Ipswich Scenic Sunday Cycling tour

Historic Ipswich on the Massachusetts North Shore

Bike New England offers  maps and cue sheets for day tours exploring the historic district and scenic roads of Ipswich in the Massachusetts North Shore area. Designed especially for cyclists from nearby Boston, start in downtown Ipswich MA for a 25 mile group ride that takes you to scenic ocean overlooks, the salt marshes, state forests, and of course charming historic Ipswich Massachusetts. The terrain in Ipswich includes gently rolling glacial hills. Our rides are on the safest routes available to our scenic destinations., but please be mindful that you will be cycling on roads with traffic. View also our nearby Newburyport Tour, which is primarily on bike paths with mostly flat terrain.  

Tour Description

Start location: Commuter rail parking lot in downtown Ipswich. View location map. Head out on the bikes, stopping first at the Ipswich Riverwalk Mural . Continue past colonial-era homes past the historic the waterfront for an 8 mile loop that takes you to out Jeffreys Neck for scenic views of the Plum Island and Cape Ann. Then continue on toward Crane Beach. stopping at Russell Orchards for their cider donuts. The return takes you along gorgeous Chebacco and Waldingfield Roads past Appleton Farm, and to the edge of Willowdale State Forest on Pineswamp Rd. Back in town, you'll ride past dozens of colonial era houses on High St. and North Main St. and then cross back to historic Market St. to our start location. Arrive back at commuter rail station.  Total distance 25 miles.  Route Map  Cue Sheet

Directions Plan for approximately an hour drive from Boston. Take Rt. 1, or I-93 and I-95 north to Danvers, MA. Continue north on Rt. 1 , and in approximately four miles, turn right on Ipswich Rd. Drive 5.5 miles to Ipswich. As you enter downtown , turn right at the tracks to the commuter rail lot.

Commuter Rail: The train from North Station in Boston arrives in Ipswich on Sundays at 10:19 am, and returns at 3:00 and 6:00 pm. View MBTA commuter rail schedule .