosses the river, park here and walk upstream on the south side of the river (the Gunpowder Falls South Trail). LAT, LON: lat=39.60886, lon=-76.63513(source: map) (accuracy: general area) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. There are several deep swimming holes here, tubing also. Rental of tubes at the train station in Monkton. FALLS RD. (FALL): From Exit 27, go west (left) at the bottom of the ramp onto RT 137 (Mount Carmel Rd.). Continue past several roads and turn north (right) on Evna Rd. Follow Evna Rd. and turn right on Falls Rd. As Falls Rd. descends to the Gunpowder Falls River, park in the last parking area on the left just before you cross the bridge. AT, LON: lat=39.61875, lon=-76.69075(source: map) (accuracy: general area) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. A trail begins in this parking area (designated the Gunpowder Falls South Trail) and goes down to the river then heads upstream on the south side of the river. There are several deep places with large rocks and small falls for swimming in the first 10-15 minutes of this walk.FALLS RD. PHOTO 2 - PHOTO 3 (The trail gets rocky and narrow if you go further and there are no apparent swimming places further up.) There is also an apparent swimming place just downstream from this bridge. FALLS RD. PHOTO 1 CONFIDENCEVery confident VERIFIED yes, 2/21/01 DATE UPDATED2/21/01

This swimming hole listing is by www.swimmingholes.org

GUNPOWDER FALLS S. P.-CENTRAL AREA (7 PLACES) (GUNC)

PHOTOS BELOWTO STATE MAP

TOWNSBALTIMORE, PERRY HALL, BENSON, BALDWIN STATEMD WATERVaries-see below TYPECreek/River DESCRIPTIONGunpowder Falls S.P. is comprised of separate parks where you can access the Gunpowder Falls River and the Little Gunpowder River via several trails. This one, which is called the 'CENTRAL AREA', is up RT 1 northeast of Baltimore. AREASGunpowder Falls S.P. SANCTIONUnofficial FEENo FACILITIES None ACTIVITIES Swimming PHONE(410)592-2897 Gunpowder Falls S.P. CAMPINGNone at site. Susquehanna S. P. and Elk Neck S. P., both northeast of here, have camping. Elk Neck also has swimming in the Chesapeake Bay. BATHING SUITSCustomary DIRECTIONS From the Baltimore beltway, I-695, take Exit 32 and go north on RT 1, then: LONG GREEN CREEK (LONG): AKA 'The Pool'. (See also 'POT ROCKS' below which are accessed from the same parking area). This swimming hole is in a tributary creek (Long Green Creek) that empties into the Gunpowder Falls River. LINK TO AN ARTICLE ABOUT THIS PLACE. To get here from the Baltimore Beltway (I-695) north of Baltimore take RT 1 (Belair Rd.) north about 5.5 miles. Just after RT 1 crosses the bridge over the Gunpowder Falls River there is a large parking area on the right (east) side of RT 1. LAT, LON (parking area): lat=39.4276, lon= -76.4433(source: measured) (accuracy: exact) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. Park here and look at the large trail map painted on the sign in the parking lot. Near the right hand edge of this map, see an area marked 'POOL' in 'LONG GREEN CREEK'. This is the swimming hole. This report from a visitor in 2007:'Just visited this swimming hole about two weeks ago. I planned my own circuit hike that finished up at the swimming hole, then followed the trail you described back to the parking lot. It's there, with some nice rocks for sunning afterward. The water isn't particularly deep, but enough to swim around. Mostly smooth rocks and some mucky stuff on the bottom - I didn't have water shoes but didn't have a problem. There weren't many other people when I got there, but as I stayed more and more people showed up. Probably not a private spot on a hot weekend afternoon, but I enjoyed the dip after nearly 10 miles of hiking.' To get here: Follow the trail as described in this map - go under RT 1 then upstream along the north shore of the river. There are various trails that go off to the right - DO NOT TAKE THESE; stay on the trail that runs along the river. At about 1.2 miles, the trail will encounter Long Green Creek and bend to the right. The swimming hole is near here in Long Green Creek. (May be too shallow to swim at some water levels.)LAT, LON (swimming hole): lat=39.43758, lon= -76.46314(source: DeLorme) (accuracy: approximate) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. Very confident. Verified 4/04. Updated 4/04. POT ROCKS (POTR):(See also 'LONG GREEN CREEK' above which is accessed from the same parking area). 1.2 mile easy hike (each way) to rocks and rapids in the middle of the Big Gunpowder Falls River. PHOTO OF MAP , PHOTO , PHOTO . The rocks form a little pool (where pot holes were created in the bedrock from water action) that is a great place to go for a dip. Nice place to go near sunset on a hot summer day (park closes at sunset). LINK TO AN ARTICLE ABOUT THIS PLACE. To get here from the Baltimore Beltway (I-695) north of Baltimore take RT 1 (Belair Rd.) north about 5.5 miles. Just after RT 1 crosses the bridge over the Gunpowder Falls River there is a large parking area on the right (east) side of RT 1. (same parking area as for LONG GREEN CREEK above) LAT, LON (parking area): lat=39.4276, lon= -76.4433(source: measured) (accuracy: exact) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. Park here and look at the large trail map painted on the sign in the parking lot. On the left side of this map, see an area marked 'POT ROCKS'. This is the swimming hole. Park and follow the blue blazed trail heading southeast from the parking lot (downstream) on the north side of the river. After walking less than a mile, you come to a trail crossing. To the left is the continuation of the Lost Pond Trail, which leads you up the hillside. Keep right here at the trail marker (keep near the river, still following the blue blazes) and continue hiking for about ten minutes to the Pot Rocks (there is a sign post) which are rocks in the middle of the river. LAT, LON: lat=39.418, lon=-76.429(source: measured) (accuracy: exact) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. Very confident. Verified 4/2011. Updated 4/2011. LITTLE GUNPOWDER FALLS (LITT): Swimming place/water play place at rapids in Little Gunpowder Falls. PHOTO , PHOTO . There are A LOT of no parking signs on the road (and hardly any safe parking even if there weren't the signs), so you may have to walk a ways after you park (legally) to get to the bridge and swimming hole. There are strong currents here at some places so avoid these. From the Baltimore Beltway, take RT 1 (Belair Road) north about 7 miles from the Beltway to Kingsville. In Kingsville, follow Jerusalem Road as it bears to the right. Take an immediate right onto Bradshaw Road and continue for almost one mile. Turn left onto Franklinville Road (continue straight onto Vinegar Hill Rd). In about a mile you will cross a bridge over Little Gunpowder Falls River. (If you find yourself driving parallel to the river, you missed Vinegar Hill Rd). This is the swimming hole. LAT, LON : lat=39.44730, lon= -76.38099(source: map) (accuracy: approximate) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. Very confident. Verified 4/2011. Updated 4/2011.

GUYTON ROAD (GUYT): Nice little local swimming place in the Little Gunpowder River. Sandy beach, shallow near beach, deeper across the river with some large rocks there also. Relatively warm water. Nice for the whole family on a hot day. PHOTO , PHOTO To get here, continue north on RT 1 through Kingsville and across the Little Gunpowder River then turn left on Reckord Rd. Follow Reckord Rd. across RT 147 then turn left on Guyton Rd. (before you get to Old Fallston Rd). Follow Guyton Rd., soon paralleling the Little Gunpowder River (becomes a dirt road), until you get to the river where you will see a parking area and beach on your left. LAT, LON lat=39.50268, lon=-76.42930(source: measured) (accuracy: exact) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. Very confident. Verified 6/2010. Updated 6/2010.

SWEET AIR (SWEE): A detached portion of Gunpowder Falls S. P. Central Area, called the Sweet Air area, with a nice 2-4 mile hike along the Little Gunpowder with (maybe) some swimming and/or shallow water-play places along the hike (not sure). To get here: Continue north on RT 1 past Reckord Rd (see Guyton above) to Lynchs Corner then turn northwest (left) on Rt 152. Take RT 152 about 6 miles RT 165. Turn left heading south on 165 (Baldwin Mill Road). In a very short distance, turn right onto Greene Road, then right onto Moores Road, and left onto Dalton Bevard Road. Park at the large, signed parking area near the end of this road. Numerous trails leave from this parking area, making return loops. See the large trail maps in the kiosk. Go to the one with white blazes, which eventually parallels the creek. The (possible) swimming places are in the Little Gunpowder along this trail. Not certain. PARK AT: LAT, LON: lat=39.53610, lon=-76.5050(source: measured) (accuracy: approximate) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. Pretty confident. Partially verified 6/2010. Updated 6/2010.

HAMMERMAN BEACH (HAMM):The Hammerman Area offers 1,500 feet of beach and swimming area at Cunninghill Cove (where Gunpowder Falls empties into the Chesapeake Bay). WEB SITE . The swimming area is supervised by lifeguards from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Fee to enter. LINK TO AN ARTICLE ABOUT THIS PLACE. Swimming is permitted at your own risk when lifeguards are not on duty. PHOTO , PHOTO , PHOTO OF FACILITY .Four picnic shelters are available for rental. The area also has a food concession, picnic tables and grills, playground equipment and a windsurfing beach. Ultimate Watersports rents kayaks, wind surfboards and catamarans at the beach. Hammerman is open year-round, except Christmas and Thanksgiving. To get here: From I-95 take exit 67A then RT 43 east (White Marsh Boulevard). Follow RT 43 to RT 40 east. After turning onto RT 40, turn right at the first light onto Ebenezer Road and follow it for 4.5 miles. The park entrance will be on your left. Very confident. Verified 4/2011. Updated 4/2011. LAT, LON: lat=39.3644, lon=-76.3407(source: map) (accuracy: approximate) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. Very confident. Verified 4/2011. Updated 4/2011.

