Trip to the Berwicks!

The road was new to me, as roads always are, going back.

                                    -Sarah Orne Jewett

When I need farm fresh eggs, antiques, or other specialty items for Ogunquit Beach Inn,  I find myself heading west into the "Berwicks".  The Berwicks are a collection of southern Maine towns west of Ogunquit. The best part about going to North Berwick is the ride. Its classic Maine country drive: winding roads, potholes, shaded, and very quiet. To get there from Ogunquit go to the centre of Ogunquit, and take Berwick Road and head west, past Arrows Restaurant. At Arrows bear right and keep going! The drive is beautiful and full of country scences.

One country scene is he Hilton Winn Farm. The "farm" is  now a "Youth Enrichment Center", located on Berwick Road (Ogunquit Road). This non-profit organization provides a country farm experience to "enrich the hearts, minds, and spirits of children".  Its a classic Maine working farm steep in history. The farm was a royal grant from King James to Edward Winn in 1640. The farm is beautifully maintained and worth visiting during select times. Please visit their site for info.

Berwick Road turns into Ogunquit Road when you enter South Berwick. I enjoy this road in the summertime, because its less travelled with tourists and beach goers. The road is heavily shaded with very few houses. Its great place to take bike ride or a long run. Today I saw a pair of turkeys wandering around in a meadow. The road winds through some low-lying wetlands and there is an abundance of turtles and fowl.

The Berwicks are a bit of "real" Maine: farms, vegetable road stands, single family houses, antique shops, and pastoral landscapes.

You never know what you might find. In North Berwick centre, I came across a unique shop that sold furnishings, antiques and "trophy" animals....

North Berwick is also home to the "corporate headquarters" of  Carpe Diem Coffee . This popular local coffee is an Ogunquit favorite sold in many of the finer coffee shops and markets in Ogunquit. While in North Berwick I always stop for a cup of fresh roasted coffee. The smell of the coffee roasting is intoxicating!

South Berwick is also the home of  author Sarah Orne Jewett. Jewett wrote for Atlantic Monthly and novels depicting life in Deephaven (Berwick, Maine). Jewett never married and lived with writer Annie Fields. Their relationship was termed a "Boston Marriage".  Jewett's home in South Berwick is now a National Historic Landmark.