• Contact Us
  • Events calendar
Entering Swellesley
Pinnacle, Wellesley

The Swellesley Report

More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

  • Advertise
  • Wellesley Square
  • Deland, Gibson Insurance Athlete of the Week
  • Camp
  • Private schools, sponsored by Riverbend
  • Business index
  • Contribute
  • Eat
  • Schools
  • Top 10 things to do
  • Embracing diversity
  • Kids
  • About us
  • Events
  • Natick Report
  • Seniors
  • Letters to the editor
  • Guidelines for letters to the editor
  • Live government meetings
  • Raiders sports schedules & results
  • Fire & police scanner
  • 2023 Town Election
 
Needham Bank, Wellesley
Write Ahead, Wellesley

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.

Ithaca, New York, Fall Creek Gorge
Ithaca, New York, Fall Creek Gorge

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, New York, Chanticleer
Ithaca, New York, Chanticleer

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

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Art, Beyond Wellesley, Books, Entertainment, Hikes, Outdoors, Shopping

Linden Square, Wellesley
Riverbend, Natick

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.

Beard Trail Wellesley hike

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).

cordingly dam

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.


  • Subscribe to Swellesley’s daily email
  • Please support our independent journalism venture

 

Filed Under: Hikes, Kids, Outdoors

Page Waterman, Wellesley
London Harness, Wellesley
Wellesley Lacrosse

Top things to do in Wellesley before summer ends

July 26, 2022 by Duncan Brown Leave a Comment

We’re already a third of the way through summer, 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 beachy 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 at the cost of $10 for 30 minutes. On the beach itself there are pavilions that can be rented for events ($5 for resident, $20 for non residents), 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.

MOPO Fishing
Fishing at Morses Pond. Photo credit: Brandon Fitts

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. Fuller Brook has a fish ladder near Hunnewell Elementary School, and during spring migration you can see lots of leaping fish making their way over the little waterfall. 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 a very crowded trail, and it offers more physical challenge than the flat and level Brook Path.
  • The Crosstown Trail is a very long (6.2 miles), very 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, depending on where you’re coming from,  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.
fuller brook park brook path summer
Brook Path, Wellesley

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—dedicated Swellesley fans may recall the Swellesley Swirl flavor once offered—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 have 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.

Truly
Truly’s, 35 Grove Street, Wellesley

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 and the books section. Both these parts of the dump 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.

book swap
Used books area, Wellesley RDF

Live theater

Wellesley Theatre ProjectWellesley Theater Project runs throughout the summer, putting on plays with young actors getting a taste of the theatrical world. Check out Newsies on July 28, 29, or 30. Newsies is the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a band of teenaged “newsies.” When titans of publishing raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack rallies newsies from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions and fight for what’s right. Based on the 1992 motion picture and inspired by a true story. Ticket information here.

Restaurants

Wellesley offers a wide range of cuisine for the local foodie as well as those who are just plain hungry, and the town has enjoyed a recent infusion of new  restaurants. 

Increasingly, restaurants in town are branching out with outdoor seating, including the new Tatte in Linden Square, Maugus in Wellesley Hills, and Bocado in Wellesley Square.

The Local, Wellesley

Live concerts behind town hall

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 The Tom Nutile Big Band on July 27th, and The Rico Bar Band on August 10th. The events are great for people of all ages, and additional entertainment is offered for kids with lawn games spread about the field. Hot dog vendors have also been known to make appearances.

town hall concert reminisants
Concert behind Wellesley Town Hall

Babson Globe

All praise the globe! Stare at it long enough, and it may stare back at you. Located within Babson College, the Babson World Globe has been around for over 60 years, having been completed in 1955. Since then it has been hidden away behind one of the campus halls. However, it has recently been moved to a more 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 art in Wellesley, and learn a new country or two while you’re at it, head on over to Babson.

Babson College globe

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. It offers a plethora of clothing stores, along with stores such as Paper Source, Wellesley Books, and many more. 

