Wellesley hike: The trails were fragrant along Longfellow Pond

October 25, 2023 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

If you’re looking for a quick and pretty walk in Wellesley with water views, changing fall foliage, and the scent of pine trees—and perhaps some other olfactory exposures—try out the trails in the Longfellow Pond area, a small section of the 221-acre Wellesley Town Forest. You can’t miss the Oakland Street parking lot, or the trailheads, which you can access on either side of the lot.

Longfellow Pond, Wellesley — Longfellow Pond, October, 2023

I waked toward the trailhead to the right as I faced the pond, and set out for a pleasant experience. As I made my way along the wide path, I took a deep breath of autumn. Inhale—ahh, the crisp, cool temperatures awakened me from a mid-afternoon slump. Exhale—let’s power walk, baby. Another inhale—the strong smell of cigarette smoke. Wait, what? No way I’m going to breathe secondhand smoke during my commune with nature. When two paths diverged in a wood, I grabbed my chance and took the one less smoked on, banking right to hike up the steep esker, marked with the red trail arrows.

There’s irony here. As Josh Dorin has pointed out in his Wellesley History blog, “Longfellow Pond is not natural. Rather, it’s entirely man-made and, furthermore, very little of the surrounding environment has been untouched by humans. Look closely and this should be obvious, from the dam and concrete piers at the north end of the pond to…the sewer and gas lines that run underneath the pond.”

Here are some pictures of my hike, along with some musings, and a little history about the area.

The foliage was just starting to turn during my mid-October hike in this area that looks perfectly preserved, but that’s actually been nipped and tucked more often than a Hollywood celebrity. In 1815, Rosemary Brook was permitted to be dammed at the request of business owners. The result was Longfellow Pond. Industrial concerns came and went over the years, among them a nail factory and a paper mill. But it was the ice house that lasted the longest, harvesting frozen blocks from the pond from the late 1800s through until the 1920s. Remnants can still be seen along the shores.

The days are now rare when the shallow Longfellow Pond, which reaches a depth of only about 5 feet, freezes solid enough to harvest blocks (a [Read more…]

Guernsey Sanctuary in Wellesley home to new Eagle Scout project

September 2, 2023 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Guernsey Sanctuary, a 25-acre woodland on the Wellesley/Needham line, protected by the Wellesley Conservation Land Trust, benefitted by the completion of two new bridges today, thanks to Wellesley Eagle Scout Johannes Eikeboom. With help from family, friends, and fellow Boy Scouts, Eikeboom completed his Eagle Scout project near the vernal pond area.

Wellesley Eagle Scout project, Guernsey Sanctuary — Scouts level out the bridge frame at Guernsey Sanctuary. Photo by Wellesley Boy Scouts

The new bridges replace Eagle Scout projects completed by Robby Littlefield and Ben Zaehringer, whose well-constructed bridges lasted nearly 20 years.

Take a hike at Guernsey Sanctuary and check out the project for yourself.

Forest bathe in Wellesley with the NRC—clothing required

August 30, 2023 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Come join a Forest Bathing Guided Walk led by the Wellesley Natural Resources Commission‘s Environmental Education, Outreach and Compliance Coordinator Lisa Moore. Forest Bathing is the practice of going into nature to reconnect with nature and de-stress. The term emerged in Japan in the 1980s. Researchers have been studying the physiological benefits of Forrest Bathing since the 1990s, and the science supports what many nature enthusiasts already know: time spent in nature is good for us. Participants are encouraged to wear comfy clothes, good walking shoes and to bring a yoga mat or towel and a bottle of water to this event. This will be a shine only event.

morses pond woods purple — Morses Pond woods

DATE: September 13, 2023
RAIN DATE: September 14, 2023
TIME: 9am-10am
LOCATION: Turner Road by Morses Pond gate entrance
RSVP: lmoore@wellesleyma.gov

Wellesley-Newton DCR bridge—remembering the dark days when neighbors were separated

August 22, 2023 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

We recently took a short walk across the Wellesley-Newton DCR bridge linking Washington Street in Wellesley with Concord Street in Newton, and noticed that the flower boxes had been freshened up by volunteers of the Waterstone senior independent living residences. The results of the eight boxes packed with geraniums and petunias give the DCR pedestrians-only bridge a tended look, enjoyed by all who make the short jaunt between the two towns.