JONES ROAD AREA (JONE): Swimming hole with rope swings and rocks to jump from. Can be lots of trash - take an extra bag with you and carry some out, please. LINK TO AN ARTICLE ABOUT THIS PLACE. Two swimming places are one with rocks to jump right under the train trestle and another a short walk beyond the rocks. Both spots have rope swings but the farther one is less crowded and no train noise. To get here, from I-695 (Baltimore Beltway) north of Baltimore take RT 40 north. Just after you cross the Gunpowder River, take a left onto Jones Rd. (is easy to miss, if you get to Joppa Farm Rd., you've gone too far.) Right after turning onto Jones Rd., park at the lot on the left (dont park anywhere else). After you park, follow a trail down to the water (There are multiple trails and branches, stay on the most prominent trail). LAT, LON: lat=39.41319, lon=-76.38751(source: measured) (accuracy: approximate) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. Pretty confident. Verified by Alex Camlin/Baltimore Examiner. Updated 2/2011. CONFIDENCEVaries - see above VERIFIED Varies - see above DATE UPDATED2/2011

This swimming hole listing is by www.swimmingholes.org

LOCH RAVEN (LOCH)

PHOTO TO STATE MAP='>

TOWNSBALTIMORE, TIMONIUMLAT, LON (DRIVE)lat=39.43815 lon=-76.55299(source: map) (accuracy:exact) LINK TO GOOGLE MAPLAT, LON (SWIM) lat=39.44213, lon=-76.54887(source: map) (accuracy:approximate) LINK TO GOOGLE MAPSTATEMDWATERLoch Raven ReservoirTYPELakeDESCRIPTIONSmall corner of large lake (reservoir) with rope swing and rocks/cliffs to jump. PLEASE NOTE: SWIMMING IS NOT PERMITTED HERE - the rules state� Bathing, wading, swimming and water skiing are prohibited.'AREASUnknownSANCTIONUnofficialFEENoFACILITIESnoneACTIVITIESSwimming, Rope swing, JumpingPHONEnoneCAMPINGNone at siteBATHING SUITSOptional DIRECTIONS From the north side of the Baltimore Beltway (I-695) take Exit 28, Providence Rd, north. Follow Providence Rd for about three miles to where it ends in a 'T' with Lock Raven Rd. The trail you want leaves from the right far side of this T intersection. However, there is very little legal parking near here. If you go BACK up Providence Rd. (back the way you came) you will pass many 'no parking' signs but, just as you leave the Loch Raven area and just as you enter a residential area (between Dogwood Hill Rd. and Roxleigh Rd.), you will see a wide shoulder on Providence Rd. that does not have 'no parking' signs and often many cars parked here. Park here and walk along the path that follows Providence Rd. back down to the T intersection and then take the trail mentioned above. Follow that trail at first uphill (keep left at a major fork where there is a small tree stump with a hole in it) then downhill for a total of about 0.5 miles until you get to the water where you will see large rocks ands several rope swings. PLEASE NOTE: SWIMMING IS NOT PERMITTED HERE - the rules state� Bathing, wading, swimming and water skiing are prohibited.' CONFIDENCEVery confidentVERIFIEDYes, 6/2010LAST UPDATE6/2010

This swimming hole listing is by www.swimmingholes.org

MEADOWSIDE (MEAD)

NO PHOTO TO STATE MAP='>

TOWNSBALTIMORE, ELLICOTT CITY, SYKESVILLELAT, LON lat=39.11075, lon=-77.10603(source: DeLorme) (accuracy:approximate) LINK TO GOOGLE MAPSTATEMDWATERNorth Branch Rock CreekTYPECreekDESCRIPTIONSmall place for a cool dip in suburban creek just before it empties into Lake Bernard Frank. Unsure of cleanliness of water due to suburban location - be cautious, do not submerge your head here. CAUTION: As of the summer of 2019, many swimming holes in Montgomery County Maryland have detected elevated levels of Microcystin. Montgomery County Swimming Hazard to learn more. AREASRock Creek Stream Valley Park SANCTIONUnofficialFEENoFACILITIESnoneACTIVITIESWading, SwimmingPHONEnoneCAMPINGNone at siteBATHING SUITSCustomary DIRECTIONS From Washington DC, go north from the Beltway (I-495) on either Connecticut or Georgia Avenues (Connecticut eventually merges into Georgia Avenue, which is aka RT 97). 3 miles north of the Beltway, turn left on Norbeck Road (it's a major lighted intersection, aka Rt 28). Almost immediately, turn right on Muncaster Mill Road (aka Rt 115). In a little over a mile, you will cross over the north branch of Rock Creek, then turn left to the Meadowside Nature Center (5100 Meadowside Lane). Follow a trail that drops down to the stream valley from the rear, left side of the Nature Center as you face it from the parking lot. It will bring you down to the north branch of Rock Creek. You will find a small swimming hole above where the creek empties into Lake Bernard Frank. It isn't much, but it's very close to DC. CONFIDENCEVery confidentVERIFIEDBy anotherLAST UPDATE1/21/2005

This swimming hole listing is by www.swimmingholes.org

PATAPSCO VALLEY S. P. AREA (2 PLACES) (PATA)

PHOTOS BELOWTO STATE MAP='>

TOWNSBALTIMORE, ELLICOTT CITY, SYKESVILLE, HENRYTONSTATEMDWATERSouth Branch Patapsco RiverTYPERiverDESCRIPTIONRiver with some deep spots. PATAPSCO VALLEY S. P. CAUTION: THERE WAS A JUMPER WHO DROWNED HERE IN 2003, PLEASE DO NOT JUMP OR SWIM HERE IF THERE IS ANY QUESTION OF SAFETY. I CANNOT VERIFY THE SAFETY OF THIS PLACE. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY. AREASPatapsco Valley State Park SANCTIONUnofficialFEENoFACILITIESnoneACTIVITIESSwimming, rope swing, fishingPHONEnoneCAMPINGNearby at Patapsco River S. P. BATHING SUITSCustomary. Spots are very near road. DIRECTIONSTake I-70 west of Baltimore to Exit 80. Take RT 32 north, then: SYKESVILLE (SYKE): River with some deep spots. To get here from I-70 west of Baltimore, take Exit 80 then RT 32 north about 3.4 miles then turn right onto River Rd. You will see a park entrance sign and several pull-offs on the left side over the next mile, some have better swimming than others. One has a good sized rock with a large pool behind it. LAT, LON: lat=39.35861, lon=-76.96256(source: map) (accuracy:approximate) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. Pretty confident. Verified by W. Brunner. Updated 2/2013. HENRYTON (HENR): River with deep swimming hole and rope swing. YOUTUBE , YOUTUBE . To get here from RT 32 and River Rd. (above) continue north on RT 32 a short way then turn right on Raincliffe Road, turn right when Raincliffe ends then the next left onto Arrington Road, right where Arrington ends, left on Arrington again, and right on Henryton Road. Follow Henryton Road down the hill to where it ends at the river. Cross the train tracks to the swimming hole with rope swing. LAT, LON: lat=39.35151, lon=-76.91359(source: map) (accuracy:approximate) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. Pretty confident. Not verified Updated 2/2013.CONFIDENCEPretty confidentVERIFIEDVaries - see aboveLAST UPDATE2/2013

This swimming hole listing is by www.swimmingholes.org

POTOMAC S. F. AREA (6 PLACES) (POTO)

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TOWNSOAKLAND, GORMAN, KEARNEY STATEMD WATERPotomac River & tributaries TYPERiver DESCRIPTIONSwimming holes in Potomac River and tributaries. CAUTION: HOLES IN POTOMAC WILL BE VERY DANGEROUS IN HIGH FLOWS. For details, see 'DIRECTIONS' below. See also nearby in West Virginia: MOUNT STORM AREA AREASPotomac S. F. SANCTIONUnofficial FEENoFACILITIES Unknown ACTIVITIES Swimming, PHONE(301)334-2038 (Garrett/Potomac S.F.) CAMPINGThere are semi-developed camping places in the State Forest. Also, north of Oakland are Deep Creek Lake S.P. and Swallow Falls S.P. both of which have camping as well as swimming. (See Swallow Falls swimming hole info below). BATHING SUITSUnknown DIRECTIONS From Oakland (in far Western MD, Garrett County) take RT 135 then RT 560 south (set odometer at this intersection). Then: LOSTLAND (LOST): From the intersection of RT 135 and RT 560, go about 2.2 mi on RT 560 then turn left on Bethlehem Rd. (From here, there will be signs to the State Forest). Go about 3.4 miles then turn left onto Combination Rd. Go about .6 miles then turn left on Potomac Camp Rd. Go about 1 mile then turn right onto Lostland Rd. Pass park headquarters (where you can ask for maps and information) onto a dirt road (Lostland Rd) that goes down to the Potomac (set odometer). There are three swimming holes down this road: First: In 2.1 miles down this road, park in the large parking place on the right. There is a trail with a sign that says 'Cascades' here. Follow the trail a very short way to the cascades and pool. This is an outstandingly beautiful cascade and swimming hole below - would be a great movie location! PHOTO 1 , PHOTO 2 Enjoy! LAT, LON FOR CASCADES: lat=39.36559, lon=-79.24501(source: Measured) (accuracy: exact) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. Second: At 2.9 miles down this road, there is a small parking area on the right. Take the wide trail leaves this area in the upstream direction (it has a trail register). When you get to the footbridge, there is a large swimming hole below. PHOTO . LAT, LON FOR FOOTBRIDGE: lat=39.36140, lon=-79.23375(source: Measured) (accuracy: exact) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. Third: At the end of the road, park and walk a short way to the Potomac River. There is a big swimming hole about 200-300 yards downstream in the Potomac. PHOTO , PHOTO There are several rocks to jump off of and 2 pools that are 10-15 feet deep. It is a great and refreshing hole. An interesting big cave formation above it on a hillside. LAUREL RUN (LAUR): From the intersection of RT 135 and RT 560, go about 5.1 mi south on RT 560 then turn left on White Church -Steyer Rd. (at big sign for Potomac State Forest). Go about 1.2 miles then turn left on Audley Riley Rd. (very small sign for state forest). Go about 1.2 miles more (road turns to dirt) into the State Forest to the fork where Laurel Run Rd. goes left and Wallman Rd. goes right. Keep left onto Laurel Run Rd (set odometer here) which runs along Laurel Run and has camping areas along the road (tables but no drinking water or toilets). Laurel Run has a number of nice swimming holes. The first is at about 2 miles from the fork - a nice hole with a long cascade into it PHOTO . There is a small parking turn out here on the right. There are a series of cascades you can walk to just downstream from here ending with another nice swimming hole just behind campsite #29 at: lat=39.34462, lon=-79.26657(source: Measured ) (accuracy: exact) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. Another is just at the parking area at the end of the road PHOTO . LAT, LON AT PARKING AREA: lat=39.34140, lon=-79.2600(source: Measured ) (accuracy: exact) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. The last is: from the parking area, cross the run and walk the short trail to the Potomac River. LAT,LON: lat=39.34187, lon=-79.25752(source: Map ) (accuracy: general area) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. There is a big swimming hole on the Potomac, just upstream of Laurel Run. PHOTO . CONFIDENCEVery confident VERIFIED Yes, 5/2007 DATE UPDATED5/2007

