Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
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80 JUNE + JULY 2018 NORTHSHOREMAG.COM Our author rounds up the best ways to explore the North Shore's nocturnal landscape. By Alexandra Pecci NIGHT IN NATURE When night falls, nocturnal creatures leave their dens, the full moon shimmers on the ocean, and meteors streak through the inky black sky. Want to experience that firsthand? ere's lots of ways to explore nighttime in nature here on the North Shore. ON LAND Hiking is a great way to get close to the land, but when it's done at night, it takes on a whole new dimension. "You never know what you're going to hear or see," says Kristen Swanberg, director of education / I N -D E P T H / PHOTOGRAPH BY SHUTTERSTOCK and public programming for e Trustees of Res- ervations, which hosts monthly "Full Moon and Folklore" hikes at Castle Hill at the Crane Estate in Ipswich through October. e 2.5 to 3-mile hikes—which usually start around 8:15 p.m. in June and July—meander through the Castle Hill property, including the dunes and beach. "People are always amazed at how bright a full moon can be," Swanberg says. "ey often think they will need flashlights…but they can see just fine." Hikers hear about natural history, the history of the estate, and folklore, and replenish with refreshments like lemonade and cookies. Also check out this summer's full moon night hike with Andover Trails Committee's Jeffrey LaFountain on July 28 at 8:30 p.m., which will explore the Shawsheen River Trail from Central St. to Ballardvale and back. To get even closer to nature at night, try one of the family campouts at Mass Audubon's Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctu- ary in Topsfield. Each of this summer's three scheduled campouts in July, August, and September has a different theme, says