The bridge looks good now, but about a decade ago, the crossing over the former railway was treacherous. If Romeo from Newton wanted to see Juliet from Wellesley, it was either swim the Charles or take his chances on the punky wood of the old tracks.

Here’s what the bridge looked like in 2011, before a renovation project. As my co-editor Bob Brown posted at that time, “Not since the Chunnel connected England and France in 1994 has a project emerged that has the capacity to link two previously disconnected peoples.”

Waterstone path, Wellesley — Access the Wellesley-Newton DCR bridge via Washington Street, to the right of CVS front entrance.

Waterstone, Wellesley — The path continues on past Waterstone

Charles River bridge, near Waterstone, Wellesley — The surface of the ADA compliant Charles River Bridge, formerly train tracks, is crushed stone at the start and finish, and wood in the middle.

Charles River bridge, Wellesley, flower boxes — There are eight of these boxes—four on either side of the Charles River bridge. The Wellesley Trails Committee installed the boxes in 2021.

flower boxes lower falls bridge wellesley trails — Flower boxes installation, a work in progress. 2021

Once we crossed the bridge, it seemed like a good idea to cross Concord Street and see how Newton was getting along. Newton was doing quite well, thank you, so we popped over to Weston and paid a call on the Leo J. Martin Golf Course. The entire walk, round trip, was about 1.5 miles

Leo J. Martin Golf Course, Newton — This is where the sidewalk ends. You can keep going if you don’t mind traffic nudging you onto the Mass Pike in about another half mile.

More bridge fun

Hike the Echo Bridge area

Hike the Waban Arches and Sudbury Aqueduct

Hike over the gorges in the beautiful Cornell University area

Top things to do in Wellesley before summer ends

July 14, 2023 by Duncan Brown Leave a Comment

Summer is in full swing, and if you’re staying local, there’s plenty to do in Wellesley.

Morses Pond

It’s no secret that it’s hot this summer, and so it’s no surprise that people are looking for a bit of water to jump into. Luckily, Wellesley is home to Morses Pond, which is staffed by lifeguards and is host to many beach-y activities beyond just taking a dip. Aside from swimming, there are paddle boards and kayaks that can be rented and taken around anywhere in the pond for 30 minutes at the cost $5 for a single kayak and $10 for a double kayak. Paddle boards are $10. On the beach itself there are pavilions that can be rented for events ($10 for resident, $20 for non residents, for two hours), and beach volleyball is available for some friendly competition. The bathhouse offers bathrooms and changing stalls, and has a vending machine as well.

Wellesley residents can either buy a $10 day pass, or go for a season pass option. Adult season passes are $125, while children (under 16) and seniors can get one for $60. There is also $250 family pass option.

If you are not Wellesley resident, there are no day passes available, and season passes run quite a bit steeper—adults are $190, and children/seniors are $90.

The Brook Path & beyond

The Brook Path is a 2.4-mile route that runs through Wellesley, roughly from the High School to the Nehoiden Golf Club. It’s a perfect place to walk, run, or bike on a sunny summer day. The trees provide shade, and there are benches along the path if you need a break or just want to sit outside in nature. The path runs adjacent to Fuller Brook which, if you are persistent and curious, you can discover leads to the Charles River. The Brook Path is probably the best known and most popular path in town, so if you are looking for seclusion in nature, this might not be the path for you.

Wellesley is rife with trails, perfect for walking or running. Beyond the Brook Path, there exists a system of trails, maintained and mapped by the Wellesley Trails Committee. We have some personal recommendations for which trials are best, particularly in the summer, when heat is a factor.