This swimming hole listing is by www.swimmingholes.org

ROCKS S. P. AREA (3 PLACES) (ROCK)

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TOWNSEDGEWOOD, BEL AIR, JARRETTSVILLE LAT, LON lat=39.64097, lon=-76.41592(source: DeLorme) (accuracy:general area) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP STATEMD WATERDeer Creek TYPECreek DESCRIPTION Beautiful linear park along Deer Creek - lots of family fun picnicking, swimming and tubing! Can tube and swim here on 3 1/2 miles of Deer Creek. Bring your own tubes (includes class 3 rapid that most people walk around rather than tube through.) Several swimming holes, 10' - 12' deep, reachable by tube also from parking lots at picnic areas along creek. See 'DIRECTIONS' below for details. AREASRocks State Park SANCTIONOfficial FEEPark free on road or $2.00 per person in picnic area lots. FACILITIES Picnic tables, toilets with changing room ACTIVITIES Swimming, Tubing PHONE(410)557-7994 CAMPINGNot at site, camp nearby at Susquehanna State Park BATHING SUITSRequired DIRECTIONSFrom Baltimore, take I-95 north to exit 77 then RT 24 northwest through Bel Air to Rocks then turn west (left) on St. Clair Bridge Rd. which parallels Deer Creek. The swimming areas are: WILSON CREEK PICNIC AREA (WILS): Follow the signs to the Wilson Creek Picnic Area. LAT, LON : lat=39.64097, lon= -76.41592 (source: map) (accuracy: approximate) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. The best swimming hole is to your right as you enter the parking area. HILLS GROVE PICNIC AREA (HILL): Follow the signs to the Hills Grove Picnic Area. LAT, LON : lat=39.6397, lon= -76.42498 (source: map) (accuracy: approximate) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. There is an excellent swimming hole here, with a nice gravel beach. Very clean water. HILLS GROVE PICNIC AREA PHOTO KILGORE FALLS (KILG): Kilgore Falls is a well little known (and very scenic) wading/swimming place in a separate part of Rocks S. P. on Falling Branch Creek. From the sign on RT 24 to the above picnic areas, go about 4 miles more up RT 24 (through the traffic circle) then go left on St. Mary's Rd. Go about .5 miles then take a right on Falling Branch Rd. This is a dirt road. Take it about .6 miles where it takes a sharp right turn and ends in a parking area (very little parking available.). Park and take the trail about .3 miles to the falls. This looks like a nice place for kids and there is a gradual entry to the water for play. KILGORE FALLS PHOTO. LAT, LON : lat=39.6918, lon= -76.4272 (source: measured) (accuracy: exact) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. CONFIDENCEVery confident VERIFIED Yes, all places DATE UPDATED7/2018

This swimming hole listing is by www.swimmingholes.org

SILVER SPRING KIDS FOUNTAIN (SKID)

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TOWNSWASHINGTON DC, SILVER SPRING MDLAT, LON lat=38.99585,lon=-77.02658(source: map) (accuracy:approximate) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP

Dating Springs Eldersburg Maryland 2018

STATEMD WATERFountain TYPEFountain DESCRIPTION Water-play fountain for kids in center of a lively shopping, restaurant and entertainment complex in downtown Silver Spring MD (a northern suburb of Washington DC). Cool relief on a hot summer day. WEB INFO . AREASDowntown Silver Spring SANCTIONOfficial FEENone

Dating Springs Eldersburg Maryland

FACILITIES All facilities nearby in shopping area ACTIVITIES Water play PHONENone CAMPINGNone BATHING SUITSRequired DIRECTIONS Via AUTO: From Washington DC beltway, I-495, on the north side, take exit 30 onto RT 29 south (Colesville Rd.). Turn east (left) on Georgia Ave then left again on Ellsworth Dr. Find a place to park and walk to the plaza and fountain. Via METRORAIL - Take the Red line to the Silver Spring METRO station. Walk generally northeast about 4 blocks to the plaza. CONFIDENCEHighly confident VERIFIED Ye DATE UPDATED9/2014

This swimming hole listing is by www.swimmingholes.org

SWALLOW FALLS S. P. (4 PLACES) (SWAL)

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TOWNSOAKLAND LAT, LON lat=39.49667, lon=-79.42556(source: Topozone) (accuracy:general area) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP STATEMD WATERYoughiogheny River/Muddy Creek/Tolliver Run TYPEWaterfalls/River/Creek DESCRIPTIONThere are two waterfalls in Swallow Creek State Park; Swallow Falls (on the Yough. River) and Muddy Creek Falls (on Muddy Creek). There are several very fine swimming holes just below each falls and more in the creek and river downstream of each falls. MUDDY CREEK FALLS (MUDD): The best swimming hole is at the bottom of Muddy Creek Falls. PHOTO BELOW MUDDY CREEK FALLS , PHOTO BELOW MUDDY CREEK FALLS. Don't climb or swim in the immediate area ABOVE Muddy Creek Falls - people have fallen to their death here. However, if you go farther back upstream, above Muddy Creek Falls, there is a safe and nice place to swim. PHOTO ABOVE MUDDY CREEK FALLS. LAT, LON : lat=39.50113, lon= -79.41854(source: map) (accuracy: approximate) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. SWALLOW FALLS (SWAL): The largest falls, Upper Swallow Falls, is pretty spectacular but not the best place to swim PHOTO UPPER SWALLOW FALLS. The best swimming place is in Swallow Falls, the Lower Falls section PHOTO LOWER SWALLOW FALLS , PHOTO LOWER SWALLOW FALLS. LAT, LON : lat=39.49589, lon= -79.41725 (source: map) (accuracy: approximate) LINK TO GOOGLE MAP. Also, in this park, if you follow the Tolliver Run trail a short way up from the river (very near Swallow Falls) you come to a gorge carved from rock and a small 5 foot waterfall with a pool and sandy beach (and very cold water). Overall, Swallow Falls S. P. is a very good place for family fun in the water. Camp and swim and spend a few days exploring.

AREASSwallow Falls S. P. SANCTIONUnofficial FEEYes FACILITIES Toilet, Picnic tables ACTIVITIES Swimming, jumping, rope swing PHONE(301)334-9180 CAMPING Very nice wooded camping is available at Swallow Falls S.P. and nearby at Deep Creek Lake S.P. BATHING SUITSCustomary DIRECTIONS From Oakland (in Western MD, Garrett County) follow county road RT 20 northwest about 9 miles to park. CONFIDENCEVery confident VERIFIED Yes, 8/2011 DATE UPDATED8/2011 HOME

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tsukifairy · 6 years ago

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whitsundays wedding package prices

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youinmyhoodnowson · 6 years ago

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wedding packages in whitsundays

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thehungrykat1 · 4 years ago

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Our Secret Wedding Proposal at Club Paradise Palawan

Our love story’s long colorful journey reached its destination last October as my husband and I finally got married under the current new normal quarantine protocols. We actually announced our plans in February last year when Dexter, together with our blogger friends, surprised me with his wedding proposal during a "fake” lunch event at Oori Korean Restaurant in Sheraton Manila. I was really caught off guard that afternoon because they all had me fooled, but few people know that my husband had already done an “unofficial” proposal a couple of months earlier during our private vacation in Club Paradise Palawan. We had to keep that a secret at first, for reasons known to our friends and family, but now we can finally get to show some of our photos and experiences during that lovely trip.

Club Paradise Palawan is an exclusive 19-hectare private island resort dotted in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. It is a tropical paradise strategically located amid Coron’s magnificent landscapes, tourist attractions, and exhilarating dive sites. We had our romantic vacation here just a few months before the global pandemic shut down everything, so we were happy to find out that Club Paradise Palawan has already reopened its doors just last month. We missed the entire summer season last year, so maybe it’s time to start planning this year’s summer outings.

Our adventure started with an early morning 45-minute flight from Manila to the Busuanga airport in Coron. A shuttle van from Club Paradise was waiting for us right outside the exit gates. Club Paradise Palawan is part of the Discovery Hospitality group of five-star hotels and resorts, including my favorite Discovery Shores Boracay, so I knew that we would be getting the best service available. From the airport, it takes 15 to 20 minutes to get to the dock where a private speedboat will take us to the resort.

The 40-minute boat ride took us through a series of winding rivers until we reached the open seas heading to Dimakya Island. Palawan is a tropical paradise nestled in a UNESCO protected marine ecosystem and is consistently recognized as one of the best islands in the world.

Once we reached the resort, we were led straight to the Clubhouse where we checked in at the front desk. This is also where guests can plan and book their activities or make dining reservations.

Then it was time to head to our rooms. The Sunset Villas are located just a few steps from the Clubhouse and have the best seats to witness Coron’s majestic sunsets. Our Standard Sunset Villa comes with its own private beachfront so we can really experience the island life.

The Standard Villa is a cozy 20 square meters in size which is quite suitable for couples. It has a king-sized bed plus a flat-screen TV, a minibar, coffee and tea making facilities, plus refillable bottled water which is more friendly to the environment.

The bathroom is bright and spacious with all the toiletries and amenities we need. These also come with easy to use refillable pumps as part of the resort’s eco-friendly initiatives.

We also found a little welcome treat inside the room. These small gestures and extra services are what the Discovery Hospitality group is known for and we really appreciate these simple tokens as guests.

Here’s another welcome treat for us, a complimentary 15-minute foot wash upon arrival to soothe our weary feet. You can have this in the room or outside at the villa’s private balcony. Now this is what service is all about!

I could just lay down here in front of the beach and watch the day pass by, but there are lots more places to explore at the resort.

Club Paradise Palawan boasts of its expansive 700-meter pristine beach that is probably the longest in Palawan. What’s great is that we have almost the entire beach for ourselves and it is just a few steps from our villa.

