Oldtown Hill offers look at coast of Maine

On a clear day "you can see up the Maine coastline," says W@ayne Mitten of the Trustees of the Reservation, a Beverly-based conservation ocrganization.

He's talking about the view from Oldtown Hill, off Route 1A near the Lower Green in Newbury, a property owned by the trustees.

At 168 feet, Oldtown doesn't rank among the 10 tallest hills in the area, but its proximity to the coast makes it a prime location for panoramic views.

Acquired in 1952, Oldtown Hill is one of many plots in Massachusetts bought by the trustees to protect its natural beauty from development. One of a few hills in an otherwise flat region, Oldtown Hill is known to geologists as a glacial drumlin _ composed of earth left behind by glaciers as they drifted through the area in the last ice age 20,000 years ago.

The 372-acre park is a popular destination for hikers, birdwatchers and other nature enthusiasts.

The park is open from dawn to dusk, and admission is free.

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