The Sudbury Path (or blue arrow path) is well shaded and quite secluded, and runs for 4.6 miles. It’s never very crowded and offers more physical challenge than the flat and level Brook Path.
The Crosstown Trail is a 6.2 miles, flat path that cuts in and out of the town. We would recommend doing small bits of it at a time if you want to preserve the feeling of walking in nature. That being said, it offers diversity in scenery, and is easy to find parking for. A good place to start is the 900 Worcester St. parking lot near Dale Street.
The Centennial Reservation Trail, as you might guess, runs around Centennial Reservation. This is a popular spot for dog walkers, and is a scenic, hilly path. It’s on the shorter side, but has offshoots that can be explored. It is a little more exposed than the other trials in town, so remember to bring your sunscreen. The trail starts at the Centennial Reservation parking lot off Oakland Street.

brook path summer — Brook Path, summer 2022

Ice cream

Summer was made for ice cream. Or is it the other way around? Either way, Wellesley has delicious options for everyone’s favorite summer treat. Truly’s, a small, local store that usually has a line out the door on summer nights, often changes up their special flavors while keeping a unique selection of consistent items. We personally recommend the Cookie D lite soft-serve option.

Also in Wellesley Square is J.P Licks. Although part of a chain, J.P. Licks does a good job keeping a local feel to the place by decorating their walls with art from local artists. As for the ice cream itself, there’s a wide selection of what we would call “fancy” ice cream. This means it’s not just chocolate, it’s chocolate brownie. They don’t have just mint, they have mint cookies and cream. You get the picture. While they do have the more typical flavors, if you’re looking for excitement in your ice cream life, J.P. Licks can serve you well.

Dumpster Diving

The Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility is more than a place to throw away your trash and recyclables. You can also visit two spots to search for the cast-off treasures of Wellesley residents—the Give-and-Take section (open Wednesday-Saturday, and closes 30 minutes prior to the closing of the facility), and the books section (open during regular RDF hours). Both areas are constantly replenished by Wellesley residents looking to de-clutter their homes. From furniture to water guns, there’s little that hasn’t appeared at the RDF at one point or another. It can be a bit hit or miss, but the searching is half the fun.

wellelsey rdf give and take opening week — RDF Give and Take area, spring 2023

Live theater

Wellesley Theater Project runs throughout the summer, putting on plays with young actors getting a taste of the theatrical world.

Check out Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob the Musical on July 27 at 7pm, July 28 at 7pm, and July 29 at 2pm. All three shows will run at the Sorenson Center for the Arts, 19 Babson College Drive, Wellesley, MA.

Ticket information here.

Restaurants

Wellesley offers a wide range of cuisine for the local foodie as well as those who are just plain hungry, The newest spots in town are Oath Pizza in Linden Square, and JeJes Coffeehouse and Roastery at 259 Washington St. in Wellesley Hills.

Lots of restaurants in town offer outdoor seating, including The Cottage and Oath Pizza in Linden Square; CrepeBerry and Papa Razzi in Wellesley Hills; and Alta Strada and Lockheart in Wellesley Square; among others.

Oath Pizza, outdoor seating, Linden Square, Wellesley — Outdoor seating area at Oath Pizza in Linden Square

Live concerts behind Town Hall on Wednesday nights

Wellesley is serving up a slate of free summer concerts and movies on Wednesday nights for the summer.

Live music can be found in Wellesley, behind Town Hall. Summer concerts start at 7pm, and rotate different musicians and bands throughout the summer. The remaining shows for the summer are being performed by Classic Groove with their mix of hit favorites on July 19 and The Reminisants playing hits from the 50s and 60s on July 26;

The events are great for people of all ages, and additional entertainment is offered for kids with lawn games spread about the field. Kids games with Knucklebones are always fun.

town hall concert reminisants — Kids and families play games during Wednesday night concert, summer 2022

Movies in the Tailby parking lot on Wednesday nights

Mobile Movies will be up on the big screen in the Tailby Commuter parking lot at 103 Linden St. on Wednesday nights. Mobile Movies are free for Wellesley residents, and are limited to 50 cars. Register at Wellesley Recreation, activity #343877. The line-up will feature Lightyear, July 12, 8:30pm; Maverick: Top Gun 2, August 2, 8:15pm; Sing 2, August 9, 8pm; Space Jam 2, August 16, 7:50pm.