The resort also has a nice infinity pool just beside the clubhouse with its own kiddie pool. We took turns swimming at the beach and at the pool, depending on our mood for the day. You can also find a small fitness center here by the pool.

For those traveling with kids, their Kids Program is geared towards developing the little ones’ love for Mother Earth. Afternoon activities start at 4:00pm daily at the Tree House.

They also have the Glow Spa as their spa and wellness sanctuary for guests. You can choose to have your treatments inside the spa but it is much better to have it here outside near the beach.

It’s almost sunset, so it’s time for Happy Hour at the Shack Bar! You can get your favorite drinks whether you are swimming at the pool or just laying around at the beach.

Another option is the Dugong Bar just outside the Clubhouse which offers an eclectic selection of wines, cocktails, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages. Lounging options abound for those who want to bask in the sun while a number of indoor entertainment is also available including billiards, table tennis, darts and foosball.

But the best place to experience the sunset is right here by the beach with your happy hour drinks in hand. Sunset Soirees offers cocktails like Summer Kiss and Gin Fizz at only P140 per glass. We occupied one of the relaxing beach beds and watched the sunset in this gorgeous resort paradise.

Just before it got completely dark, we witnessed a marvelous display of hundreds and hundreds of fruit bats waking up and flying away from the island. I’m not sure where they are all going, but they say that the bats live here in Dimakya Island and then fly to the neighboring islands to look for food at night.

The next morning, we had our breakfast buffet at the Firefish Restaurant and Lounge. This is the resort’s only dining option and it offers international and homegrown comfort dishes utilizing ingredients from sustainable sources. The restaurant is open daily from 6:00am to 11:00pm.

Our breakfast buffet was included in our room packages so it’s a great way to start each morning. The menu consisted of Filipino breakfasts staples such as tocino, fried bangus, adobo, bacon, champorado, salads, fruits, juices, and more.

The Firefish Lounge sits just beside the restaurant, with its cozy sofas and bar offering a great hangout spot during the afternoons.

Afterwards, we decided to take a stroll around the island and check out the other rooms and villas at the resort. The Sunrise Villas are located at the other side of the beach and gives a more private and secluded ambiance. Other available suites include the bigger OceanView Suites and the Garden Suites which are further away from the beach.

Look what I found! So this is where those fruit bats are hiding. I thought they would be living inside a cave, but they are just here “hanging around” these trees. It’s still morning, so I’m guessing they are all asleep now. But you can hear their squeaks and sounds even from a distance.

So what else is there to do in the island? Anything you want! You can really take your time and relax during your stay at the resort. Wifi is a little bit weak, especially at the beachfront, so there are a lot of other non-digital activities you can do. We borrowed this Exploding Kittens game from the lobby and we had a lot of fun playing it.

Of course, there are times when you really have to check your messages or post something on social media, so that means looking for just the right spot with a stronger signal.

But the best thing about staying in a private resort island would be the beach itself. Aside from taking a dip at our lovely beachfront, there are also a myriad of water activities available such as kayaking, paraw sailing, diving, hiking and island hopping around Coron.

Club Paradise Palawan has its own colorful house reef, which is home to around 550 underwater species and assures an unparalleled snorkeling experience. We scheduled our snorkeling activity at the front desk one afternoon and it was such a beautiful sight. Right off the beach is a sea grass field, an area in which dugongs and turtles like to graze. We didn’t see any dugongs but there were a few giant sea turtles swimming nearby. Beginners are more than welcome to try it because their crew will be happy to assist you during the snorkel. Best of all, this activity is totally free for house guests.

There are also various tour packages to Kayangan Lake, Barracuda Lake, Twin Lagoons and even the Calauit Island Safari Park. But since we wanted to make full use of our three night stay in the island, we decided not to do any other tours that would lessen the time we would spend here. We can do those next time we visit the Coron mainland.

What we opted to do was the complimentary Sunset Tour activity where guests were given a guided sail around the island. Since we were the only guests on the boat that afternoon, it was more like a private tour for us.

There is only one dining option at the resort, so we had our dinners at the Firefish Restaurant. We usually eat a late and heavy breakfast so no need to have lunch anymore. Dinners were often accompanied with live music together with the assortment of a la carte dishes available.

It was already such a memorable vacation, but it seemed that my husband had one big surprise planned for me. This trip actually coincided with our 6th Anniversary as a couple, so we planned to have a special dinner that night. Dexter said that he requested for a private dinner setup at the beach to make the evening more special. This can be accommodated by the restaurant for an additional fee, so I just thought that it was a nice way to celebrate our anniversary.

But it turned out that the surprise was on me because Dexter brought out a bouquet and then bent on one knee as he made his wedding proposal. I was really shocked and surprised because even though we already talked about our plans for the future, I did not except that he would be able to pull off a surprise like this.

Here’s my engagement ring! I wasn’t really prepared for this, or else I would have put on better nail polish! Dexter also got the waiters and staff involved as he apparently assigned the photo and video coverage to them while he was doing the proposal.

After sunset, it was now time to have our anniversary dinner. To celebrate this special evening, we ordered some of their specialties including Steak Frites, Prawn Bisque, Gambas, and glasses of wine to accompany our meal. They also gave us a complimentary dessert cake to complete the set.

Then one more final surprise awaited us when we got back to our room. The turndown service also came with this lovely setup! It was really a magical and romantic vacation highlighted by a most memorable wedding proposal. Unfortunately, we couldn’t really announce the good news to our friends and family just yet, so we had to keep it to ourselves. But that’s okay, because Dexter eventually did a second "official" wedding proposal a few months later, this time with all our closest friends in on the surprise. Nevertheless, our magical experience at Club Paradise Palawan will always remain in our hearts.

Club Paradise Palawan

Dimakya Island, Coron, Northern Palawan, Philippines

(02) 7719-6971 to 73 / (0917) 568-4863

www.clubparadisepalawan.com

www.facebook.com/clubparadisepalawan

[email protected]

#ClubParadisePalawan #ClubParadise #Palawan #Philippines #Resort #Beach #Island #WeddingProposal

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wandashifflett · 4 years ago

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How to Visit Orlando’s Theme Parks and Beyond

Planning a visit to Orlando, the destination on many a bucket list? For some, Orlando is the dream trip of a lifetime, so it can be hard to decide where to begin when planning your agenda. Whether you want to hop from theme park to theme park during your stay or stick to Orlando’s lesser-visited outskirts, check out our guide to visiting Orlando, on and off the parks. Beware that park safety protocols have evolved in light of the pandemic, so expect measures like social distancing, reduced capacity, temperature checks, and mandatory masks.

Stay Somewhere Close to the Park

A fun Orlando vacation starts with picking the right hotel, especially if you’re going for the parks. To maximize your vacation, book a stay in close proximity to the parks. Staying at a Disney-sanctioned hotel that connects to the parks via free shuttle is highly recommended—some even offer a direct connection via buses, boats, the Monorail, or Skyliner gondolas, which is all the more convenient.

Guests of Official Walt Disney World Hotels also get access to Extra Magic Hours, which is extra time outside of normal operating hours at the parks that isn’t available to the general public (either an extra hour in the morning pre-opening or an extra hour after the park closes).

We stayed at the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, which offers the Extra Magic Hours benefit, as well as a free all-day shuttle to all four Walt Disney World parks and Disney Springs. As an official Walt Disney World hotel, Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek also gives guests access to Disney FastPass+ Service up to 60 days before arrival. Some rooms even come with views of the nightly Disney fireworks.

Plus, Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek is connected to Waldorf Astoria Orlando, and guests of each hotel receive access to both sets of amenities, like the restaurants and pools. When your feet are tired from walking the parks, the Hilton’s lazy river will be calling your name.

In and Around the Parks

With traditional parades on temporary hiatus to support physical distancing during the park’s phased reopening, Disney characters will pop up in new and different ways throughout the day. (Kent Phillips/Walt Disney World)

Though Orlando is packed with theme parks and attractions, the main (and most famous) ones are the Walt Disney World parks and the Universal Orlando Resort parks. The four Disney parks are Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios; Universal includes Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios, and Volcano Bay, a water park.

Disney Springs is another attraction—it’s a restaurant and entertainment complex located on Disney property but not within the gates of a theme park, so it’s open to the public. CityWalk, located between Universal Studios and Universal’s Islands of Adventure, is a similar concept.

At Disney Springs, wine lovers will find a “theme park” of their own at Wine Bar George. “We are the only place in North America where you can choose from 160 wines, all available by the glass, bottle, and ounce,” explains George Miliotes, master sommelier and proprietor of Wine Bar George. “When you pair the wine with executive chef Ron Rupert’s menu, I think we have a pretty special experience for guests pairing wine and food together.”

The staff of Wine Bar George consists of certified and introductory sommeliers, and yet the vibe is unpretentious: whether you’re coming in for a frozen wine drink or a flight of the greatest Cabernets in the world, you’re welcomed all the same.

BigFire at CityWalk is another fun spot for dinner; the menu is campfire-inspired and, accordingly, many items come flame-grilled. From steaks to seafood to a round of s’mores you get to cook at your table, everyone can find something to enjoy.

Doing the Parks Right

At Walt Disney World Resort theme parks in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., all guests 2 years of age and older are now required to wear an appropriate face covering at all times, except when eating and drinking while dining. (Matt Stroshane/Walt Disney World)

Having fun at the parks starts by choosing what time of year to go: in the winter, spring, and early summer, you can expect pleasantly warm temperatures, but the heat of mid- to late summer in Florida can be excruciating. Wear a hat, plan shade breaks, and hydrate regularly.

Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom are reopening on July 11; Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios are reopening on July 15. You must book park reservations—even if you’re an annual pass holder. Face coverings are required for visitors ages 2 and up. There will be temperature screenings; anyone with a temperature of 100.4 F and above won’t be allowed to enter—and neither will their accompanying party. In addition, park-hopping is not allowed anymore, and there won’t be fireworks shows or parades.

Visitors to Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando are subject to similar rules.

Ground markings help promote proper physical distancing in lines at Walt Disney World Resort theme parks in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. These markings are one of several new and enhanced health and safety measures in place for the parks’ phased reopening beginning July 11, 2020. (Matt Stroshane/Walt Disney World)

Fast-Pass Options

Across all parks, fast-pass options don’t eliminate lines altogether, but they dramatically cut down on the amount of time you’ll spend in them. The popularity of Orlando’s parks means that millions of people from around the world also want to visit; long wait times are part of the experience, even with fast-pass entry, though current procedures like operating at reduced capacity and implementing socially distant lines may make things easier.

