Wellesley to Newton Upper Falls winter hike - January 29, 2025

 HIKE REPORT

Wednesday, 29 January 2025, Wellesley to Newton Upper Falls winter hike
Hike Leader:  Susan Sabin

6 miles, 10:30 am start from Wellesley, MA

Hikers (12):  Susan, Aiko Pinkoski, Ann Northup, Frank Calabrese, Jeffrey Whalen, Jim Whinfield, Lisa O’Connor, Mike Hanauer, Molly Schaeffer, Susan Broome, Todd Palmer, and first-timer Debra Mello.

Seventeen WWs registered for this walk, but only twelve met at the start.  Two cancelled and one had a GPS that led them to Oak Street, not Oakland, leaving us with two phantom registrees.  The leader hopes that the other two are not still looking for the group.

As leader, I regret that I didn’t take the time for welcomes, because many of these folks were new or newish to the walking groups.  My excuse was the weather forecast which called for mild temps and sun in the morning, followed by winds of up to 40 mph after 12:00 pm, along with showers.  The morning forecasts were accurate, the ones for the afternoon were not and I needn’t have rushed.  It remained mild and completely benign and turned out to be a great day for a walk.

Most of the walk followed the Sudbury Aqueduct trail to Newton Upper Falls which, because of the water power provided by the Charles, was a major industrial site in colonial times.  Although signs of early industry can still be found in the village, the twentieth century saw a change in character, when Hemlock Gorge was developed as a recreational area with meandering trails, an amphitheater and a large dance pavilion.  We walked on the paths laid out in the area, but neither the dance hall nor the amusement park features remain visible.

  
But we did walk on a tiny length of Rte 9, an early turnpike road which, having existed as a dirt road in colonial days, has since been paved, widened, and become a public way.  Everyone stopped halfway for lunch after which we retraced our route, this time heading back west on the famous Echo Bridge, over the aqueduct trails, and eventually to our cars - a six mile route in all.

In March, my hike will start in the same location, then head in the opposite direction, to the industrial area which grew up around Newton Lower Falls.  This hike will cross Rte 9 and be mainly along wooded trails within hearing distance of Rte 128 (I-95), now an undeveloped area!!  How times change!

 

Report by Susan Sabin.