Babson Globe

All praise the globe! Stare at it long enough, and it may stare back at you. Located on the campus of Babson College, the Babson World Globe has been around for over 60 years, having been completed in 1955. For decades it was hidden away behind one of the campus residence halls. However, in 2019 it was moved to a central location on campus, and can be more easily found in all its glory. The globe is meant to provide a realistic map of the world, and was initially made as a symbol of the college’s “global presence.” The globe is 25 tons, 28 feet across, and can be seen any time of day, slowly rotating on its pedestal. If you want to see one of the more striking pieces of outdoor art in Wellesley, and learn a new country or two while you’re at it, head on over to Babson.

Shopping

There will truly never be a lack of places to go shopping in Wellesley. Saying that you have walked every path, swam in every body of water, and loyally attended all the summer concerts is believable, but don’t try and tell The Swellesley Report that you’ve shopped in every store in town. Wellesley Square is a good place to start any shopping endeavor— don’t miss July Jubilation in Wellesley Square on Saturday, July 15. The Square offers a plethora of clothing stores, along with stores such as Anderson’s Jewelers, London Harness, Wellesley Toy Shop, and many more.

Linden Square has just as much to offer, with stores selling things ranging from makeup to toys. Sara Campbell, Mélange, Orvis, and others offer a variety of places to explore. Take a break in the Courtyard’s outdoor seating area if you need to take a load off your feet mid-shopping spree.

linden square summer afternoon — The Linden Square Courtyard

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Beyond Wellesley—we visit the beautiful Cornell University area

September 16, 2022 by Deborah Brown 2 Comments

Ithaca, N.Y., is the kind of destination where the usual summer fun is on tap—there are plenty of spots to hike, bike, swim, shop, and dine—yet the two-college city (Cornell University and Ithaca College) feels homey, a place where its 30k+ full-time residents and the student population work, play, and live side-by-side. Fortunately for the 1.6 million visitors between May 2019 and 2020 to the Commons, the area’s busiest shopping and dining district, the locals like to share their secrets.

We booked an Airbnb for a few nights in early September and drove the 5.5 hours from Wellesley. Our goals: to see Ithaca’s famous gorges, enjoy some good meals, bike the safe and scenic Rail Trail up to Taughannock Falls (the tallest waterfall on the East Coast), hike the beautiful Robert H. Treman State Park, visit the Johnson Museum of Art on the Cornell University campus, and more. You don’t go to Ithaca to experience the fall “shoulder season,” that period of time after the crush of tourists has gone home and you can finally get into all the cool restaurants and attractions. You just go to visit Ithaca. If you want a party scene, it’s there for you, somewhere. Certainly the red solo cups littered around student rental houses after a Saturday night debauch attest to that. It’s just not in your face, demanding your attention and participation. (We’re still kinda exhausted from last year’s adventure to Block Island, a rock-on place if ever there was one.)

Working out the kinks

After being in the car for so long, we were eager to stretch our legs. We went straight to the Fall Creek Gorge suspension bridge, a part of the Cornell campus, where we walked 140 feet over the rushing water, alongside students on their way to class. There’s a small parking area at 310 Fall Creek Dr. After walking over the bridge, there are plenty of paths along the water for additional exploration.

We were told ahead of time that the beauty of the bridges was marred by fencing and safety netting that was put in place in 2010 after a long history of people jumping from the Fall Creek Gorge and other nearby bridges. We found that the unobtrusive netting couldn’t grab attention from the roar of the water and the natural beauty of the scene. When you consider that before safety measures were installed, 27 people died by suicide between 1990 and 2010 (including 15 students) by jumping from the five area bridges, the protective measures seem a small price to pay.

