Today would be a great day for a walk along one of Cape Cod‘s many scenic nature trails. This lovely peninsula is crisscrossed with miles of trails that traverse marshlands, woodlands, meadows, bogs, and saltwater beaches. Maintained by numerous entities including the Eastern Massachusetts National Wildlife Complex, private land trusts, conservation groups, independent towns and villages, and/or the National Park Service walking the trails is a splendid way to enjoy the diverse flora and fauna of the area, as well as a variety of shorebirds, songbirds, owls, hawks, and osprey.

Rich and I were avid hikers when we owned our inn in North Conway, NH, but hiking here is a more relaxed and often less challenging activity than ascending the rugged peaks of the White Mountains. We’ve adapted our style and now tend to take leisurely strolls observing the wildlife and appreciating the landscape, often through the lens of a camera for Rich, and for me with an eye to collecting unusual bits of driftwood, rocks, shells and sea glass.

I’ve written before about the walk to the Knob in Falmouth, the nature trails behind the Natural History Museum in Brewster, and the spectacular vistas from the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge, but recently I’ve become aware of a few more intriguing trails that we need to put on our list of “must dos” this summer.

For example, The National Seashore has 12 self-guided trails including Fort Hill, Red Maple Swamp, Nauset Marsh, Doane, Atlantic White Cedar Swamp, Great Island, Pamet Area, Small’s Swamp, Highlands Woods Walk, Pilgrim Spring, Beech Forest, and the Buttonbush Trail near the Salt Pond Visitor Center, which is accessible for visitors who are blind. You can pick up a map of the trails at the Salt Pond Visitors Center in Eastham.

In Chatham you’ll find marked trails on Strong Island, Frost Fish Creek, old Comers Woodland, Training Field, Barclay’s Pond, and Cedar Street. You can find detailed maps of these trails online at the Chatham Conservation Foundation website.

No need for any special equipment to enjoy these trails, just a map, some bottled water, and perhaps some bug spray. Even better, bring a picnic and a bottle of your favorite libation and linger a while. We’ll be here at the High Pointe Inn to greet you on your return.

It’s Birthday Month here at the High Pointe Inn on Cape Cod! My birthday, that is, and I like to celebrate all month. On Cape Cod, April is the month when many of our favorite clam shacks reopen for the season. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate my birth month than making the rounds of the tried and true purveyors of fried fish and lobster rolls and welcoming them back into our repertoire of great places to eat on Cape Cod.

Not everyone is a fan of fried clams, but the number one fried clam fan lives with me. Something about the succulent bivalve sends my husband into a tailspin. “Tender morsels of clam goodness” is the way he describes a heaping platter of crispy fried clams. The accompanying creamy coleslaw and ubiquitous French fries complete what he considers to be a feast fit for the gods.

I, on the other hand, am a sucker for lobster. Last year my husband took me to Maine for my birthday on a 3-day tour he loving labeled “looking for Larry lobster”. In a 72-hour period he took me to six dining establishments in the mid-coast Maine area that warranted a mention on one of the many the Food Network shows for a spectacular lobster dish. I had lobster pot pie, several different versions of lobster rolls, and lobster bisque. From the high brow restaurant Fore Street in Portland to the diner dive known as the Porthole, it was all lobster all the time for me. Best birthday gift ever.

This year a trip to Maine is not in the cards for us, but that won’t stop me from pursuing the omnipotent Cape Cod lobster roll. Several of my favorites are opening in the next few days: Baxter’s Boathouse in Hyannis, Captain Frosty’s in Dennis, Spanky’s in Hyannis, and my all-time favorite, Sesuit Harbor Café, also in Dennis at the Northside Marina. Kream N’ Kone in West Dennis has been open since mid-February for us diehards, and Seafood Sam’s rolled out the welcome mat in March. Arnold’s in Eastham will clock in on May 11th.

So fear not you lobster and clam lovers. The world is about to return to its senses. All hail the mighty Cape Cod clam shack for another spectacular season of dining delights.