Farrar Pond spring hike - March 20, 2024

 HIKE REPORT

Wednesday, 20 March 2024, Farrar Pond spring hike
Hike Leader:  Marie Keutmann, 617 312 4739, marie.keutmann@gmail.com
~4 miles, 10:00 am start from Lincoln, MA

Hikers (15):  Marie, Annemarie Altman, Barbara Jacobs, Betty Salzberg, George Stromberg, Jack Mroczkowski, Kristina Leclaire, Lynell Stromberg, , Marlene Heroux, Melissa Norton, Mike Hanauer, Peggy Gelin, Phyllis Evan, Susan Sabin, and Ted Nyder.

Marie led fourteen hikers along scenic Farrar Pond.  We took two detours:  one to look at numerous kettle holes, and another to look at a waterfall in a stream that empties into the pond.  Kettle holes are formed by blocks of dead ice left behind by retreating glaciers.  The ice becomes buried in sediment and, when it melts, it leaves a depression called a kettle hole.

Approximately ten hikers had lunch in the greenhouse at Verrill Farm, a few miles away in Concord.

Report by Marie Keutmann.

Group photo courtesy of Kristina Leclaire.

Wayland - Hike the Eskers - March 13, 2024

 HIKE REPORT

 

Wednesday, 13 March 2024, Wayland - Hike the Eskers
Hike Leader: Betty Salzberg

~4.5 miles, 10:00 am start from Wayland, MA

Hikers (15) Betty, Barbara Jacobs, Barbara Pike, Ellen Harvey, Ernie Glickman, George Stromberg, Kristina Leclaire, Lynell Stromberg, Marie Keutmann, Melissa Norton, Mike Hanauer, Patrick Ward, Susan Broome, Susan Sabin, and Ted Nyder.

It was a warm and sunny day.  We walked past the large hosta farm where all the potted plants were under white wraps, which made it look like snow from a distance.  We then passed a large house under
construction and walked parallel to the Sudbury River which we could see in the distance.  The Sudbury River is overflowing now and there was more water to look at than usual.

Then we crossed Trout Brook on Oxbow Road and went onto a path (on private land) which is used by many neighbors to get to the Trout Brook Conservation Area.  We immediately climbed onto a high esker with views over a large marsh.  As we hiked along the esker, we saw a couple of impressive kettleholes before descending to cross Sherman's Bridge Road on our way to the next esker in the Castle Hill Conservation Area.

 

After another ascent, we looked down at Schoolhouse Pond.  Hazel Brook feeds Schoolhouse Pond then goes over a dam and under a footbridge before reaching the Sudbury River.  We could not see the river when we were in Castle Hill, but the pond was large and
beautiful.

We then walked back on a different path on the Trout Brook esker.  We also hiked around a peninsula which was surrounded by reeds, before exiting Trout Brook.

We met for post-hike lunch at Verrill Farm in Concord.  Some excitement occurred when a bottle of Verrill’s root beer was mistakenly thought to be a real beer.

Here is a link to the route which was provided by Mike:   https://ridewithgps.com/trips/154326120:

 

Report by Betty Salzberg.

Hopkinton State Park winter hike - March 6, 2024

 HIKE REPORT

 

Wednesday, 6 March 2024, Hopkinton State Park winter hike

Hike Leader:  Ann Northup

~4 miles, 10:00 am start from Hopkinton, MA

 

Hikers (9):  Ann, Barbara Jacobs, Barbara Pike, Betty Salzberg, Kristina Leclaire, Marie Keutmann, Susan Broome, Ted Nyder, and first-timer Ellen Harvey.

 

It was a cloudy, comfortable day to hike Hopkinton State Park.  We started at the Boathouse parking lot.  Beginning on the Foxtrot trail, we hiked the perimeter of the park, following the forested Long Trail.  When we came out of the trees, we passed the kiddie swimming area, public changing facility, and picnic area, and headed to the dam.

While hiking across the dam, we watched the water rushing through the spillway and enjoyed looking down on the nearly dry kiddie area on the eastern/Ashland side of the park, as well as the large, deep reservoir with swimming and boating opportunities on the park's western/Hopkinton side.  We then followed the direct route, hugging the reservoir, back to our cars.

Seven of us went on to Mauro's Village Cafe, in Southborough, for lunch and pleasant conversation.

Report by Ann Northup.