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.