Psst: Find your way to Purposely Lost treehouse vacation rentals. I spent two nights with a friend in the Cliff House, one of three treehouses sited on forested property edging Springvale’s Littlefield Pond. Heaven! And, it’s an ideal getaway for those seeking an outdoor-oriented vacation just 30 minutes from Maine’s southern beaches.
Technically, these aren’t treehouses, in the sense of being supported only by a tree. Supporting posts elevated our well-equipped, two-bedroom house into the tree canopy. And a live tree growing through the screened porch adds a touch of authenticity. We were thankful for those supporting posts when a gusty thunderstorm ripped through the area. Honestly, I almost got a bit seasick watching the treetops sway, but I knew we were safe and secure inside.
Purposely Lost welcomes guests year round. In autumn, I imagine breezes creating colorful kaleidoscopes outside. And winter, especially after a snowstorm, promises snow-laden branches and, with leaves off the tree, views over the frozen pond.
Treehouse tour
Let me walk you through it, beginning with the outdoor staircase spiraling to the screened porch entry. A small table with chairs invites bug-free dining on the porch, where a built-in window bench encourages lazing away a few hours or curling up with a book. A door from the porch opens into the house (contact-free check-in thanks to a coded lockbox).
The porch door opens to the living/dining/kitchen area, which rises to a pitched roof. The living room side offers built-in cushioned seating along the back and side walls and an easy chair. The well-equipped kitchen fills the opposite side. Also located downstairs: a queen-bedded guestroom and the bathroom, with an oversized shower.
A gorgeous — but funky (hint: when starting up or down, match your foot to the step) — stairway rises to a loft bedroom, with Art Deco furnishings including the queen-size bed, nightstands, and lighting fixtures, as well as a small desk with, two artsy chairs. This bedroom has a closet.
A heat pump/air-conditioner makes controlling temperature easy, and a gas stove provides ambiance (we didn’t use it, but I’m sure it would be nice during winter or on cooler evenings). No TV, but a projection unit and pull-down screen let you make your entertainment. Plentiful electric outlets make it easy to plug in and charge.
Purposely Lost treehouse brings the outdoors inside
The Cliff treehouse’s interior design complements the forest setting. Wood — walls, floors, ceiling, stairs, and doors — sets the tone, with both created and natural patterns adding interest. Think marquetry cribbage board and checkerboard, gleaming table and counters, a tree-style coat rack, white pine walls rising vertically to the horizontal paneled pine cathedral ceiling. Windows frame the tree canopy, with glimpses of Littlefield Pond through the branches. That leafy view adds to the treehouse sensation.
Nature-inspired accents complement the wood. A wrought iron chandelier with crystal-like leaves adorning vines woven through it hangs from the ceiling, and a similar tabletop tree lights the desk in the loft bedroom. Pillows screened with greenery top seating areas, black metal birds fly against an upper wall, and lights shine through metal tree silhouettes in the downstairs bedroom.
Other attention-grabbing design details include the retro-cool fridge and microwave in the kitchen, a ukelele, and a bathroom sink mounted atop an antique Comforter woodstove base.
I loved the overall attention to detail, the creative craftsmanship, and the emphasis on nature. But I treasured the quietude and privacy. When staying here, it’s easy to forget the rest of the world exists. I tend to think staying in a treehouse brings you one step closer to heaven.
Outside amenities
Although two other treehouses share the property, we couldn’t see either from ours. Each treehouse has a barbecue and picnic table along with an outdoor hot tub; keep in mind that the shared path to the waterfront passes just below Cliff’s hot tub, so privacy there isn’t assured.
Follow that shared path to the waterfront to find a canoe and kayak stashed on the shoreline and a sturdy dock that makes fishing or swimming in the clear waters easy. And there’s even a hammock near-hidden in the trees.
What to find when Purposely Lost
Southwestern Maine may be off the beaten tourism track, but it shouldn’t be. For starters, it’s only 30 minutes to Wells Beach and 45 minutes from Portland, making either day trips. But there’s plenty more in area. Here are a few ideas:
• Tour two historic house museums in South Berwick: The Sarah Orne Jewett House downtown and the Hamilton House and gardens overlooking the Salmon Falls River.
• Hike, mountain bike, visiting the Learning Lodge, or sinply taken the panoramic views of ocean, lakes, woods, and mountains from Mount Agamenticus, in York. The 692-foot peak is sited within one of the largest remaining expanses of undeveloped forest in coastal New England and is among the most biologically diverse wildernesses in Maine. It includes vernal pools and ponds and is home to rare and endangered species.
• Visit the Alfred Shaker Museum, which shares the story of the Alfred Shaker community (1793-1931). The classic Shaker song Simple Gifts is attributed to Alfred elder joseph Barcket.
• Treat yourself to house-made ice cream from Shaker Pond (best sea salted caramel I’ve ever tasted, and I never miss a chance to enjoy Maine-made ice cream), in Alfred; Shaw’s Ridge (also offers miniature golf and barbecue), in Sanford; and Shain’s of Maine, Sanford. Go ahead, try all three and judge for yourself.
• Wander the three miles of trail lacing Vaughan Woods State Park, a 250-acre riverside preserve in South Berwick.
• Take in a show at the Hackmatack Playhouse, a summer theater in a renovated barn in Berwick.
• Tee off at The Links at Outlook, a links-style course with driving range in Berwick.
• Shop Springvale, Sanford, and the Berwicks. If you’re a yarn lover, don’t miss Jagger Spun Stash, the factory outlet in Springvale (open Thursday mornings).
• Dining tip: For excellent service, creative American fare, and a gorgeous setting, make reservations at Dufour, in South Berwick. The restaurant is in the meticulously restored Stage House Inn, which dates from 1798. Dine on the porch, in the bar accented with original tin ceiling and walls, or in the parlor dining room, with original painted wallpaper and a fireplace.
