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