WRITTEN BY ANNE GABBIANELLI
“Seriously! Don’t bother picking up after your dog! And good friendly dogs can run free!”
That’s what one sign reads at the start of Fristad Trails in Belfast. The dog-friendly network of trails truly has gone to the dogs.
“It’s what I dreamed of,” said Charles Beck, owner of 94 acres tucked off Route 1.
“I grew up in Stockholm, Sweden, where there were public lands everywhere, dogs running around, and it was just great.”
Beck has worked on his project for more than 10 years, first acquiring 80 acres of land and then an additional 14 acres. Fristad means sanctuary in Swedish, and it is, in fact, a dog haven that Beck has created.
“I have a dog and was always told to leash and pick up after my dog. When I lived in Monroe, I put trails around my house,” said Beck, who retired from Maine Public after a career in broadcasting.
His retirement project, a labor of love shared with his faithful canine, Blue, began in April 2016. Today, there are about 4 miles of an intricate network of trails, ample places to sit, a stream, and a wading area for dogs.
The property also boasts a sense of humor, with trails labeled “Fjord Fido,” “Fir Ever,” “Quickenlazy” and “Pharahnuff.” Even the literature reads: “If your dog doesn’t play well with others, having the dog on a leash is not an acceptable solution, as other dogs will be running up to say hello.”
While Beck’s vision has come to fruition, he is not done yet.
“I still have fine-tuning things to do. I walk it myself and think I did quite a bit of work here. I know every piece of that land and am working on irrigation now,” he said.
The future is also on Beck’s mind, so he has a plan in place.
“This idea goes way back,” he said. “I have an agreement with the city of Belfast that this land will be gifted when I am ready to give it up.”
He said his goal is to make sure the land and the freedom it offers never disappear.
“I’m not getting any younger, and I would hate to see it developed when I’m not here. I’d like to see it continue in its present state into the future for the community.”
With a chuckle, he added, “I am still the king and ruler for now!”
For Katy Day of Belfast, it’s a fun time for her and her dog.
“The primary reason I like it is that my dog can be a dog. Dogs can run, sniff, get wet, meet other dogs, and do their doggy things. There is no worry about picking up the poop because they can go in the woods, and there are no little plastic bags all over the place.”
“It’s a word-of-mouth kind of place,” said Sophie Garmon of Searsport, who calls herself and her dog, Dash, part of the “7:15ers.”
“I could not believe something like this existed right down the street from me. It’s such a nice place. There is no stress, and there is no other place like it,” she said.
There are many trail options, looping and overlapping in places. The trails are also popular with people for hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and bird-watching. The trails are mostly flat.
Access to Fristad Trails is wedged between the Gull Motel and Seascape Motel and Cottages on Route 1. The property is open to the public and welcomes well-behaved, off-leash dogs year-round during daylight hours.
As the sign reads: “Fristad: the way life should be.”