Beauty of winter, West Hill dam
Winter is still officially a few days away, but we’ve had a taste of it the past month that is a great reminder that seasons really do change, and we need to be prepared. We have had snow, rain, extremely high winds, ice, and sleet. But just because the weather is changing, we can still get outside. It does take some planning, some familiarity with local landscapes, and preparation to prevent hypothermia. Family members may insist they will be warm enough, when in fact they may discover once outside that they are quite cold. Bring extra jackets, hats and mittens along ‘just in case’ for those who resist taking precautions against the cold.
Windy days means woods walking can be risky. When we know the wind will be excessive, we head for some of our favorite outdoor spots with mostly open fields.
Open fields of Chase farm
We recently headed to Chase Farm in Lincoln, RI, with easy walking trails on wide open fields, which offered great views of the surrounding countryside.
Enjoying the paved rail trail in Weston, part of the in process Mass central rail trail
Another outing (on a less windy day) took us to the Mass Central rail trail in Weston a newly opened section of rail trail that was great for our entire family to enjoy when we had gathered for the Thanksgiving weekend. Since we were walking, we did not cover too much ground, but what we saw encouraged us to make plans to return in the spring when we can visit again on our adaptive tandem bicycle.
Lots of blaze orange on our walk in Derry
We spent time with more family in New Hampshire over Thanksgiving weekend, and all wore blaze orange as a necessary precaution. The Weber Forest trail in Derry was somewhat icy, but it got us out, kids had a great time, and older family members managed the simple out and back path with no mishaps.
One of the most important things to remember when getting outside now, besides protecting from hypothermia, is to remember that winter is when hunting season gets into full swing. Sharing the woods with hunters is a matter of common sense, awareness, and wearing blaze orange! Different states have different hunting seasons. Be sure to check state hunting websites for exact dates, and be aware of which state you plan to walk in. Happy trails!
Marjorie
Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors, and is the author of Easy Walks in Massachusetts, 2nd edition, More Easy Walks in Massachusetts, 2nd edition, Easy Walks and Paddles in the Ten Mile River Watershed, and Finding Easy Walks Wherever You Are. Her memoir, the backstory of Easy Walks, is My Liturgy of Easy Walks: Reclaiming hope in a world turned upside down.
Marjorie Turner Hollman 