Rockville boasts plenty of beautiful spots. There are hidden brooks and crystal swimming holes, unexpectedly dense woodlands and vistas to take your breath away. And there is Beech Hill.

Whether your first glimpse is from Route 17’s wide curve around Lake Chickawaukie or from the base of the 295-acre Coastal Mountains Land Trust preserve, Beech Hill is something special. Draped with open grasslands, the hill itself emerges from hardwood forest, hosting organic blueberry fields and 125 bird species. Two paths wind to the top, where a 1913 sod-topped stone hut known as Beech Nut waits, along with panoramic views of Penobscot Bay and the Camden Hills.

My children and I first climbed the narrow hiking trail that begins on Rockville Street one early-release Wednesday. We were new to Rockville back then, curious about the trailhead we drove by everyday, and up for an adventure. It’s a steep climb for little ones, but the hardwood forest generously supplied us with walking sticks, and there were surprises at every turn: a stand of sugar maples, a young forest overtaking old fields lined with stone walls, a small lifeless mouse curled perfectly in the center of the trail. By the time we emerged into the Hill’s lower fields, even my then-two-year-old was filled to bursting: This is so close to our house!

The wide old farm road that begins on Beech Hill Road offers a more direct, gentle path to the summit. It’s the one I take with the dogs most mornings, and on every New Year’s Day, despite whatever snow or muck awaits. The kids have raced to the top for kite-flying birthday parties, quiet picnics, and — last week — in celebration of the International Day of Peace.

Camden’s Children’s House Montessori School celebrates the day every year, traditionally with a parade through town and a gathering around the school’s Peace Pole. This year, the teachers decided that we needed a more peaceful setting, and reinvented the tradition as a Peace Hike. Coastal Mountains Land Trust welcomed the school warmly, opening up the extra field for overflow parking and helping to direct traffic.

The day was crisp and clear, the view of Penobscot Bay and the islands perfect. It added a feeling of buoyancy as the children scrabbled up the road and chased around Beech Nut; there is no room for free play in a parade through town. But the setting really made sense when the children circled up to sing Peace, Salaam, Shalom. There was a stiff breeze, but their voices were strong.

The whole world unfurls from the top of Beech Hill. From there, anything seems possible.

Kathleen Meil and her family moved to Rockville two and half years ago and are making the small village of Rockport their home. Kathleen blogs about art and design, home and family, and reading and writing at www.AvidWord.com.