The Commons, dining and shopping

Ithaca Commons is the area’s hot hangout scene, a place to catch a movie at the Cinemapolis Art House Theater, or visit Buffalo Street Books to browse volumes on two floors, and their basement collection of vinyl. We peeked into the iconic Chanticleer, but the landmark corner dive-bar looked too cool for the likes of us. We didn’t want to go in and risk altering the vibe. Lots of indie shops and restaurants gave the two-block pedestrian mall an authentic feel. You couldn’t just as well have been in Faneuil Hall. The Commons is all Ithaca, from the head shops to the outdoors store to upscale artisans shops and restaurants. Not much in the way of chains here.

Down the street a couple of blocks from The Commons is the famous Moosewood Restaurant, which we tried out our first night in town. The vegetarian eatery is under new ownership since earlier this year. Danica Wilcox and her husband Nicholas, after living in Spain for many years, came home to take over the restaurant where Danica long ago was hired for her first job in the Moosewood kitchen. We sat outside on the lovely brick patio and watched the street scene go by. Our servers, both local students— one experienced and one in-training acolyte—were attentive and able to answer our questions about the dishes on the curated, seasonal menu. The choices included five apps, a few salads, several mains, and three side dishes, all vegetarian, with vegan and gluten-free options. I tried out the strozzapreti pasta (similar to penne) with shiitake and oyster mushrooms, baby spinach, sherry cream, gremolata, and parmesan. The dish, unfortunately, was bland and barely sauced. Moosewood is the kind of place where there are no salt and pepper shakers on the table, and I was determined to eat dinner as it was served for the purposes of this story. I doggy-bagged most of the meal and doctored it the next day on my Airbnb’s hotplate. A dash of seasoning and a little cream brought the strozzapreti to life, making it what it surely would have been if the chef’s final tasting hadn’t somehow been missed. Mr. Swellesley dared try his historic first black bean burger, and lived to tell about it. Who knows what the future could bring for his limited palate.

The lemon tahini broccoli and the spicy coconut curry we’re told are two must-try items. Homemade desserts include their famous fudge brownie. Wines and beers, some local, as well as a selection of creative non-alcoholic drinks such as ginger tea and fresh-squeezed lemonade, are available in this restaurant, which offers nice ambience in a convivial downtown location.

It’s all uphill from here

We made a quest out of our desire to see Taughannock Falls, a 215-foot waterfall billed as the highest vertical drop waterfall in the northeastern United States. Ithaca Bike Rental, located in view of the 45k-acre Cayuga Lake, outfitted us in good-quality bikes up to the task of taking us along a scenic paved

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Wellesley’s fall guided trails walks & activities

September 10, 2022 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

The Wellesley Trails Committee has rolled out its roster of fall trail hikes and activities.

The walks are free, and no registration is required. The first two walks cover about 2-1/4 miles and last a little over one hour. Participants are encouraged to wear sturdy footwear. The third walk covers 11 miles and is for seasoned hikers.

Beard Trail and Ridge Hill Reservation

Saturday, Sept. 24 – (9-10:15 a.m.)

Walk the trail along Beard Way to discover Ridge Hill Reservation in Needham. The reservation was part of the old Baker Estate, an extravagant amusement park created by William Baker in 1868. Ridge Hill has miles of hiking trails including a long boardwalk through wetlands that feed Fuller Brook. Meet at the map house located at Grove Street and Beard Way near the Needham town line. Please park on the left-hand side of Beard Way.

Lower Falls

Sunday, Oct. 2 – (9-10:15 a.m.)

Take a walk through an historic part of Wellesley and enjoy scenic views along the river on the Charles River Path. Walk along the brick Waterway, the remnants of a proposed development in the 1890’s at Indian Springs Park. Follow the Crosstown Trail on the Cochituate Aqueduct that was built in 1848 to supply water to Boston. Cross over the Charles River footbridge at the Cordingly Dam. Meet at the River Street parking lot off Washington Street (free on weekends).