Disney’s FastPass+ allows you to make ride reservations up to 30 days in advance. You can pre-plan up to three FastPass+ experiences for each day of your visit, then use the app to make additional same-day bookings once you arrive at the parks. Universal’s Express Pass works in a similar fashion but with a couple of key differences: it’s a priority boarding lane that typically shaves one-half to two-thirds off the wait time you see displayed at the ride.

If there’s one ride you definitely don’t want to miss on your visit, schedule it in advance using the FastPass+ book-ahead option or find out what you need to do for your best chances of riding.

For example, even now, months after its December 2019 debut, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is impossible to ride without planning ahead. There’s no FastPass+ or standby line, so sauntering up to the entrance and expecting to ride the same-day will end in disappointment. The ride is organized by boarding group via virtual queue, which you join via the My Disney Experience app; when the ride reaches capacity for the day, no new boarding groups are assigned. If you do score a boarding group—which fill up within seconds of park opening time every day—the app will send a push notification when it’s time to return.

The Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit ride at Universal Orlando. The theme park has incorporated social distancing practices, including in lines, attractions, and restaurants. (Courtesy of Universal Orlando)

In Hogsmeade at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, one of the two Wizarding World of Harry Potter parks, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure—which opened June 2019—is in similarly high demand. The ride doesn’t do Express Pass, so if you hope to ride it, you’ll have to just accept the daily two-hour line as a fact of life. The two Harry Potter-themed lands—Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure and Diagon Alley at Universal Studios—are linked via the Hogwarts Express train, as long as you have Park-to-Park admission.

Other rides you won’t want to miss include Avatar Flight of Passage and Na’vi River Journey (similar to It’s a Small World) in Animal Kingdom’s enchanting Pandora: The World of Avatar. Inspired by James Cameron’s 2009 sci-fi sensation “Avatar,” the themed area debuted in 2017. Even years later, Avatar Flight of Passage sees one- to two-hour wait times daily. Another popular ride at Animal Kingdom, Kilimanjaro Safaris, also has a long wait time, but the chance to spot real exotic animals as you enjoy a mini safari experience is hard to pass up.

Expect similar fanfare at other new openings, including Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, the first-ever Mickey-themed ride-through attraction, and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure at Epcot.

Luckily, theme parks are just as much about the food as the rides. If you can’t book a time onto Rise of the Resistance, drown your sorrows in sweet-and-spicy Outpost Mix popcorn from Kat Saka’s Kettle, or blue or green “milk” from the stand around the corner. In the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, people come for the Butterbeer as much as the rides; one sip of this famously frosty, foam-topped butterscotchy beverage and you’ll understand.

Guests at Disney’s Riviera Resort at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., can see Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Daisy Duck during breakfast at Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera, the resort’s rooftop restaurant. During the resort’s phased reopening, characters maintain proper physical distancing while parading through the restaurant during mealtimes. (Matt Stroshane/Walt Disney World)

Another tip: pack very lightly for Universal. Before queueing for most of the rides, you’ll have to store your belongings in a free temporary locker rental outside of the ride; these lockers are extremely inconvenient to get in and out of and also very small, so only bring the bare minimum with you. The rent-and-stow process takes a lot of time, so if you can get away with only having a small wallet and phone with you, that would be best, although some rides will make you take all items out of your pockets, even your phone.

There are also some water rides at Universal, so pack accordingly (or just double-check that you won’t get wet on your ride before boarding, if you don’t wish to).

And, of course, for any theme park, wearing sneakers or walking shoes is a non-negotiable.

Off the Parks

If the chaos, crowds, and long lines that come part and parcel with theme parks don’t appeal to you, I don’t blame you. Fortunately, Orlando has a lot to offer outside the parks, too. It might be hard to fathom doing anything other than visiting theme parks in a city considered the Theme Park Capital of the World, but missing Orlando’s off-park attractions is missing out on some of its best.

For starters, head to East End Market, a food hall stocked with 11 different vendors—all local and independently owned. You can score everything from famous, monstrously large Gideon’s Bakehouse cookies to juice, grilled cheese, and Florida-inspired apparel.

However, the true highlight is Domu, a restaurant attached to East End Market. The food is worth a trip in itself, but be advised that they don’t take reservations (and always fill up). Your best bet is to be there when they open and get on the list; you can browse East End Market for a bit or enjoy a drink at the bar. When a restaurant can make even non-bone broth vegan ramen drink-to-the-last-drop-able, you know it’s good. Order the crispy quinoa shishito peppers, the Cheezus, the famous wings, and the soft-serve of the day (if you get lucky, it’ll be ube).

The West Orange trail. (Skye Sherman)

Another fun food hall-style spot in the greater Orlando region is Plant Street Market, where onsite Crooked Can Brewery is a locals’ haunt. Located in Winter Garden, a small town in Orlando’s outskirts similar to charming Winter Park, Plant Street Market sits directly on the scenic West Orange Trail, a walking and biking route that showcases some of the best of central Florida’s natural world. Rent a bicycle from Bikes and Blades and pedal the five miles to Plant Street Market through canopies of live oaks draped in Spanish moss for a perfectly enjoyable activity with no lines or crowds.

Want to stick closer to the action in Orlando but still get the benefits of an off-park experience? Bottomless brunch at Mia’s Italian Kitchen, located just off of International Drive, was an unexpected find: it costs $26 to order all the food you want, including access to a DIY waffle bar, bruschetta bar, Bloody Mary bar, and mimosa bar.

Skye Sherman is a freelance travel writer based in West Palm Beach, Fla. She covers news, transit, and international destinations for a variety of outlets. You can follow her adventures on Instagram and Twitter @skyesherman

The author’s trip was assisted by Visit Orlando.

from Rayfield Review News https://therayfield.com/how-to-visit-orlandos-theme-parks-and-beyond from The Ray Field https://therayfieldreview.tumblr.com/post/623404736897581056

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therayfieldreview · 4 years ago

Text

How to Visit Orlando’s Theme Parks and Beyond

Stay Somewhere Close to the Park

In and Around the Parks

Doing the Parks Right

Visitors to Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando are subject to similar rules.

Fast-Pass Options

If there’s one ride you definitely don’t want to miss on your visit, schedule it in advance using the FastPass+ book-ahead option or find out what you need to do for your best chances of riding.

The Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit ride at Universal Orlando. The theme park has incorporated social distancing practices, including in lines, attractions, and restaurants. (Courtesy of Universal Orlando)

Expect similar fanfare at other new openings, including Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, the first-ever Mickey-themed ride-through attraction, and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure at Epcot.

There are also some water rides at Universal, so pack accordingly (or just double-check that you won’t get wet on your ride before boarding, if you don’t wish to).

And, of course, for any theme park, wearing sneakers or walking shoes is a non-negotiable.

Off the Parks

The West Orange trail. (Skye Sherman)

The author’s trip was assisted by Visit Orlando.

from Rayfield Review News https://therayfield.com/how-to-visit-orlandos-theme-parks-and-beyond

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mike-ladge · 5 years ago

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Mike Ladge | Michael Ladge | Open Up Water Swimming - For Beginners

I learned to swim in a lake where my household lived, in north Wisconsin. My brother or sisters and I educated summer season exercises in open water since the nearby pool was a half an hour drive and also our garden was more convenient. As a result of this immersion, it did not appear strange when I contended in my very first open water race in Seal Beach, The Golden State, in my late twenties. Open water swimming has been a never ending experience. Several of my preferred memories are from swims; leaving from Catalina Island for the California landmass at 1 am on a windless moonlight night, seeing the phosphorescence glow as my arm pulled via the water as well as fish rushed below; swimming in tandem with my husband, Dave, silhouetted against the attractive blue Caribbean water off the coast of St. Lucia. Various other memories consist of the sense of anxiety before beginning a 42 kilometer race in Newport Vermont, which heads north up Lake Memphremagog towards Canada and a 'foggy' memory (as a result of moderate hypothermia) of completing in Calais, France after going across the English Network. There was likewise the enjoyment of overcoming difficult cool conditions or huge waves and also cut, swimming as well as ending up races despite mother earth' indifference to my predicament.

There is a flexibility and obstacle swimming in open water which just can't be experienced in the swimming pool. Are you ready?

Exactly how to start?

OK, swimming in open water is your goal, where do you begin? I will certainly presume that you currently know exactly how to swim. If not, take some lessons, sign up with a YMCA or a masters swimming team and also learn the crawlstroke/freestyle.

Mike Ladge

There are a few things that you can do in the pool to plan for swimming in open water; bilateral breathing, head lifting and also stroke rate training.

First off, breathing on both sides, or reciprocal breathing, is a must. (I can listen to the moans!!!) Let's see if you are physically capable. Stand up and also turn the top half of your body to the right and then to the left. After that turn your head to the right and also left. SCHEZAM!!! You can learn to breathe to both sides. Why is this necessary? Picture or carry out the adhering to experiment. Locate an open space about 400 backyards long. Select a target as well as try to stroll straight in the direction of it OTHER THAN close your eyes and also transform your head, aiming to the appropriate every 2 actions. Creep an appearance onward every 10 actions. Vision in the water will be much more restricted than this because you may or might not be able to see onward depending upon wave problems, fog in your goggles or glow from the sun showing off of the water. This is also assuming stringent concentration upon straight line swimming - not envisioning that shadows are sharks and weeds are snakes- which will certainly improve with practice.

Breathing on both sides completes 2 major objectives. It often tends to "even out" your stroke to ensure that you will naturally swim straighter. Ha, ha, you currently KNOW exactly how to swim straight, right? However that remains in the swimming pool. Consider the available signs, lane lines on the side as well as a black line under to guide your development. Open up water is much different. Along with the lack of aesthetic signs readily available in the swimming pool, the water is chillier, there might be some waves as well as the 'swimming pool length' can be as long as a mile!

The 2nd advantage to bilateral breathing is that it will enable you to see to the right as well as left. When swimming in the ocean, the normal training course goes across down and back along the beach. If you just take a breath away, fifty percent of your race will have NO noticeable signs toward the shore. Seeing the shoreline is incredibly handy for straight swimming in the sea.

