Walking with Friends

The trails at Norwell's Norris Reservation are wide enough for two people to walk side by side.

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While attending a memorial service for a friend in August, it occurred to me how walking together – and the conversation that usually takes place while we’re on foot and side by side – tends to enhance relationships. It might be two friends, or it might be romantic partners, or it might be some other configuration, via family or work. But especially when these walks become a regular happening, when they provide a weekly (or monthly or quarterly . . . ) time to check in with one another, the two people involved not only grow closer to each other, but also gain valuable insight into their own selves.

One of the eulogists for my friend related a story along those lines. She and our mutual friend had gotten to know each other when their children were infants -- new mothers pushing their strollers together around town. In later years, they would meet for walks in the woods, or on the beach, and their “walkies” (spoken in a British accent) became a steady and reliable way to keep in touch, and help one another remain grounded as they navigated the various channels through which their lives led them. I was touched by the story, and – since I too have been fortunate to develop a number of friendships by walking together -- it got me wondering if this is universal theme.

I suspect that it has something to do with one’s mind being dually occupied. Walking requires a certain amount of energy. The conversation often fuels the steps, but at the same time, the steps fuel the conversation. It’s different from sitting and enjoying a cup of coffee together. Perhaps it’s because we’re not looking at each other – instead we’re watching where we are going. There is a sense of freedom – to let the mind wander, to try out new ideas, perhaps saying them aloud for the first time. Some of my most memorable -- and revelatory -- conversations have taken place on foot.

Autumn is probably my favorite time for walking. It’s neither too hot nor too cold. It’s neither muddy nor buggy. And the fields and forests tend to be really pretty – at least around here, as the leaves and grasses turn color and begin to fall.

The list that follows includes some of my favorite places to walk with a friend. These spots feature trails that are – at least some of the time – wide enough for two (conversation can become awkward when there is a leader and a follower). And they are large enough that one can take a decent, hour-long walk without retracing one’s steps. All feature beautiful landscapes as well. Pavement – while often convenient -- has a distinctly different feel from sand or grass or the forest floor.

Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary - Winslow Cemetery Road, Marshfield. Fields, forests, boardwalks through a red maple swamp, plus the Green Harbor River. Managed by Mass Audubon.

Norris Reservation - Dover Street, Norwell. Numerous views of the North River and Second Herring Brook, with both cart paths and woodland trails. Managed by The Trustees of Reservations.

Nelson Memorial Forest/Phillips Farm Preserve - Union Street, Marshfield. Wide logging trails and narrower paths through forest with views of the salt marsh and the North River. Managed by New England Forestry Foundation and Wildlands Trust of Southeastern Massachusetts.

North Hill Marsh, Duxbury – Mayflower Street, Duxbury. Woodlands, wetlands and varying types of trails around bogs and a large, bird-friendly pond. Managed by Mass Audubon.

Willow Brook Farm Preserve – 99 Barker Street, Pembroke. A former farm, now mostly wooded, with boardwalks and also a meadow trail. Managed by and Wildlands Trust of Southeastern Massachusetts.

Luddams Ford/Indian Head River trails - Elm Street, Hanover. Follow the trail along a former railroad bed up one side of the Indian Head River. Take short detours toward the water for spectacular views. Managed by the Town of Hanover.

Whitney and Thayer Woods – Howes Lane, Cohasset. A huge network of cart paths and wooded trails, featuring glacial erratics (huge boulders) and some truly impressive rhododendrons. Managed by The Trustees of Reservations.

World’s End – Martin’s Lane, Hingham. This place has almost everything. Views of the ocean, the marsh, and Boston. Trails through the woods and across fields and along the shore. Wide trails, narrow trails, cart paths. Managed by The Trustees of Reservations.

Humarock/Rexhame Beach – Scituate and Marshfield. Many local beaches, due to geography, tidal restraints, or property lines, don’t permit much of a walk. But whether you enter from Humarock, near Fourth Cliff, or Marshfield, via Rexhame Beach, you will be able to cover a lot of ground.

