Summer can be a busy time on southern Maine waterways. We may be starting our August paddle in the clutch of civilization, but we will soon be enveloped in a vast cedar swamp wilderness as we explore Witt Swamp at the southern end of Pennesseewassee Lake in Norway.
The sounds of traffic are soon left behind as you follow the pickerelweed-lined shoreline northward into the swamp. The call of red-winged blackbirds mixes with the squawk of blue herons and the squeal of wood ducks. The blue herons look like prehistoric pterodactyls arcing low over the marsh grasses dodging in and out of 10-foot high cedars.

Fragrant water lilies – both white and pink – fill the air with their fragrance at Witt Swamp at the southern end of Pennesseewassee Lake in Norway. Christine Wolfe photo
Carpets of fragrant water lilies are everywhere, pink ones mixing with the more prevalent white ones. The wispy white tufts of cotton-grass catch our eye, accentuated against the light brown grasses. Stalks of pitcher plants rise up out of decaying stumps competing for insects with the star-like tentacles of sundews. The spiked orbs of buttonbush are just starting to form in the waterside brush. The blues of dainty skullcap mix with the reddish-purple hues of swamp milkweed.
Barn swallows fill the air, dashing here and there for insects. Over to our left, a dead tree has a flock of 20 swallows resting in it. A crow flies near and all erupt into the air and swung out around the marsh before coming back to the same tree. Focusing on that tree, trying to get some pictures, it takes a few minutes before we gaze further to the left, only to find an almost identical tree with 20 more swallows on it. Are they all readying to migrate?
The channel narrows a mile above the lake, and reaches a low beaver dam. We think about getting out and pulling the canoe over it for more exploration, but instead decide to meander along the shore back out into the open lake. With calm mid-morning air, there were many artistic reflections created by the occasional boulder, thin white birch, and weathered branches and sticks in the water. The reflection of one curved log sticking up out of the water looks like the tail of a shark. A triangle-shaped boulder, doubled by its reflection in the black water, looks like a casino die balanced on a corner. Our imaginations run wild.
Once we get back out into open water, we turn and look north toward the hill country surrounding the South Paris area. To the northeast, we can see two white wind turbines. These foothills are the steppingstones to the great Alpine notches to the north: Evans, Grafton, Pinkham.
Consult DeLorme’s Maine Atlas and Gazetteer (map No. 11) for help in getting to the public boat launch at Pennesseewassee Park on Route 118 at the southwest corner of the lake. From here, it is a 1-mile paddle down to the culvert under the Crockett Ridge Road into the bay leading up into Witt Marsh. The views up the lake to the northwest are outstanding. A wall of hills in Greenwood peers down over the blue lake corridor.

Witt Swamp offers a view to the northwest up the length of Pennesseewassee Lake in Norway. Christine Wolfe photo
The lake is 5 miles long, with a northwesterly orientation. Wind is common, especially in the afternoon. If you prefer a shorter outing, you can put in at a small hand-carry launch site on the Crockett Ridge Road a few yards north of Route 118. There is ample parking on both sides of the road. Launching at this more-protected Crockett Road site also lessens the impact of any wind. Plan 2-3 hours for paddling and reflecting.
Downtown Norway’s Main Street is on the National Register of Historic Places and is well worth a stroll. Many of the ornate buildings were built right after the catastrophic mill fire of 1894 that wiped out most of downtown. Good food and engaging art create a festive atmosphere.
There are also some nice hiking options on the east side of Witt Swamp. Two trails lead into the eastern edge of the swamp from Pleasant Street. The Western Foothills Land Trust and generous land owners have worked together to preserve secluded groves of white pine and hemlock. We walked the 1-mile Witt Swamp Loop Trail, enjoying cooling shade on the way out to the edge of the swamp. The parcel was last harvested in the 1950’s using draft horses.
Michael Perry is the former director of the L.L.Bean Outdoor Discovery Schools, and founder of Dreams Unlimited, specializing in inspiring outdoor slide programs for civic groups, businesses, and schools. Contact: michaelj_perry@comcast.net
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