Other advantages consist of being able to breath away from oncoming waves or fumes from boats throughout escorted swims.

One more skill to practice in the pool is raising your head to see onward while swimming. The easiest means is to raise your head ahead prior to breathing to the side. I make use of the forward activity to look and then take a breath sideways. Breathing head ahead is not recommended considering that it requires too much power to lift the head high sufficient for a breath and will certainly trigger slower swimming. Swim direct freestyle in the swimming pool and see exactly how challenging it is compared with head down swimming.

Attempt to get comfortable with this peek onward in the pool where it is fairly tranquil. It will certainly be more difficult in open water, specifically in the ocean.

Exactly how usually is it needed to look onward? That depends upon your straight line swimming capability paired with and also program problems. Ideally, the much less head training, the much better, but swimming off course is additionally not helpful. At first, attempt only looking forward every 10 strokes (each arm counts as one).

Temperatures in open water are normally chillier as well as might call for a quicker stroke rate, -just how much time it takes to finish your arm pull-. In open water, stroke rate is determined by counting as soon as for each arm as it starts drawing through the water.

Michael Ladge

The rate is figured out by counting each arm stroke for one min (or counting for 30 seconds as well as increasing by 2, or counting for 15 seconds as well as increasing by 4). The most effective open water swimmers worldwide have stroke rates in between 70 as well as 90 strokes per min, with women normally on the higher end of that range. A much faster stroke rate will certainly help in keeping a swimmer warmer in cold water. Have a pal time your price in the pool. If it is under 60, you may intend to work on increasing it to much better handle colder temperature levels.

Do not obtain distressed if enhancing your stroke price is hard. Individuals usually do not have a day-to-day activity where their arm muscular tissues work out 'aerobically'. Swimmers create "aerobic arms" with years of training. A runner's aerobic capacity may not instantly move to the pool where the arms are the main electric motor rather than the legs. Also, I can swim conveniently at 80 strokes per minutes after years of training, yet look out if I'm out running; my labored breathing can be heard miles away.

I have another recommendation with which some coaches may disagree; customizing the stroke recovery. The 'recuperation' is how a swimmer brings the arm out of the water as well as back to the front after completing a stroke. Often times coaches instruct swimmers to dramatically bend their elbow throughout the healing. This generally brings the hand close to the surface of the water. This sort of recuperation may not function as well in waves. A majority of open water marathon swimmers make use of a straight arm recuperation rather than a bent elbow joint recuperation. I believe a straight arm recovery works much better in waves as well as likewise helps in reducing pressure on the shoulder. The pectoral muscles work more to recuperate the arm when it is right while the shoulder and potter's wheel cuff muscle mass function more to recoup the arm when it is bent at the joint. Try out your recuperation and also see what jobs best for you, curved, right, or somewhere in between. All kinds have been made use of by fast swimmers and also globe document owners; Janet Evans being a prime example.

Equipment

The essentials, cap fit and goggles coincide with some tiny variants. A thicker cap (constructed from silicon as opposed to latex) might be more effective to keep the head warmer. Occasionally a swimming cap does not remain on effectively as well as continuously slips. This can be very bothersome throughout a race. Try putting on a new cap which isn't stretched out. One more pointer, avoid hair conditioner for a number of days before a race. Conditioner makes the hair slippery as well as aids the cap slide. If the water and also air are hot, and also your hair short, a cap may not be necessary. Tinted goggles which reflect the sunlight and lower glow can additionally be valuable, yet they are not a requirement.

An unique swimsuit is not essential although chaffing is a consideration when choosing your clothes. Scrub marks on the skin from the fit and body components can happen and also are most likely in salt water. The even more salt, the much more scrubs. When I swam the12 mile race about Trick West, the water was so salted that all of the seams of my fit produces rub marks which was very uncommon. Scrub locations include the armpit, inner thighs, neck as well as bust line. Ladies have much more trouble due to their fits at the neck and also breast line near the armpit. Guy can have trouble where their beard or whiskers scrub versus their neck as well as arms. Vasoline, lanolin, bag balm or other grease can be utilized to avoid chafe marks. For newbies, apply grease in the armpit, neck and inner upper leg. If scrubs are mosting likely to occur in various other areas, you'll figure out 'where' after a few training swims. Some swimmers utilize gloves, a dustcloth or even a stick off the beach to use oil without obtaining it on their hands. Oil on the hands can easily hop on the safety glasses and odd your vision. If you are wearing a match which whizs up the back, the zipper at the top frequently rubs the skin. Embroidery a tiny piece of felt or chamois cloth in between the zipper closure and skin will certainly prevent chaffing.

Likewise, do not fail to remember sunscreen if you are out during peak sunlight hours. Experiment and also discover what works best for your skin. Water-proof does not necessarily imply that the block will help hrs on end. If you are intending a lengthy training swim, try to begin early in the early morning prior to the sunlight's rays reach their top.

Initially open water foray.

Since you have actually exercised a couple of skills, you are ready for your very first open water swim. Your place will certainly determine which sites are readily available. Be smart for your very first beginning. If it is raining and also cool with 20 mile per hr winds, place your swim off to one more day.

Research the website where you plan to swim. Safety and security must always be your very first concern. Are there lifeguards at work? If yes, allow them recognize your swim strategies; instructions, time and/or range. If not, do not swim alone. Have someone kayak, paddle, swim or walk the shore along your side. Try to remain near to shore in water deepness where you can stand unless the ocean browse dictates otherwise. Discover the water temperature so you will have a much better idea what to anticipate. Are there threats such as rip currents in the location? What water creatures could be run into? Talk with the lifeguards or various other local swimmers so as to get details regarding the website.

Have a retreat strategy from your swim if the weather or your body deviates for the worse. This is very easy during a shoreline beach swim, just venture out as well as walk back to the beginning.

Getting In

Take a minute prior to entering the water to look and also see what's available for spots to assist evaluate your place throughout your swim. The sun is the simplest spots to make use of if it is low in the sky. If you are swimming a straight training course and also the sunlight is straight to your left while breathing, seeing it will help evaluate your position. If it instantly shows up in front, you're off program as well as need to adjust.

The sea or lake shoreline is another excellent site that can be seen on each breath (assuming bilateral breathing belongs to your repertoire) as well as are easy to make use of when swimming an 'out and also back' course along the shore.

In a lake, there might be a huge tree sticking up above the perspective or a brilliantly colored residence across the lake which can be made use of to keep goal; finally, a reason to be grateful for a house owner's brilliant pink paint option. Try to use sites which are tall or high over the perspective rather than those near to the water degree. If a landmark is low, it may be hard to see if there are waves or swell. Look for tall buildings, water towers or church steeples. While swimming at open water camp in Mooselookmeguntic Lake in Maine -yes, that is the actual name of the lake- mountains in the location given outstanding spots.

Swimmers have a stating, "The worst component of exercise is entering the pool." Entering into open water isn't any easier. Is far better to enter slowly and adapt to the temperature level or enter swiftly? Attempt both as well as see which is more suitable, either serves with one caution. If the air temperature is cold, a lot of temperature can be lost while "entering" if it takes a number of minutes. Better to get in quickly and shed much less temperature than gradually and also obtain chilled before starting. If the water is cold but the air is cozy, and sun is beaming, it's OK to take longer entering since your body's not shedding heat.

Lots of open water athletes swim for time as opposed to distance for their training. While seeing your watch, time might look like it is DRAGGING! This is rather usual. 5 mins appears like twenty. Don't stress; your 'time feeling' will improve with even more open water method. Getting used to swimming for long periods without turns, takes some time.

Relax and try to enjoy your initial open water experience. Sign in after the initial couple of mins, and also ask yourself, "Am I kicked back?" If the response is 'no', concentrate on relaxing your muscle mass and also see if that aids your comfort level boost. The mind is your company throughout open water swims, and its vital to keep the "little voice" (often it's screaming) in your head resembling a positive message. Try to maintain the 'negative' thoughts (this has an odor!) to a minimum. Occasionally it's valuable to shout out unfavorable ideas, "This water is ICING UP" or "These waves are dreadful!", and also get them out of your system.

#Mike Ladge #Michael Ladge

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tripstations · 5 years ago

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Secret Europe escapes: where locals go on holiday | Travel

Portugal: Ribatejo

Silvia Bastos, 46, from Lisbon

Every year we spend two weeks in our house in Ribatejo province, in a village called Moreiras Grandes, 12km south-west of the town of Tomar, central Portugal. The house belonged to my great-grandmother and I went there every summer as a child. Now I want my own children, aged 12 and nine, to have a connection to the land. We plant trees, pick grapes from our vines. They have a freedom there that they don’t have in the city.

Very few foreign visitors make it here and most Portuguese prefer to go to the beach, so it is very quiet. It’s much greener than the Alentejo, to the south – people sometimes call Ribatejo the Tuscany of Portugal – and it’s also cooler than the south. The nights are usually fresh. When we bring friends here they can’t believe how beautiful it is.

Silvia Bastos and family on holiday

One of the best things to do is spend the day by the Zêzere River or Castelo do Bode, a 66km-long lake formed in the 1950s when the river was dammed. In the past few years the lake has become more geared up for tourism and now there are places offering water sports, such as wake boarding at Lago Azul in the town of Ferreria do Zêzere.

An unexpected attraction is the famed dinosaur footprints at Pedreira do Galinha, 20km west of Tomar, discovered in 1994.

Tomar itself is beautiful, with one of the best monuments in the country – the vast, Unesco-listed Convent of Christ, originally a 12th-century Templar stronghold. It’s surrounded by castle walls and its various cloisters were built over several centuries, in different architectural styles.

We usually eat at home because we have planted so many fruit trees and plants, as well as vines, and it’s great to eat – and drink – what we grow, but in Tomar there’s a fun medieval-themed restaurant, Taverna Antiqua, that serves traditional dishes, like boar with wild berries. Grelha do Zêzere in Ferreria do Zêzere is also great – it serves regional cuisine, especially grilled meat.

Tomar and the river are jewels of Portugal, yet few people explore them.

• Stay at Quinta da Anunciada (doubles €65-90), a historic country house with pool, 2km from Tomar Interview by Isabel Choat

Czech Republic: Orlické mountains

Ondřej Vach, 36, from Prague

Jana and daughter near Pastivny Dam

I spent my childhood holidays at my grandfather’s cottage in the Orlické mountains, and though I have always lived in Prague, it’s the place I consider my true home.

