Fall is still with us in New England and we have been anxious to get out before the gray of upcoming winter sets in. We headed out to Noon Hill in Medfield on a blue-sky day, since there is a nice view from Noon Hill (thus the name).
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We have spent the past several weeks exploring the SNETT (Southern New England Trunkline Trail) that runs quite near our home. Improvements have just been completed from Center Street in Bellingham, MA west to Rt. 126, near the Blackstone, MA line. What has up to now been one of the more challenging sections of the SNETT, this portion of the trail has limited views, but is key to opening up further sections of the SNETT west of here. Park at the Center Street parking area. Once parked, head west. An additional, Harpin Street entrance is next to DiPietro Elementary School, with parking across the street at the athletic fields. This area was until recently a barrier for those wanting to access other western sections of the trail.
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Third time is a charm…. Our first attempt to visit Doane’s Falls in Royalston, MA was a complete failure. The February weather had turned to the path to ice alongside the trail to the three waterfalls of this beautiful Trustees of Reservations property. Our second try was in the early days of the pandemic, and the parking area at the corner of Athol Road and Doane Hill Road in Royalston was stuffed full of cars. Visitors seeking the safety of the outdoors had squeezed themselves into the relatively narrow corridor next to the river. Too crowded for us! But a recent trip to Royalston provided all the conditions we were hoping for. A cool but not cold day, lots of shade (until the leaves fall), very few other visitors, and no ice!
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We headed out to the Brimfield area for a bike ride recently, an overcast weekend morning. We hoped to find the Grand Trunk Trail parking area in Brimfield to be mostly empty. Despite the unfavorable weather, more cars than we were comfortable with had beaten us to the trail, so we moved on to Plan B–road biking a little farther west just off Route 20.
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Brilliant fall colors brighten the scenery next to the Blackstone River
What fun to bring a friend to the Blackstone Greenway who had never seen the views from all the bridges on this railtrail before. Depending on where you start (and construction keeps changing this) there are about eight bridges on this section of railtrail from Blackstone to Millville. Granted, several of the bridges transport you over roads, but that simply means you have less to worry about as you walk or bike–very few grade crossings exist on this trail. Continue reading
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Blackstone River and stone arch bridge from the tow path of River Bend Farm, Uxbridge
Everywhere we look right now is filled with color. Fleeting, for sure, but when the sun shines, the reds, golds, yellows, pinks and every variation of these bright fall colors fill the woods, and cover the trees along the banks of local ponds and rivers. Continue reading
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View from the top of Knuckup HIll in Wrentham
A gorgeous fall day appeared, with blue skies, bright sunshine, the reds and oranges and bright yellows of fall on full display. I had a meeting in Wrentham, which got me right next door to one of my favorite easy walks, so after the meeting we headed up to the top of Knuckup HIll, in times past the old town ski hill. Continue reading
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Bright colors light up on a sunny morning at the lake
Bellingham’s Silver Lake features an island in the middle of the lake, a perfect backdrop for foliage viewing. Continue reading
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In the midst of the rushing waters of the Blackstone River, a small maple holds on, displaying its fall color, regardless
We have had an unusually wet fall already, and the local rivers are showing the effects. Most rivers we drive by are high. On a recent bike ride along the Blackstone River Bikeway, when we came to the Pratt Dam in Cumberland, RI, Continue reading
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Bright yellow leaves wreathe the entrance to the trail at Choate Park
The oaks are particularly stunning this fall as the foliage season stretches past what we normally expect. But there are also maple trees that did not seem to get the message that they were supposed to change color in October. Continue reading
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Marjorie Turner Hollman 