17. ACADIA, BAL HARBOR, CAMDEN & KENNEBUNKPORT, MAINE

"And all at once, summer collapsed into fall".

Oscar Wilde's descriptive words help encapsulate the changing Autumn scene in New England as the canvas of leaves turn from a uniform green into a myriad of yellows, reds and gold. It is one of nature's finest performances and we were so fortunate to feast our eyes on this spectacular metamorphosis.

Two hours north of Belfast lies the bucolic and essential Acadia National Park, on northern Maine's Mount Desert Island, just over 100 miles from the Canadian border. It comprises almost 50,000 acres of north American wilderness, with its dominant Cadillac Mountain surrounded by lush woodland, expansive pastures and rocky beaches. The best and easiest way to see it is to take the loop road, passing along the Atlantic side of the island high above the ocean and overlooking the town of Bar Harbor below. The Park is criss-crossed with carriage trails, built in the 30's by the ubiquitous John D. Rockefeller Jr, taking time out from making billions out of Standard Oil with our friend Henry Flagler.

Acadia and Cadillac Mountain

Acadia

Acadia Sand Beach

A storybook English 'Tudor' house in the Park

We were particularly fortunate to have arrived at the raising of the curtain of the 'New England In The Fall' showtime and to see the kaleidoscope of colors starting to ignite as winter approaches. This performance, a masterclass of nature, teases us enough to want to pull up a comfy chair to sit and watch the hills for the next six weeks.

The civilised hub of this part of Maine is Bar Harbor, a heralded and hugely popular tourist destination. Clearly, it was once charm itself, with its old wooden houses and shops sitting on the edge of a glorious bay. But.... what is that in the bay? Yes, it is yet another cruise ship and, as with Key West, the natural calm and beauty of the place is sacrificed as ship after cavernous ship disgorges its cargo of passengers into a tiny, historic town. The result is T-shirt and cheap jewelry shops and menus of fried food. It is a desecration but, in spite of this negative, Bar Harbor is most definitely worth a visit.

The monster lurks in the bay off Bar Harbor

But any disappointment was soon offset by the elation of discovering the harbor town of Camden some 100 miles south. This stylish, almost chic, haven shows how it should all happen. It has learned to welcome tourists and still retain its dignity and heritage. We were particularly tickled to see the schooner Appledore berthed here. It was like unexpectedly bumping into an old friend. All winter this fine vessel sits in Key West, giving sunset cruises to visitors, and we have ourselves sailed on her there many times. But come summer she plies her trade in Camden, Maine. You could do far worse than jump aboard for a sunset cruise.

This lovely town of Camden is a must visit.

The Appledore

Camden Harbor

Camden Main Street

A serene scene just outside Camden

A further 100 miles south is the idyllic village of Kennebunkport, made famous not just because it is ridiculously picturesque but also because President George H.W. Bush (the loved and credible one) had his summer home here (see Chapter 18). He had spent much of his childhood in the area and it was clearly his spiritual home. Kennebunkport is the most picturesque fishing village, with a population of around 4,000 lucky residents. It is reached by a bridge over the eponymous river and made up of a collection of wonderful wooden buildings. It is no surprise that it is home to one of the wealthiest communities in Maine. It does not take long to walk the few streets and even less time to be tempted to another fresh lobster at one of the many eateries. We were advised that the best restaurant for seafood lies a mile outside - Mabel's Lobster Claw. Nestling on the side of the road, it welcomes you to eat outside on the verandah as the cars go by, French-style. Mabel did not disappoint. The lobster risotto, served elegantly in large scallop shells, and the inevitable soft-shell red lobster were simply spectacular.