The region, about a two-hour drive east of the capital, is attractive yet very humble, full of forests, cycle paths and nature reserves – and completely under the radar. There are no big hotels or expensive restaurants; it’s a peripheral tourist area where Czechs walk or have fun in the wild river – and that’s why I like it.

I have been returning there with my wife, Jana, since I met her in 2012, and now that we have two small daughters – Janička, aged three, and Klárka, three months – we head there for our family holiday each summer.

The iconic symbol of Orlické is undoubtedly Masaryk’s Chalet (Masarykova chata na Šerlicku), a three-storey green cottage built in the mid-1920s in honour of the first president of Czechoslovakia, Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk. During the second world war it was seized and used as a place of recovery for injured Nazi pilots, then the communists occupied it until after the revolution in 1989. It’s a fascinating site to walk to, with peaceful, unspoiled nature all around – and you can stay in lodge-style rooms for a good price, too (€14pp with breakfast).

Pastviny Dam. Photograph: Alamy

The Pastviny Dam (Vodní nádrž Pastviny), on the Divoká Orlice river, is another great place to visit, especially with kids. It’s 6km long, and is the last stone-made dam in the Czech Republic. It’s incredibly beautiful. My grandpa’s cottage was in this valley, it’s where I learned to swim. You can hire rowing or pedal boats, or just splash around in the clear water.

A good base for exploring the region, and where we usually stay, is Žamberk, known as the gateway to the Orlické mountains. It’s a modest but pretty town with a rural atmosphere.

There are two great restaurants – Imrvere, a very typical Czech restaurant, which does excellent roast duck with dumplings, and Kanec, which is also the local brewery pub. The name means wild boar, and I often head there for their strong, unfiltered lager and a plate of utopenec (pickled sausage).

Oh, and do you know the British band Reef? Singer Gary Stringer and bassist Jack Bessant played at Žamberk’s JamRock festival a few years ago and were so impressed by the area they wrote a song called Road to Žamberk – then came back and played the festival for free the following year! Interview by Mark Pickering

Denmark: Helgenæs peninsula, Jutland

Esben Thorup, 37, from Copenhagen

Old houses on a cobbled street in Ebeltoft. Photograph: Alamy

Like many Danes, my grandfather bought a plot of land in the 1950s to build a summerhouse on. The Helgenæs peninsula is pretty rural – it’s known locally as the “snot drip” of Jutland (there’s a bump on the east coast that looks a little like a nose). It’s so off the beaten track that most Danes have never even heard of it. There are lots of fields around and it’s surprisingly hilly for Denmark. Some say it looks a little like Scotland.

The house was built with two tiny bedrooms, one for my grandfather and grandmother and the other for my dad and my uncle to share, as well as a kitchen, a living room and a toilet. That was it – no bath, you just washed in the sea, 100 metres away. Because it’s on the east coast, the water is calm and it’s great for swimming. When I was small my family would spend three weeks here every summer. We swam, ate strawberries and ice-cream and the sun was always shining – at least that’s how I remember it. It isn’t fancy (although we did install an indoor shower in the 1990s) but I love it – my wife and I even got married here.

We drive over from Copenhagen every summer with our three kids – aged one, four and seven – to spend time with my parents, my brothers and their families, and my uncle’s family. My dad built another small house on the same plot to fit everyone in, but there’s usually still someone sleeping on the sofa or the floor.

Esben Thorup and son in Jutland

Not a lot goes on here – but that’s part of the attraction. To get to the house you have to go down an overgrown track, and there’s hardly any phone signal. We spend our time swimming, talking, walking and barbecuing. There are a few local artists – potters and painters mainly – who sell work from their houses. You can go windsurfing and there’s even an annual surf festival. There’s also fishing, kitesurfing and paragliding – the steep slopes leading to the beach give great uplift for catching the wind.

If we’re ever in need of fancier attractions, we go to Ebletoft, an old port town 30 minutes’ drive away with a population of around 7,000 (this is “the big town”). There are a few visitor sites there, such as the glass museum, Glasmuseet Ebeltoft and Fregatten Jylland, which houses the world’s longest wooden ship. It’s also nice to just stroll around Ebeltoft’s old streets; sometimes we’ll get some craft beer from Ebeltoft brewery – they do a nice IPA.

We eat pretty simply when at the summerhouse – we might pick up some salad leaves, new potatoes or fruit grown from the produce stands with honesty boxes dotted along the roads. And there’s a small fishing hut at the top of the peninsula where a fisherman and his son smoke fish and sell great seafood.

I wish I could tell you what it was called and how to get hold of them, but the hut doesn’t even have a name, let alone a website. Just thinking about it brings back fond memories for me. Helgenæs is a special place that’s tightly bound to my family. It feels like “home”.

• Sol Og Strand (sologstrand.com) has a selection of holiday homes in Helgennæs, starting at €302 a week in high season for a wooden cabin sleeping four Interview by Helen Russell

Croatia: Premantura, Istria

Daniel Dragojlović, 35, from Zagreb

Aerial view of Cape Kamenjak. Photograph: Sebastian Rothe/Alamy

At the end of the war in Croatia in 1995, my grandmother bought an old stone house in the village of Premantura, south of Pula. It was a safe area for my twin brother Davor and me to go, because it hadn’t been affected by the war. A cousin of ours had bought a piece of land nearby and said, ��Oh, you have to come and see this little town. It’s magical.”

What’s so special about this peninsula, Kamenjak, is that there is untouched nature and untouched beautiful beaches. It’s the only part of Istria that has a proper Mediterranean climate – completely different from anything else.

At the far end of the peninsula are 10 to and 15-metre-high cliffs that you can jump off. There are also caves, a lighthouse and, apparently, dinosaur footprints. When we were kids we found it fascinating. It still feels magical. You take your bike or walk, to find spots where you can be on your own and not see anyone.

Daniel Dragojlovic with twin brother Davor, friend Ivana and her son in Istria

A favourite beach is Velika Kolombarica, whose cliffs are often featured in Croatian tourism ads. Just above it is the Safari Bar, which has a great story. This Croatian guy who used to work in Switzerland decided to live like Robinson Crusoe, so he made this bar out of practically nothing, just materials he found on the peninsula, or in the sea. We walk down to Kolombarica, jump off the cliff, go to a cave, and then go back to the bar for a drink.

We usually cook at home but sometimes we’ll go inland to villages that do truffles and homemade pasta. Istria is the land of truffles. In Banjole, up the coast towards Pula, there’s a restaurant called Batelina where the chef creates dishes using types of fish and seafood that fishermen would normally throw away. It also does amazing pasta and bottarga (cured fish roe).

Most of the accommodation in Premantura is private apartments and villas, but the recently opened Premantura Resort has a pool and doubles from €85-€175 B&B.

We come to Premantura every August with my parents and grandmother, and we still have friends we met here when we were young kids. Some of them live in Zagreb, some in other cities in Europe, but they all have houses in Premantura and now return every year with their own families. So these connections are still going strong. Interview by Mary Novakovich

Hungary: Nyíregyháza-Sóstófürdő

Gréta Klibán, 38, from Budapest

Sóstó Lake, Hungary Photograph: Valentyna Gupalo/Getty Images

Péter and I have been together for 10 years, and for almost all that time we have spent part of our summers in Nyíregyháza-Sóstófürdő, eastern Hungary, a 2½-hour drive from Budapest. It is 60km from Debrecen, where Péter grew up, so the area is especially nostalgic for him. We are fortunate to have a house here, built by Péter’s grandparents, which gives us a deep connection to the land. Though these days, even friends from Luxembourg and Belgium join us here because they love the relaxed vibe.

The centrepiece is Sóstó Lake, which is surrounded by an oak forest for nice long walks. People come to bathe and run around the track. We like to take a paddle boat out on the water.

Gréta Klibán and family in Nyíregyháza-Sóstófürdő

Our six-year-old daughter and four-year-old son are fans of the Aquarius Experience and Park Bath, which has a wave pool, slides and thermal waters. They also like the massive Nyíregyháza Zoo, where they always head to the Oceanarium first.

Tourism has really started to blossom here in recent years, and now there are lovely homes to rent and charming hotels to stay in, like Aventinus (doubles from £58). The upscale Hunguest Hotel Sóstó is opening this summer, and we are excited about checking it out. A bridge will connect it directly to Aquarius.

Every day, the kids crave ice-cream, usually from the atmospheric Omnia gelateria at the bottom of an old water tower. We sometimes eat at Colorado Steakhouse, which has a kitsch American wild west feel, with lots of wood.

For something lighter than steak and pulled pork, we’ll eat alfresco at Italian restaurant La Terrazza, which has magical views of the lake. Afterwards, if we are lucky, there will be live music at Krúdy Vigadó. This beautiful terrace is where everybody comes together to chat, drink, and savour summer evenings. Interview by Alia Akkam

Spain: Guimerà, Catalonia

Elisa Minguella, 43, from Barcelona

Ruined Vallsanta Convent, near Guimerà. Photograph: Lux Populi/Getty Images

Every August, I go with my husband and two daughters to Guimerà, a tiny medieval village on a hillside in a quiet, rural part of Catalonia. It’s only 130km west of Barcelona but it feels a world away from the city and the crowded beach resorts.

I’ve been coming to Guimerà for as long as I can remember. My great-grandfather was the mayor there, and my father was born in the house where we stay each summer. In the winter only a couple of hundred people live there but in the summer it’s full of families, almost all of them with a connection to the village going back generations.

Elisa Minguella and family. Photograph: Annette Pacey

When I was a child, I would spend the entire school summer holidays in Guimerà with my brothers and my grandmother. I had complete freedom to stay out all day with my friends, and I encourage my girls to do the same now. They love the novelty of going to the bakery on their own to buy bread.

In August, my whole family gathers in the village: my parents, my two brothers, uncles and my cousins with their families. It can get pretty crowded in the house, Cal Belleta. Every house in the village has a name and that’s how we know which extended family people belong to. People ask: “De quina casa ets?” (Which house are you from?)

There aren’t any hotels in Guimerà but it’s possible to rent a large house for far less than it would cost in more touristy places. Cal Caig (sleeps 11, on airbnb.com) for €120 a night; and Ca l’Anxica (sleeps 12) with a private pool is €1,650 a night or €590 for a weekend.