Wellesley Grand Tour Hike

Sunday, Oct. 30 – (8 a.m.-12:30 p.m.)

Take a spectacular 11-mile loop hike along the trails network in Wellesley. We will start along the Brook Path, then take the Crosstown Trail, Charles River Path, Sudbury Path and Guernsey Path, and return on the Brook Path. Most of our hike will be on trails through woods, parks or along aqueducts, with less than 3 miles along roads. Meet at the State Street parking lot adjacent to the High School stadium.

Note: This is a strenuous hike and participants should plan to walk at a moderate pace to stay with the group. Bring sturdy footwear, water and a snack. One restroom stop included. No dogs please.

Kids’ Trails Day

Sunday, Oct. 23 – (1:30-3 p.m.) – Town Forest

Join us in celebrating fall and get your kids out into the woods to have fun and explore nature. Children will look for treasure boxes using letterboxing (written clues). Refreshments served at the end of the activities. No registration is required and no fee is charged. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Meet at the Longfellow Pond parking lot, located on the left side of Oakland Street 0.9 mile south of Route 9. For additional parking, use Jackson Road across from the parking lot.

Activities take place unless it pours rain or there are high winds.

Participants will be required to follow Town guidelines for COVID-19 for outdoors group events. If the walk is cancelled because of the pandemic, a notice will be posted.

Wellesley hike: Guernsey Sanctuary, the Sabrina Lake area

June 14, 2022 by Deborah Brown 3 Comments

On the Wellesley/Needham line, off a street lined with some of Wellesley’s most beautiful mansions, a parking area just large enough for a few cars grants easy access to the 25-acre Guernsey Sanctuary. The trailhead is so much a part of its woodland surroundings that I blew by it, even though I’ve visited the beauty spot many times over the years. To reach the dirt lot from Dover Road in Wellesley, turn down Livingston Road. Livingston Road turns into Winding River Road, and near the Wellesley/Needham line is where you’ll find the parking area. Pro tip: when the house numbers reach the 150s/160s, slow down. You’re there. If you pass the yellow “no salt zone” sign on the right, and the yellow fire hydrant on the left, you’ve gone too far.

Now that we have that figured out, let’s take an easy one-mile, 45-minute woodland hike along tranquil paths softened with the needles of hundreds of towering pine trees, and lined with early-spring wildflowers and ferns; walk along Sabrina Lake, a man-made 18-acre body of water; and cross the bridge, an Eagle Scout project, to explore Oak Island.

Start your hike at the entrance point that’s on the same side of the road as the parking lot. At the Guernsey Sanctuary sign, bear right and look for a short wooden bridge that spans a currently dried-up brook bed.

Guernsey Sanctuary, Wellesley — The Wellesley Conservation Council since 2020 has gone by the name the Wellesley Conservation Land Trust. The Land Trust is a frugal organization, so the plan is to change the signs around town as existing signs deteriorate.

From the bridge, step directly onto the stump rounds if it’s muddy or if you’d just like to have a bit of fun hopping from one round to the next. The “tree cookies,” as they’re sometimes called, were in 2020 sliced by Wellesley Conservation Land Trust volunteers from the trunks of fallen trees, and strategically placed as a nature-based solution to the mucky conditions that are often part of a Guernsey Sanctuary hike. Because the walking path rings a marsh, all it takes is a little rain to turn parts of the trail into a mud slick. The addition of the tree cookies encourages hikers to keep to the path instead of veering off-trail and trampling ecologically sensitive areas in an effort to keep footwear mud-free.

Shortly after the bridge, at the “Guidelines for Sanctuary & trail use” sign, go right. Soon after that you’ll pass a sanctuary access point in Needham at the end of the Locust Lane cul de sac in Needham.

