Wiggly Bridge and Steedman Woods |
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SCENIC SEACOAST WALKS
York Harbor, Maine
You've either discovered this one yourself, or it is a total surprise. One great
way to "discover" the bridge is to start your walk from York Village and bear
right as the road bears left to hug the coast. Betteryet, walk from Old York Village
down the side street to the Marshall Store. Slip into the woody area just before
the store and you'll find the bridge on the other side.
Name: Wiggly Bridge and Steedman Woods
Location: Old Mill Road, York Harbor, Maine
Resources: None
Parking: Limited spaces by the side of the road opposite
Rules: Walkers stay on the path, do not remove any wild items, avoid littering.
No picnicking or bicycles.
Dogs: On leash only, curb all dogs.
This walk is short, easy, scenic and unique. We’re guessing there is no other
that starts down a man-made causeway and then crosses a mini- suspension bridge
and onto a wooded path. The bridge was built in the 1930s by a North Berwick company
that now makes seats for giant stadiums. Originally there was an old mill here.
Legend has it that a group of girl scouts created the nickname in the 1940s because
the bridge – well, it wiggles. The stark steel structure seems to be the last
thing standing from a lost tiny city.
Locals are quite proud of their little steel bridge that stretches over the tidal
flow from Barrel Mill Pond to the York River and they keep it in good shape. The
woodsy area at the far end looks like an island, but is a peninsula, accessible
from the other side too – but there is no parking on the other side. The flat
clear path is easy to navigate and goes in a circle with water views all around.
Steedman Woods is maintained by volunteers and owned by the Old York Historical
Museum. After walking through, stop at the old Marshall Store for some fresh artwork
by local artists.
The walk is just a little over a mile and an ideal spot for a quick stroll. It’s
a stop while biking up the coast and is easy to walk to from York Village nearby
or while visiting the small public beach located between the York Harbor Inn and
Stage Neck Inn. It’s also right across from York Harbor if you happen to arrive
by yacht.
Photos (c) 2005 SeacoastNH.com. All rights reserved.
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