Author Archives: Marjorie

Bread Crumbs Along the Trail-Telford Park, Plainville

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“The Crew” setting out to mark the trail

Each time I put together yet another Easy Walks book, this time for the towns that host the Ten Mile River watershed, Easy Walks and Paddles in the TenMile River Watershed, I try to work with local folks to make sure the trails that will be included in the book are well marked. This usually requires walking the trails, and seeing for myself what the trails are like. Continue reading

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Dreams come true on the Blackstone River Bikeway

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She’s off! Margaret Carroll (waving in back on the tandem) gets her wish of touring the Blackstone Bikeway

Margaret Carroll is a fixture in Millville, and renowned throughout the Blackstone River Valley for her grasp of historical detail, and passion to preserve the past for the future. At the recent ribbon cutting, officially (after a year!) opening up the Bikeway, Margaret, who attended the ceremony, noted that she walked the trail back when it was first being talked about, some thirty years ago. She had worked hard to help make the trail a reality. She said she wished she could travel on the trail again now that it is finished, but figured it would never happen.  Continue reading

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Weather forecast keeps us closer to home-Brimfield Grand Trunk Trail

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Along the Grand Trunk Trail in Brimfield

When the weather forecast for Columbus Day weekend promises lots of rain, it makes a lot more sense to stay closer to home and enjoy what we can, when we can. Continue reading

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Back to the Book–Attleboro Springs

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The small but lovely pond at Attleboro Springs

The cooler weather is finally allowing me to venture out more easily, and I was grateful for walking buddies, Keith and Sue, who met me at the trailhead. Thousands pass quite near this lovely spot, especially near Christmas, but I suspect very few realize what a wonderful, accessible Easy Walk awaits just beyond the Christmas lights of LaSalette Shrine, 947 Park Street in Attleboro. Continue reading

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Walking the SNETT in Blackstone

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Water views along the SNETT in Blackstone

Last summer the Massachusetts Walking Tour used the SNETT trail to travel between Bellingham, Franklin and Blackstone, avoiding a lot of road walking by using this still being developed trail system. I was able to confidently assure the group about much of the trail, but the section in Blackstone near Farm Street was not an area I had visited. Continue reading

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Escaping the Heat at Beavertail State Park

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Rocks I’ve been visiting at Beavertail, on Jamestown, Rhode Island, since the 1970’s. Much has changed here, but the rocks have not

The forecast projected another hot day, so we set out for the shore. Beavertail State Park, on Jamestown Island, Rhode Island, has changed dramatically since I first visited there in the 1970’s. It was not even a state park then, rather, it was simply a place along the shore where you could watch the waves crash onto the shore while hopping along the rocks, next to the lighthouse at the tip of the point. Continue reading

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Returning to Cape Cod after Labor Day

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Beautiful day to ride along Little Sippewisset Marsh

Where I live last weekend was a continuation of summer; humid, hot, not great for being outdoors with my limited  capacity for tolerating heat. But the coast promised cooler temperatures. I have an aversion to spending time on the Cape (Cape Cod) during the summer. Too hot, too crowded, too, too much. But almost instantly once Labor Day is past, the Cape becomes a quite lovely place to be.

We drove through fog as we headed south, but once we crossed the Bourne Bridge the fog lifted. Our goal was the Shining Sea Bikeway. Continue reading

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What to do when it really rains in Ireland

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No rain dates for sheep or sheep herding dogs (or their shepherd). The work continues regardless of the weather

There was only one day (well, may one more, but mostly all afternoon that day) of our entire August-early September visit to Co. Clare when the rain fell in buckets the entire day. Other days often had mist, or overcast, two days were bright and sunny, but one day was clearly a “what shall we do so we don’t spend the day drenched?” sort of day.

As is was, we had already picked out a few “indoor option” destinations just for a day such as we had. We visited the sheepdog demonstrations  at Caherconnell Fort which provided a tent for shelter for visitors. Continue reading

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The Cliffs of Moher and Aran Islands

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Despite the crowds,the Cliffs of Moher do not disappoint

Choosing to go to Ireland in August is choosing to join 50,000 of your best friends when you visit the Cliffs of Moher. We read that if you wait till after 4PM you will have fewer fellow travelers on the trail, but of course this was read in hindsight. Continue reading

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The Burren Way and other Easy Walks-Ireland

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View of the landscape and the ocean from the Blackhead trail, part of the Burren way

We spent almost our entire visit in Co. Clare, which is known for its karst features–limestone landscape that reaches all the way to the shore in many areas. My husband has a passion for caves and karst is where you’ll find caves (created from dissolving limestone). But this is also extremely rugged landscape and so finding Easy Walks for me to enjoy was a real challenge. Thankfully, many feet have trodden these paths before us, and it was a matter of discovering where those paths were, and where we were welcome. Continue reading

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