| Whether you're driving from on or off
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| | for a place that wants little for ocean
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| Cape Cod a great sunset hike can be had
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| | views. When you've had your fill head
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| at one of the most beautiful vistas in
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| | back up the walkway toward the building
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| New England. Truro's Highland Light and
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| | on your right.
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| the Jenny Lind tower are located about 75
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| | Keep in mind, as you walk back, that
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| miles down Cape Cod and frame an easy,
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| | there are a few pieces of the landscape
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| but naturally and historically
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| | that are now missing from the Truro
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| interesting, hike. Actually this is more
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| | Highlands today. At one time, numerous
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| jaunt then hike. Traveling north on
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| | wind-driven grist mills dotted the area.
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| Route 6, the Highland Lighthouse area is
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| | The deck house of the barge, Coleraine,
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| 3.3 miles north of Truro Center. Take the
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| | which wrecked below the cliffs here in
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| "Cape Cod Light/Highland Road" exit. Turn
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| | 1915, was salvaged and used as a bar
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| right onto Highland Road and follow to
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| | until the 1950s. The Highland Life Saving
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| the Highland Lighthouse area, where there
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| | Station (1872) was located by the beach,
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| is plenty of free parking for your car.
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| | at the end of Coast Guard Road . The
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| Don't forget your camera and binoculars
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| | lifesavers from that station patrolled
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| on this one.
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| | the beach on foot and rescued shipwreck
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| In front of you is the Highland
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| | victims in dramatic fashion with their
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| Lighthouse, which was the first
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| | surfboat and breeches buoy.
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| lighthouse built on Cape Cod in 1797,
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| | To find out more about all these things,
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| though the present 66-foot brick tower
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| | the Truro Historical Society Museum,
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| dates from 1857. Today the lighthouse is
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| | which stands just next to the lighthouse,
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| automated, as are all the lighthouses on
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| | contains seventeenth century firearms,
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| the Cape now. A 1,000 watt bulb now does
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| | shipwreck mementos, early fishing and
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| the job that, in earlier years, was
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| | whaling gear, household tools, farming
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| accomplished with fifteen whale oil lamps
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| | implements, furniture, Sandwich glass, a
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| or a huge Fresnel lens. Plan to take the
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| | pirate's chest and lots more. If you
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| Truro Historical Society tour (Children
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| | wanted to make a whole day of it the
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| must be 51" tall). The hours are May 1st
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| | town-run Highland Links golf course, the
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| through October, 7 days a week, 10:00 am
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| | oldest on Cape Cod, abutts this area, but
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| until 5:45 pm, and the Lighthouse Gift
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| | if you're not golfing take note of the
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| Shop is open 10 a.m. until sunset.
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| | signage requesting that you not tresspass
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| Once at the top of the tower you'll be
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| | down the fairways. Now on to the hike.
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| treated with a magnificent vantage point
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| | On your left, across the golf course,
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| of the 100-foot cliff. The Highland
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| | you'll see our final destination- the
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| cliffs were once considered the ideal
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| | medievel-looking Jenny Lind tower.
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| location for a lighthouse. Clay deposits
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| | Originally part of the Fitchburg Railway
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| in the cliffs, referred to as "Clay
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| | depot in Boston, it was moved here in
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| Pounds," were seen as a buffer against
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| | 1927 by Henry Aldrich. It seems that
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| storm waves. Yet, it is clear today that
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| | Aldrich was a fan of the famous Swedish
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| the clay is unstable and slides off in
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| | opera singer, Jenny Lind, who performed
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| tremendous chunks when undermined by
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| | in the hall above the station and is
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| waves. Though this clay was in the past
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| | rumored to have sung from the tower to
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| used by the local people it is now a
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| | those unable to attend the concert.
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| federal law to dig it out, although it
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| | Leave your car in the parking lot and
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| can be taken freely if it is loose.
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| | walk down the road the way you came. Take
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| In July 1996, the lighthouse you're
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| | your next left and walk down toward the
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| standing on was jacked up and moved back
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| | beach until the road ends at the former
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| from the eroding cliff to save it from
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| | government air force station. Now follow
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| falling into the ocean. Catch the
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| | the path to your left until you see the
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| 10-minute video before exiting and then
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| | castle-like shape of the Jenny Lind tower
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| take a short walk from the lighthouse to
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| | and head in through the overgrown woods
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| the observation deck, where you can get a
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| | and dunes. (Remember, steer clear of the
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| closer look at the bluff, clay pounds,
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| | old military installation- there are
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| and wild Atlantic. The view as the sun
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| | trespassing signs that are quite serious
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| sets, with nothing but ocean between you
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| | and there is still communications
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| and Portugal, really is a one-of-a-kind
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| | equipment at work there.
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| experience, and that's saying something
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