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