North of Boston, the seacoast becomes increasingly rock and the surf, impressive and invigorating. A favorite walk here traces the expansive and accessible coastline along Lynn and Swampscott. On one side of the 2-mile promenade, the walkway forms a refuge from the tide while giving vistas of sandy beach and waves teasing the rocks and offshore islands. On the other side is a large disrict of 100-year-old homes of merchants and industrialists. Residents of this area came here because Lynn was once a powerhouse industrial center.

This walk leads you through the area’s industrial history from both sides: you’ll see both the remnants of the great, multistoried shoe factories where labor sweated, and he palatial seaside suburbs where management cavorted and unwound. On the way you’ll travel past the North Shore Community College, built on the site of other factories, and along the oceanfront–that great leveler and playground of all the people.

Click for “Lynn and Swampscott Interactive Walking map” on Google Maps