Technically speaking

If you can’t fathom so much as a casual stroll without fiddling with your phone, the Wellesley Conservation Land Trust has you covered. The Trust in 2019 brought technology to the Guernsey Trail with the addition of QR-codes at strategic spots along the one-mile circular trail. Support for the project was provided by the Wellesley Turkey Trot Foundation, and naturalists Bill Geizentanner of Wellesley and Ted Elliman of Sherborn, who conducted a botanical inventory of the area and identified 72 specimens and special places along the trail to be featured. Each of these features has a QR-code metal marker that identifies common and scientific names of the selected specimens and places, as well as information about various plants, trees, and water features along the trail. I tried out a few of the markers. Sometimes the QR codes worked for me, sometimes not. Success likely varies based on individual phone coverage.

Looking up from my phone I was rewarded, after an easy climb to the top of a slight rise, by a view of Sabrina Lake. (Landmark: a white house with a red roof sits directly across this narrow part of the lake.) The 18-acre privately owned body of water is approximately 1/2 mile long from north to south. Its deepest point is 10 feet, roughly in the center of the pond.

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Hike Wellesley, Newton & Needham in one shot at Hemlock Gorge and Echo Bridge area

April 2, 2022 by Deborah Brown 1 Comment

Off of busy route 9 eastbound is an interesting hiking area with an urban park feel, Hemlock Gorge and Echo Bridge, that includes areas of Wellesley, Needham, and Newton. On the mid-March day we went, sounds of traffic mingled with birdsong, 9am church bells, and the churn of water as it surged over a spillway. The Charles River showed off its meandering early-springtime beauty, and Echo Bridge loomed large. We also came across two caves that maybe were empty, or maybe were the winter homes for hibernating bats, making the area feel a bit wild.

There’s a small parking lot at 4 Ellis St. in Newton with room for seven cars. We crossed the street and began our hike at the 23-acre Department of Conservation and Recreation property.

Echo Park, Hemlock Gorge — The spillway dike was completed in 1906, and rehabilitated in 2022.

Our first goal was to check out Echo Bridge. The easy way to get there is to walk the short distance up Ellis Street via the sidewalk. We went the hard way because we’re like that. If you get to Echo Bridge via the narrow path along the river, expect massive boulders on your left, a sharp drop to the river on your right, and wet and slippery leaf litter underfoot at this time of year. Steep descents mean this route is not advisable for young children, nor is it accessible. But it sure was fun to play mountain goat as we edged our way carefully along this short stretch.

What’s with the weirdness atop the water?

Dozens of foam floaters made their way down the quick-flowing Charles River as gracefully as swans, but not as pretty to our eyes. We found out from Wellesley Natural Resources Director Brandon Schmitt that the bubble clumps were most likely a result of the breakdown of organic material in the river.

“As the temperatures increase, and we have more rain in the spring and more turbulence in the river, the decomposing organic materials are agitated and produce foam. While it is very possible that some observed foam is from some synthetic substance coming from a pipe or other direct source, much of the foam observed in the rivers right now is completely natural. The use of fertilizers can cause plant and algal blooms, which when they break down could increase the presence of foam,” Schmitt said in an email.

Approaching Echo Bridge…bridge…bridge…

Echo Bridge impressed in three ways. The first is the view as we approached the seven-arched stone and brick bridge. Built in 1877 by Boston Water Works, Echo Bridge was acquired by the State in 1895, before it was taken over by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority in 1984. At 500 feet long and 70 feet high, the National Historic Landmark was built to impress.

The second is the pure fun of shouting from the Echo Platform. After falling into disrepair, the Echo Platform was restored in 2004 through the efforts of the Friends of Hemlock Grove, a sort of secret weapon volunteer organization devoted to preserving and improving the reservation. Waban Arches behind Nehoiden Golf Course, which we’ve written about in the past, should be so lucky to have such a stewardship group.

The third can’t-miss are the spectacular river views from the pedestrian walkway on top of the bridge, but we had to work for those views by crossing Ellis Street and climbing a steep staircase. So worth it.

After we crossed the bridge into Needham, we kept to the left and followed the wide, easy path, moving toward the sound of Hemlock Gorge. Nearby a couple of contemplative benches overlook the area, and there is easy access to the river’s edge.