Green Harbor/Duxbury Beach – Marshfield and Duxbury. High tide will impede your progress from Green Harbor, and without a sticker you will have to park at the inland side of the Powder Point Bridge, but if you time it right, you can walk for miles on what is probably the area’s most beautiful beach.

by Kezia Bacon

August 2014 
 

Kezia Bacon's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 15 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com

Whitney and Thayer Woods

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Ode's Den at Whitney and Thayer Woods, Cohasset

Thanks to The Trustees of Reservations (TTOR), Cohasset and Hingham boast some of the largest and most interesting open space areas on the South Shore. World’s End is spectacular – I’ve written about it here before. Weir River Farm, another gem, has also been featured in this column. But until now, I’ve never quite gotten around to exploring another large and notable parcel, Whitney and Thayer Woods, which straddles the Cohasset-Hingham line.

Comprising 824 acres, Whitney and Thayer Woods offers ten miles of walking trails. That’s a lot! Many of these trails are old carriage roads – wide, clear, and well-trod. It’s a little overwhelming to have so many choices when planning one’s route, which is part of the reason it took me so long to begin my explorations. In fact, when I finally did go there, I asked a friend, who knew the property well, to show me around.

Whitney and Thayer Woods is accessible from three places. The southern entrance is on Route 3A in Cohasset, across from the Stop & Shop plaza. The good-sized (20 cars) parking lot connects with two trails, which in turn branch out into three more. From there, there are a number of small and large circuit trails, providing plenty of variety, and possibly some confusion. Be sure to take a map from the kiosk at the entrance. All intersections are numbered and marked for ease of navigation.

Some highlights from the south entrance include: the very large Bigelow Boulder, left behind by a glacier, now a striking sight in the middle of the woods. Also Ode’s Den, a large grouping of rocks named after a man who lived among them after he lost his home in 1830. The American Holly Grove, although quite a walk, is worth exploring too, as is the Milliken Memorial Path, which is lined with shrubs such as rhododendron and azalea – truly a sight to behold if you catch it while the flowers are in bloom.

The second entrance to the property is also on Route 3A, but in Hingham this time, at the foot of Turkey Hill. From the 8-car parking lot, one trail leads up the hill, and another heads down toward the middle of the property, where there is access to several additional trails.

The third entrance is at the very end of Hingham’s Turkey Hill Lane, just past Weir River Farm, and atop Turkey Hill. The lot will hold only 5 cars, but additional parking can be found if you backtrack downhill to Weir River. The hill itself is managed by The Trustees of Reservations, as well as both towns. It is comprised of 62 acres, primarily meadow, an ideal environment for grassland birds. At 187-foot elevation, it offers quite a view. One curiosity on the hilltop is a cinderblock building with a rich history – it was once part of a Cold War-era anti-missile radar control station.

As you head over the hill and down into the woods, again, you will find access to a number of walking trails. These forests used to be farmland, so the hardwoods growing there now are relatively recent. It’s not uncommon to see vestiges of old stone walls amidst the trees. Many, but not all of the trails within Whitney and Thayer Woods permit mountain biking and horseback riding.

In more recent history, after the decline of agriculture in this area but before the arrival of the subdivision, much of the Whitney and Thayer Woods was dedicated to equestrian pursuits. Henry Whitney purchased some of the former-farms and created the bridle paths and carriage roads that are still in existence today. It’s easy to imagine a horse-drawn buggy making its way along some of the wider trails. The Whitney Woods Association, a horseback-riding group, eventually took ownership of 600 acres. In 1933 this was donated to TTOR, as was – a decade later -- additional acreage to the west, owned by the Thayer family. Land acquisition from various sources continued as late as 1999.

Whitney and Thayer Woods, as well as Turkey Hill and Weir River Farm, all are open daily, from sunrise to sunset. Parking and admission to walking trails is free to everyone. Learn more at www.thetrustees.org.

by Kezia Bacon, Correspondent

October 2012

Kezia Bacon's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 15 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com