Monthly Archives: February 2010

Bates Street Walk

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In the local newspaper last week, I read that a short hike was scheduled for this afternoon at a property on Bates Street and all were welcome.  The day dawned chilly and gloomy, but I took a chance that rain and snow would hold off, and at a quarter to 1, I headed out toward the advertised location.  As it happened, the meeting place was only a ten-minute walk from my house.

Conservation Committee member Anne Hicks and Cynthia Henshaw, a representative from the East Quabbin Land Trust, greeted about two dozen of us North Brookfield residents and explained what this meeting was all about.  The property has come up for sale, and neighbors expressed an interest in maintaining the land as open space, by means of a conservation restriction or some such mechanism.  We were invited to tour the property and then meet at the Haston Library afterwards to discuss our ideas for the future of this property.

As you can see from these photos, the property includes fields and a stream, a solidly-constructed old barn, and wonderful views from the hilltop.

At the entrance on Bates Street, we're looking west

Years ago, children used this hill for sledding

There is a natural spring on this property

The group hikes up the hill

Our group hikes up the hill

An old barn stands on the property

The property includes this old barn

Vistas and Closeups

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My friend Steve and I decided to spend this bright blue late winter Sunday out in the country.  We met at the Staples in Auburn and drove together to the Mount Pisgah Conservation Area, a  forested tract of about 5,000 acres in Northborough and Berlin, maintained by the Sudbury Valley Trustees.

From Exit 24 off 290, via narrow and winding Church, Brewer, Green, and Smith Streets, we arrived at the trailhead in Northborough, where we found parking.  We decided to first take the Mentzer Trail, which climbs gradually up toward the North View lookout, which by our map appeared to be in Berlin.  From here, we could see the John Hancock and the Prudential Tower in Boston!

North View with Boston in the distance

Our map showed another vista, South View, so we decided to head that way next, south via the Tyler Trail and the Berlin Road Trail.  I think we’re looking east here:

South View, looking east

From here, we walked the Sparrow Trail all the way back to where it intersects the Mentzer, a few hundred yards from the car.

From  my local library, I had obtained passes to Tower Hill Botanic Garden, so we headed there next; it’s a short hop west on Green Street, past the Mt Pleasant Country Club, to Central Street then French Drive in Boylston.  Yesterday and today, the Massachusetts Camellia Society held its 181st annual exhibition, and what a wonderful sight that was.  Camellia, by the way, is a genus of flowering plants, the most famous member of which is the tea plant, Camellia sinensis.  Who knew that drab-looking tea leaves come from a plant with such showy flowers.  Here are only a few of the photos I took:

Tower Hill’s Orangerie, a 4,000 square foot 18th century-style greenhouse, is most delightful in the winter; tropical and semi-tropical plants are artfully displayed in all their blooming profusion:

We couldn’t resist a walk to the Belvedere Overlook, and then to the Summit.  In the distance you can see both Mt Wachusett and the Wachusett Reservoir.

I was due at the Annual Meeting of the Greater Worcester Land Trust  at 80 William St in Worcester at 4 this afternoon, so by 2:45 we were headed back to Auburn. Thank you, Steve, for suggesting these excursions.