From the gorge area, we retraced our steps back to the Needham side of Echo Bridge and tried out the pathway on the Wellesley side of the reservation. After crossing a footbridge, we soon came to an old stone building that the U.S. Geological Survey keeps handy as a stream gaging station. A beat-up old sign on a beat-up old door says that the station is part of a national network for obtaining water resources information.

From the stream gaging station we saw traffic whizzing down route 9, but we ventured a little closer to the road and were rewarded with view of the falls at Horseshoe Dam.

After going back over the footbridge, we cut right to view the two caves across an offshoot stream of the Charles River. They looked dank and mossy and ancient. It would take braver hikers than us to actually explore the interiors. We turned around and retraced our steps back to Echo Bridge. Once across we had a choice—take the hard way back to the parking lot via the narrow path along the river, same way we came, or take the easy way down the Ellis Street sidewalk. Feeling our luck had carried us far enough for one day, we took the easy way and ended our hour-long hike happy.

The hemlocks at Hemlock Gorge

Although many of the area’s namesake hemlock trees still stand along the steep banks of the Charles River, the trees are imperiled by the wooly adelgid beetle. Native to Asia, the voracious pest first appeared in the United States in 1924. The beetle feeds off the sap of hemlock trees, killing them within eight years. According to the Friends of Hemlock Gorge website, wooly adelgid beetles have, indeed, appeared in the Gorge. The Friends are working with the Department of Conservation and Recreation to develop a strategy to thwart the invaders.

For more great Wellesley hikes, check out the Wellesley Trails Committee’s round-up of favorite trail walks. Each walk includes a downloadable and detailed description of the area, along with a handy map.

Hike the Waban Arches and Sudbury Aqueduct

Beyond Wellesley: a 2-mile walk around Weston Reservoir

Beyond Wellesley: A walk around Walden Pond in Concord

Wellesley hike—Kelly Memorial Park & Boulder Brook Reservation

February 19, 2022 by Deborah Brown 3 Comments

First thing I noticed was the welcoming committee of robins, over a dozen of them flitting around Kelly Memorial Park on a mid 40-degree February morning. According to Mass Audubon, the common songbirds are either overwintering here or came down earlier in the season from more northern New England points or Canada. They thank you for your backyard feeders. The next hello came from a friendly and photogenic pup, emerging from the woodland path. Behind him, a walker on crutches, despite the icy conditions. Encouraged, I strapped on my Yaktrax and started my 1.6-mile loop walk from Kelly Memorial Park, through Boulder Brook Reservation, to the top of of the rocky ledges, then back down via a short border-jump over to Weston, and back to the Elmwood Road parking lot.

Kelly Memorial Park, Wellesley — The dirt parking lot at Kelly Memorial Park on Elmwood road has room for about 10 cars. The sign, above, is at the trailhead.

For this hike, I followed the purple arrows. There are many off-shoot paths in the Kelly Field and Boulder Brook areas, which is what makes the spot so popular with kids and families who want to get out and run around in nature. But for today, I kept to the path most traveled.

Kelly Memorial Park, woodland path, Wellesley — The purple arrow trail leads over to Kelly Fields and Katharine Lee Bates Elementary school.

Fairy Rock, Wellesley — As I walked down the path from the Kelly parking lot, I soon came across Fairy Rock, a popular climbing spot for kids. On the right side of the path is a meandering stone wall, a remnant of the area’s farming days.

The path opens up to a view of the Kelly Field, and Katharine Lee Bates elementary school beyond the playing fields. In warmer weather the field is full of teams taking advantage of the four baseball diamonds and multiple soccer areas. I stayed to the left and walked along the paved part of the path that continues on behind the baseball backstop and along Boulder Brook.

Boulder Brook Reservation, Wellesley — The wooden bridge leads to the Boulder Brook Reservation meadow, a 31-acre parcel that was once part of Boulder Brook Farm, a working dairy farm in the 1900s. The property was purchased by the Town in 1966.

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