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
Category Archives: Blog posts–Easy Walks
Weather forecast keeps us closer to home-Brimfield Grand Trunk Trail
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Back to the Book–Attleboro Springs
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
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
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
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
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
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
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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Just outside my Window–Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare, Ireland
One of the picture perfect days we enjoyed in Ballyvaughan
As part of our planning when we travel, we work to find a place to “park” me as it were, to allow me to rest when needed. My stamina is limited, but I love to experience what I can take in. We found the perfect spot for eight days right on the edge of Ballyvaughan, overlooking Galway Bay. Continue reading
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Peek of small city life in Ireland
Narrow streets, crowded sidewalks, and the ruins of the local monastery are all part of the market town of Ennis
Before we could get settled in our “home away from home” in Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare, we had a few necessary purchases to make, including cell phones that worked in Ireland, and maps we had been unable to attain prior to arriving in the country. From Spanish Point, where we’d spent the night, we headed to Ennis, a small city on our way to Ballyvaughan. Continue reading
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Marjorie Turner Hollman 