Category Archives: Blog posts–Easy Walks

by | February 5, 2024 · 3:52 pm

Hiding in plain sight—New England ruins

Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.

LISTEN HERE:

Triad bridge cement abutment, Blackstone, Massachusetts

I was asked to review a new book that will be published April 2, 2024, Hiking Ruins in Southern New England. It was gratifying to see that the authors, both archeologists, not only provided information about archeological remains along trails, but also included helpful maps and information about how to reach the various locations they pinpointed in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. Color photos convey a lot about what they categorize as ruins. In addition, they offered information about trail surfaces, a real gift to those of us with mobility challenges. This book made me want to get out and start checking these destinations off my list. Reading through the guide brought to mind multiple locations I have visited that feature similar ruins.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Blog posts--Easy Walks

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | January 29, 2024 · 3:04 pm

The River Meets the Sound—Milford, CT

Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.

LISTEN HERE:

Boardwalk onto the beach at the Coastal Center

We had an errand in the Milford, CT area and since it was a substantial drive for us from south central MA we made time to stop at a local Audubon shoreline sanctuary that we discovered not far from our destination.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Blog posts--Easy Walks

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

by | January 19, 2024 · 2:42 pm

Beaver Pond Franklin, MA in winter

Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.

LISTEN HERE:

Beaver Pond area in winter

Beaver Pond is quite close to downtown Franklin, MA, but feels a world away from the bustle of Dean College, churches, businesses, the town common, and the well-used commuter rail station. Rt. 495 skirts this conservation area, so quiet is not at the top of the list of attractions here. Despite the noise, the views are lovely, both from the beach area overlooking the water, and amidst the tree-lined path that skirts the edge of the pond.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Blog posts--Easy Walks

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | December 2, 2023 · 2:42 pm

Exploring Paths in Norton, MA

Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.

LISTEN HERE

Canoe River, Norton, next to Norton town forest

Easy Walks South of Boston features six different destinations to visit when you are in the town of Norton. On a beautiful day in autumn I stopped by four of these open space properties to get some pictures of fall color. It was also an opportunity to see what my collaborators, Marilyn and Dave Doré, had discovered during their fieldwork for the book.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Blog posts--Easy Walks

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | November 21, 2023 · 2:35 pm

The Guest River Gorge trail, SW Virginia

Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.

LISTEN HERE

The Guest River in Jefferson National Forest

On our travels from New England to Tennessee to see family we stopped for a day at the Guest River Gorge, a rail trail in Jefferson National Forest in Southwest Virginia. The Guest River rail trail is a great example of a true rail trail. That is, a former path built for a railroad line, now abandoned and transformed into a recreational space dedicated to walking and biking. The packed, crushed stone surface of the trail makes for very Easy Walking.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Blog posts--Easy Walks

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , ,

by | November 15, 2023 · 4:16 pm

Stoughton MA trails

Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.

LISTEN HERE

Remnants of one of the quarries found at the Bird St. conservation area

One of the first things I learned about the trails at Bird St. Park in Stoughton, MA was that the best parking is not on Bird St. It’s on West St. OK, got it. Now to get there and head out on the trail.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Blog posts--Easy Walks

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

by | October 25, 2023 · 9:35 am

Powers Farm, Randolph MA

Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.

LISTEN HERE

Returning to where we have been before says a lot about our enjoyment level. Some are, for me, one and done. But I look forward to returning to others, like Powers Farm, Randolph, MA, when the opportunity presents itself.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Blog posts--Easy Walks

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | October 10, 2023 · 10:30 am

The Basin and Other Easy Walks in the White Mountains

The Basin

Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.

LISTEN HERE

The Basin in Franconia, NH is a delightful outdoor destination with paved walkways alongside the Pemigewasset River. It was not always so. Others who visited in years past describe steep, eroded paths that made for treacherous footing. A tremendous amount of effort and financial investment has transformed this into a beautiful place for people of many abilities to enjoy.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Blog posts--Easy Walks

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | October 3, 2023 · 3:38 pm

In Search of Sea Caves (and Gold!)

Along the cliffs of The Ovens Natural Park

Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.

LISTEN HERE

On our trip to the area near Halifax, Nova Scotia, (NS) we planned to ride our adaptive tandem bicycle on the multiple rail trails that are available in that area. The Salt Marsh Trail and St. Margaret’s Bay Trail ended up providing us with plenty to see on our travels. The rigors of setting up our tandem and riding up to twenty+ miles per outing means we take a rest day between the times when we venture out on the rail trails.

Cliffs at The Ovens
Stairs leading down to a sea cave

One of our “off” days took us to the Lunenburg, NS area. While looking at maps, we spotted a reference to The Ovens, in Riverport, near Lunenburg, which promised a cliff walk and sea caves.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Blog posts--Easy Walks

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

by | September 26, 2023 · 2:39 pm

Exploring Easy Walks South of Boston destinations

Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.

LISTEN HERE

Swamp maples, early harbingers of autumn

The trail guide, Easy Walks South of Boston includes over fifty open space areas in seventeen contiguous towns south of Boston, thus the title. I recently visited several of these paths on a beautiful, blue-sky day in early fall. We saw touches of color but nothing like the show that awaits us in autumn in New England.

Over several months, Marilyn and Dave Doré, my collaborators, visited the 50+ destinations that now constitute this newest trail guide. I am endeavoring to visit many of these places in the coming month or so in preparation for upcoming Easy Walks presentations in various towns. The programs will be open to the public.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Blog posts--Easy Walks

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,