Marjorie Turner Hollman is an author, creator, observer, and disability advocate who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.
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One of my favorite pieces of shoreline is on the southeast coast of Massachusetts. New England is well known for its rugged, rocky coast. This little spit of land, Gooseberry Island, juts out into Long Island Sound and has some sandy beaches and oversize boulders. A causeway allows visitors to drive out onto the island.
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Marjorie Turner Hollman is an author, creator, observer, and disability advocate who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.
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Because the process of developing rail trails is such a monumental effort, the easiest sections are generally completed first. (Higher in elevation, already somewhat cleared, lacking encroachment from neighbors). Tying together these disparate, already completed sections of one proposed project is a challenge. When new connections are established the rail trail becomes more attractive for those of us who enjoy traveling by bicycle. And thus, my enthusiasm as we watched progress on the Blackstone Riverway rail trail extension from Blackstone, Massachusetts into Rhode Island.
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Marjorie Turner Hollman is an author, creator, observer, and disability advocate who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.
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On a warm November day we headed over to Medfield, MA to visit the relatively new Medfield Rail Trail. The path is a work in progress as part of the Bay Colony Rail trail, with plans to connect with more of the rail trail located in Dover, Needham and Newton. The Needham and Newton portions are finished while the Dover section is in the planning stage. An updated map from December, 2023 details the completed sections of trail and the plans for further development of this recreational resource. It is also is part of the much larger trail network of the Bay Circuit trail.
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Marjorie Turner Hollman is an author, creator, observer, and disability advocate who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.
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When we planned our trip to the Gaspé peninsula we had no real idea what we might find. Online photos can offer some clues, and descriptions (like this!) may help potential visitors decide if they want to make the effort to spend time in any particular place. We have found that “on the ground” experience is so much more helpful than other ways of learning about an area can convey.
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Marjorie Turner Hollman is an author, creator, observer, and disability advocate who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.
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The Medway (MA) Trails Club and Open Space Committee have been hard at work since I last updated the 2nd edition of Easy Walks in Massachusetts in 2016. I recently visited Medway a couple of times to see for myself the changes that have taken place. Here’s a link to maps of all the open space in Medway.
As I work to update the book, my first outing to Choate Park this year with my friend Nancy was simply to capture some of the stunning foliage around Choate Pond, just off Rt. 109 in Medway. The trees did not disappoint. Watery reflections doubled the display of fall color.
In the afternoon sunlight a row of turtles perched themselves on a tree trunk that had conveniently fallen into the pond.
The trail to Medway High School is accessed directly from the Choate Park recreation area. Keep an eye out in the afternoon when school is dismissed. Students use this trail when leaving for the day. The Cross Country (CC) team also uses this area as their CC race course. Plan to enjoy the quiet, stone walls, a small stream, and access to additional trails which will take ambitious walkers on several more miles of trail.
I learned that a new parking area, with access to a handicapped accessible path through the Adams Street meadow, is now useable.
The grand opening for the trail is not yet scheduled, but the trail and parking area are finished and ready for visitors.
A member of the Open Space committee, Andrea, joined me for my visit to the meadow. Thanks to the hard work of local committees and additional funding through an RTP grant from Massachusetts Division of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), the meadow trail provides a paved handicapped accessible parking area. The crushed stone path takes visitors around the circumference of the meadow.
Multiple benches and picnic tables provide places to rest, or simply spend some time enjoying the view.
Species such as bluebirds and bobolinks need open space such as the Adams St. meadow to thrive. A handicapped accessible viewing platform hosts a bench for those looking to spend some time relaxing there. Additional connecting trails take visitors behind Medway High School back toward Choate Park.
Yet another trail system on the other side of Adams St. hosts two boardwalks that cross Chicken Brook (a tributary of the Charles River). This portion of the trail has a small parking area on Adams St. next to the high tension wires that cross the area. The path from the high tension wires goes through woodland and wetland (thus the boardwalks) on its way to a small parking area on Lovering Street. Both Adams and Lovering Street and their parking areas are accessed from Summer Street (Rt. 126) in Medway.
I was excited to see all the progress that has occurred since I released the second edition of Easy Walks in Massachusetts. Our local rail trails have seen the most progress in connecting portions of trail from one town to the next. The town-owned open space of Choate Park is impressive, not only for efforts within the town to provide better access to their trail network, but for the countless volunteer hours that have contributed to making well marked trails available for residents and visitors alike.
Choate Park and its network of trails in Medway, MA are a worthwhile destination for sure. Happy trails!
Marjorie
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Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.
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In southern New England we are lucky to have a number of sections of coastline that are open to the public and easily accessible. My family heads to the coast for day trips, including Rhode Island and Connecticut since we are so close to the borders of both these states, mostly in the swing seasons (spring and fall). We choose coastal winter walks when other areas are likely to have ice-filled paths. Visiting in the swing seasons and even the dead of winter helps us avoid heat, bugs, traffic, and crowds that make summer coastal visits not so much fun for us.
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Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.
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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.
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Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.
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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.
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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.
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Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.
LISTEN HERE
We never know what we will find when visiting a new (to us) rail trail. The Hanover Branch, or Rockland Rail trail, mostly in Rockland, MA, is a work in progress. It is already a community resource, primarily for walkers, since it is relatively short for right now, (3+ miles end to end).
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Marjorie Turner Hollman 