Great Fall Walks: Bird Park in Walpole, Mass.

Article and photo by Eric H.

After all that rain yesterday, we highly recommend getting outside today and enjoying better weather in the New England fall time!

If you're in the suburban Boston area and in a walking mood, we recommend strolling through Bird Park, an 89-acre gem in East Walpole, Mass., where stone walkways lead you past open, grassy fields, small walking bridges overlooking the water, mature shade trees, tree groves, and ponds. The leaves on some trees are beginning to turn color, making the experience that much better.

Owned by the the Trustees of Reservations, overseeing 53,000 acres on 94 reservations in Massachusetts, scenic Bird Park is absolutely perfect for walking!

For more information on Bird Park, click on the link above.

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A Travel Idea for a New England Fall Sunday Afternoon

Article and photos by Eric H.

Bird Park, in Walpole, MA, offers 89 acres of walking paths, trails and granite bridges, ponds, streams, tree groves and rolling meadows. It's easily one of eastern Massachusetts' most beautiful parks, courtesy of its dedicated, prideful owners, The Trustees of Reservations.

This well-maintained, special East Walpole destination also features a nice playground for the kids, as well as tennis and basketball courts. Fall time at Bird Park enhances this great travel destination even more with its brilliant red, yellow, orange and gold leaves. There are pockets of beautiful foliage now, but the next few weeks should bring even more.

After an afternoon in the park, take a short walk to 204 Washington St. (Tel. 508 660-1400, open at 4:30 p.m., and bordering Bird Park), a friendly, spacious, family-oriented neighborhood restaurant and bar, known mostly by only Walpole residents. It's a nice place for a good steak, roast turkey dinner (Sunday special), Italian-American veal and chicken dishes, some berry cobbler and a nice mug of beer or perhaps in my case, hot chocolate.

A walk in the park and a nice Sunday restaurant meal is indeed a nice way to spend a simple, informal fall day in the Boston suburbs!

Bird Park is located on Washington Street in Walpole, MA. Tel. (508) 669-6136.

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The Trustees of Reservations Promotes Open Land Resources for Public Use

Article and photo of Bird Park by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com

Developers are gobbling up remaining Massachusetts land up quickly, all in the name of a McMansion, or a commercial or industrial endeavor. Much of the Boston area, for example, is virtually unrecognizable from the region we once knew as little as 15 years ago.

No doubt we need smart development to keep the economy going (dumb development is an entirely different matter and all-too-frequent), but we also need to keep open spaces for public use and enjoyment. Thank goodness for the Trustees of Reservations, dedicated to preserving cultural and natural outdoor resources in Massachusetts. With more than 100,000 people dedicated to preserving over 25,000 acres within 99 special places, the Trustees truly cares about conservation in the Bay State.

Our favorite Trustees places are Bird Park in Walpole, MA, and World's End in Hingham, MA. Bird Park, on Washington St., features 89-acres of landscaped park grounds with more than three miles of walking paths and trails, ponds, streams, granite bridges, rolling small hills, and forested areas. It's a true oasis within the ever-growing southwest Boston suburbs. Tennis courts, a playground, a pavilion for entertainment (music, ice cream social, fall festivals, etc.) and picnic areas help create the "perfect day" in the park.

The views of the Weir River, Hingham Harbor, and the Boston skyline make World's End on Martin St., off Route 3, another truly special destination. With four miles of walking paths through pine groves and grassy fields, it's hard to believe the remote but refreshing feel and look of World's End is just two communities away from Boston. Some of the hiking is moderately challenging, but for the most part, it's easy walking en route to magnificent coastal scenery.

You could spend a lifetime exploring these natural settings in Massachusetts. Hopefully, these precious lands will last a lifetime and beyond. For more information on the Trustees of Reservation and a complete list of properties, visit the Trustees Web Site.

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