The best way to discover the local countryside is on foot via one of the many walking trails. My favourite goes along the river Corb, passing the ruins of Convent de Vallsanta. There are also many places in the area to enjoy traditional Catalan food – we go to Cal Feliuet in nearby Belltall, where we always order snails.

The day out we love the most is at the medieval market of Guimerà, which is held on the second weekend of August (10-11 Aug 2019). Everyone from the village dresses up in medieval costumes and each street is dedicated to a traditional trade, such as glassmaking. At night we put on a play based on a story from the history of the village, followed by fireworks from the tower. For me, the best part of the event is the way everybody comes together to make it happen. It’s that sense of community that will keep us coming back to Guimerà. Interview by Annette Pacey

Italy: Capo Circeo, Lazio

Federica Cannone, 42, from Rome

Stabilimento Saporetti, near San Felice Circeo

My father has a house in Borgo Montenero, a small village 100km south of Rome in a pine wood surrounded by fields of watermelons and strawberries. The place is super quiet but there’s a farmers’ market every weekend, an excellent little pizzeria called La Pizza in Piazza, and a grocery store and post office.

The charming coastal town of San Felice Circeo is 10 minutes’ drive away, home to Spiaggia Capo Circeo beach, a sandy strip of stabilimenti balneari (quintessentially Italian beach clubs with rows of sunbeds and umbrellas). It gets fully booked in August, often by families who have been going for generations, so my husband and I go round the headland to Saporetti beach, right by Monte Circeo. Its restaurant, Ristorante Saporetti, is on the beach: I always go for the salad niçoise and, in the evening, fantastic (if a tad pricey) fish dishes. We like coming here because we know pretty much everyone now, from other families to the lifeguard, Carmelo, who’s been there for decades, and the owners of the stabilimento.

Federerica’s children, Giulia and Francesco, at Cape Circeo

The area is relatively unknown to foreign visitors, who tend to head further south to the Amalfi coast or stay much closer to Rome, in Ostia. It’s a shame: Circeo is super-easy to get to (you can be here in just over 1½ hours from Rome) and it really has some beautiful beaches and pristine water – the area has been awarded a blue flag for the past three years.

There are plenty of places to stay: lots of agriturismi or B&Bs. One of my favourites is Podere Bedin (doubles €75-110); the owners are friendly and the restaurant uses local products.

The area is part of Circeo national park, which runs along the coast of Lazio, spanning forests, marshes, sand dunes, Lake Paola, the island of Zannone and stunning sand dunes. The Istituto Pangea Onlus offers trails and trekking excursions as part of its eco-educational programme, and there’s also cave diving, lots of cycling routes, and kayaking. Water Life, a company owned by local B&B Proprietá Scalfati, (doubles from €140) is our go-to for kayaking trips. You can also get to Ponza, the largest island in the Pontine archipelago, in just an hour from the port of San Felice Circeo (boats depart everyday at around 10am).

Circeo’s food and drink are also a big draw. We always go to Cantina Sant’Andrea, not far from Borgo Montenero, where you can fill your own wine bottle straight from huge casks. Aperitivos are cheap and well-done pretty much anywhere you go. We usually go to Saporetti’s St Bar for an aperol spritz at sunset, and we really like Tiki and La Terrazza, too – both in the old town of San Felice Circeo.

If we aren’t eating at home, we tend to go to Il Grottino, which has branches in the old town and the port. It’s the nicest trattoria, and their linguine all’astice – with white wine, parsley, tomatoes, garlic and astice (small lobster) – is phenomenal. Locanda degli Artisti is quite popular too, and more experimental – they do things like ravioli cacio e pepe with black truffle and seafood; prawn tartare with pine nuts and orange reduction; and scallops on a mousse of mushrooms and sundried tomatoes. And Ristorante Antico Molino, by our house, specialises in buffalo meat and mozzarella. Interview by Marianna Cerini

The Netherlands: South Limburg

Majella van der Horst, 44, from Haarlem

Restaurants in the old town of Valkenburg aan de Geul. Photograph: Chris Mueller/Getty Images

Whenever we ask our children (aged 11, seven and six) where they want to go on holiday, they always say, “We want to go to Oma’s campsite,” meaning Camping ’t Geuldal, a friendly campsite surrounded by fields and woods in hilly South Limburg, where their grandmother spends six months of the year in her caravan, and where my husband holidayed as a child in the 1960s. We live in Haarlem, near Amsterdam, and compared with the city, the beautiful Geuldal region is quiet and green. You can swim in the Geul River, cycle and take long walks.

Majella’s daughter, Febe, tobogganing with dad Ronald

For a fun outing, we go to the town of Valkenburg, which has caves and the ruins of a 12th-century castle. There’s also a chair lift from the valley station, just south of the town centre, up to a summer toboggan centre where you can rocket back down the hill through a metal half-pipe on a sort of sledge on wheels. Our kids love getting a milkshake and a slice of Limburgse vlaai (fruit tart) at Cup & Vino in the town’s historic centre, or having a pizza at La Casa, whose fries are served with the best mayo we’ve tasted (they refuse to share the recipe).

Most of our time, however, is spent on the campsite. We’ve stayed there five years in a row, sometimes for up to six weeks, first in a rented chalet and now in our own caravan. All our stuff is there, so I just pack some clothes and off we go. The kids can be totally free and play outside all day or take part in on-site activities such as ball games, a mini-disco or caring for animals at the petting zoo. If the children are happy, we can relax too. I read, lie in the sun and work a bit on my laptop. As long as the kids still love it there, we’ll keep on coming.

• Camping ’t Geuldal is 10km from Maastricht; tent or motorhome pitches in high season €17-22 plus €3-4pp. Holiday homes around €600 a week high season, based on four sharing Interview by Deborah Nicholls-Lee

France: Finistère, Brittany

Nicolas Tanguy, 50, from Nice

The Glénan islands, off the coast of Finistère. Photograph: Mathieu Rivrin/Getty Images

I was born in Finistère, the westernmost tip of mainland France, and loved telling people where I came from as it means the fin de terre – the end of the Earth! When I was a teenager I used to go cycling around on my own or meet my friends and we would explore the Odet river, riding past the giant blue and pink hydrangeas and on to Sainte-Marine, a tiny port on the opposite side of the estuary from Bénodet, which has since become a notable yachting centre.

I left the end of the Earth to study and work in Paris, where I met my wife, who is Australian, and we’ve travelled all over the place. Now we live in Nice, south-east France, and for 15 years I never thought about going back to Brittany, but then a few years ago my wife wanted to see where I was brought up. We went back to Sainte-Marine, sat under the giant white parasols of the Café de la Cale on the waterfront and took le bac (the ferryboat) across to Bénodet for an ice-cream at Bankiz. It was just magical, so now we go back regularly.

Nicolas Tanguy and pal on his bike in Brittany

It’s all about the simple pleasures. We always have the blé noir (buckwheat) crêpe: a complète (ham, eggs and cheese) or a caramel au beurre salé from La Misaine. If we want seafood, we have a plate of langoustines – Sainte-Marine is the French capital of langoustines, which locals affectionately call demoiselles (maidens). The day’s catch still comes in at 4pm, heralded by squawking seagulls, so we always go down to see what the côtiers (small fishing boats) have brought in. There’s a tiny, sandy beach there too.

The bilingual French-Breton street signs make it feel very local and distinctive. The stone houses have slate roofs and the ambiance is part-riverbank, part-seaside. Towards the ocean and sand dunes, there are lots of protected natural areas, where very little building is allowed.

On our last trip we put our dog in the bicycle basket and went riding behind the dunes to the places I used to go to as a boy. You can cycle to Île-Tudy on the opposite headland, which has a huge white sand beach. Much further west (you need a car) is La Torche, which is famous for its tulips and for holding the world windsurfing championships (it’s one of the best windsurf spots in France).

Sainte-Marine has a fantastic hotel, the Villa Tri Men (doubles from €97-265 room-only,) so this year, for my birthday – a big one – we ate in the restaurant there, Les Trois Rochers, and next morning took the boat out to the beautiful Glénan islands from Bénodet (adult return €36).

The whole area is perfect for puttering round in a boat. I’m even thinking about taking my boat licence! Interview by Jon Bryant

Germany: Lychen, Uckermark

Bert Schulz, 45, from Berlin

Family boating on an Uckermark lake. Photograph: Alamy

This summer will be the fourth year in a row that our family – my wife Claudia and my two daughters Rosa (nine) and Tilda (seven) – will spend our summer holiday in a beautiful place called Lychen, in the rural Uckermark region. It’s little more than an hour’s journey north of Berlin but feels like a world away. Unlike much of the rest of mostly flat Brandenburg state, it is quite hilly. Getting there from Berlin is very easy – we don’t have a car so we take a train to Fürstenberg (one hour) and then ride our bikes 15km to Lychen.

Bert Schulz and family

Every year we book one of two rental flats in a converted farmhouse called Hof Georgenhoehe (from €52-82 a night for two plus €9-13 each additional peron) a little outside the town.

One apartment used to be pigsty and the other was a stable. The place we rent has two bedrooms, and a terrace looking out over the countryside that is lovely to sit on in the summer.

The place still has a few farm animals (pigs, a couple of old Highland cows, chickens and a small flock of sheep) but these days they are kept as pets. In the morning the first thing the kids do is go and collect eggs from the chickens, then they’ll feed the pigs, visit the farm cats and so on – it is a great way for children from the city to learn more about animals.

We often go for a run in the mornings and there are several lakes nearby to swim in – our favourites are Wurlsee, which is walking distance from the farmhouse, and we can cycle to Grosser Lychensee and Rutenberger See.

In the town of Lychen (population 3,000) there are a couple of decent German restaurants (Gasthof am Stadttor is our favourite) and bars (the Stadtkrug and the Gaststätte zum Dicken) if we don’t feel like cooking.

A bit further away is a very good Japanese-style restaurant called Tenzo Gasthof, run by people who quit Berlin for life in the countryside.

With kids this age, cycling is definitely the best way for us to enjoy the region, but others explore it by canoe or houseboat – the lakes in the area are all linked and you can sail around for weeks at a time. Interview by Kit Macdonald

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