My favorite weekends are the weekends I don’t have to leave town. Those special weekends in the off season consist of taking long walks with my family and either cooking a nice meal at home of going out for comfort food.
My favorite walk is out onto the spit off of Third Cliff. I start from my home, head onto the bike path, turn onto the Driftway, and go off the beaten path onto a boardwalk that eventually leads from Rivermoore Beach to the Spit. Along the Driftway I enjoy watching the golfers tee off. Believe it or not golfers have been going strong here at Scituate Country Club all season long. My Third Cliff adventure can only be done on foot or bike…or unicycle or scooter I suppose but you get the point. You can’t drive this route.
You also have to watch the tides. If the tide is high there is no boardwalk. If you get on the spit and don’t have a boat with you make sure you keep a CLOSE eye on the tide or you will have wet knickers, socks, and shoes which will not be enjoyable in the month of March.
I love the serenity this special place brings to me. I walk and walk taking in my surroundings while listening to the waves crash. I try to always remember to bring my camera.
Sometimes there are a few other folks out here as well but off-season it is close to feeling like you have this place to yourself. On my last trip there was an older couple taking their dogs for a romp out in the distance. It is a great place to bring a snack and just enjoy what’s surrounding you.
Beach comb, meditate, read, take a walk, take photos, run with your dog, or whatever rocks your socks as long as you are not interrupting the environment. Take in the North River, Humarock, beach houses lining the coast, waves, rocks, birds, marshes, and the occasional surfers riding the waves.
The whole adventure is about five miles for me. Eventually the weather will get warmer, the boaters will start coming in, and it will become the boaters’ summer playground. That too is fun but very different from this off-season experience. It is great exercise, picturesque, and what to me living in Scituate is all about.
A few tips:
Be aware of the tides
Take out anything you take in
Bring your camera