Linden Square has just as much to offer, with stores selling things ranging from makeup to toys. Magic Bean, Bluemercury, Neenas, 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

  • Subscribe to Swellesley’s daily email

Filed Under: Business, Entertainment, Food, Hikes, Outdoors, Shopping, Theatre

Wellesley Friendly Aid

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.

Guernsey Sanctuary, Wellesley
During rainy times, a brook runs under the footbridge. Right now the muddy brook bottom is the only hint that water recently flowed down that channel.

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.

Guernsey Sanctuary, Wellesley
Stump rounds placed at the edge of the path over often-mucky areas encourage hikers to stay on trail.

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.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Environment, Hikes, Outdoors, Scouts

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

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?

Echo Park, Hemlock Gorge

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.

Echo Park, Hemlock Gorge
These cloud-like drifts were in evidence up and down the Charles.

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.

Echo Park, Hemlock Gorge
Echo Bridge built in 1877 by Boston Water Works and is 500 feet in length. Five of its seven arches span 37 feet, and one spans 38 feet. The seventh and largest arch spans the river at 137 feet.

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.

Echo Park, Hemlock Gorge

Echo Park, Hemlock Gorge
View from the top of the bridge of the Newton Lower Falls area.

 

Echo Park, Hemlock Gorge
The walkway over Echo Bridge was briefly closed to pedestrians in 2006 due to concerns about safety of the railings. The bridge was soon reopened after temporary fencing was installed.

 

Echo Park, Hemlock Gorge
A goal of the Friends of Hemlock Gorge is to do away with the interior code-compliant safety fencing and reconstruct the original historic, but crumbling, railings with a replication of the 1876 design. The group is in the process of raising funds for the $1.5+ million dollar project. The BWW on the original part of the railing stands for Boston Water Works.

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. 

Echo Park, Hemlock Gorge
Hemlock Gorge

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.

Echo Park, Hemlock Gorge
The U.S. Geological Survey stream gaging station has in the past served as a nail factory and a paper mill.

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.

Echo Park, Hemlock Gorge
The fall 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.

MORE

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


  • Subscribe to Swellesley’s daily email
  • Please consider contributing to Swellesley to sustain our independent journalism venture

Filed Under: Environment, Hikes, Outdoors

Deland, Gibson, Wellesley
Rick Cram, leader

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.

 

Katharine Lee Bates School, Wellesley
Katharine Lee Bates School, Wellesley

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

 

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.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Hikes, Outdoors

Tip us off…

Please send tips, photos, ideas to theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

 

Advertisements

Wellesley Square, Wellesley Merchants
Wellesley, Jesamondo
Beacon Hill Athletic Club, Wellesley
Fay School, Southborough
Sexton test prep
Feldman Law
Wellesley Theatre Project
Volvo
Cheesy Street Grill
Mature Caregivers
Admit Fit, Wellesley
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
Never miss a post with our free daily Swellesley Report email
Name: 
Your email address:*
Please wait...
Please enter all required fields Click to hide
Correct invalid entries Click to hide

You can subscribe for free, though we appreciate any contribution that supports our independent journalism.

Click on Entering Natick sign to read our Natick Report

Entering Natick road sign

Most Read Posts

  • Sign up now for summer camp in Wellesley (and beyond)
  • Letters-to-the-editor day in Wellesley—important election-time updates
  • Wellesley Public Works news: A PFAS warning; Weston Road construction on tap for summer; Wood recycling hot, pricey; Town Meeting article preview
  • Wellesley business buzz: Board business liaison phased out; Help ID top business leaders of color; Hospital taps new president
  • Wellesley Cotillion makes a strong comeback

Upcoming Events

Jan 25
7:00 pm - 7:45 pm

Olin College Presents Connecting Communities 2023: Sustainability

Jan 26
9:00 am - 10:30 am

Select Board office hours—in-person or online

Jan 31
9:00 am - 11:00 am Recurring

Coffee and Conversation with the Wetlands Administrator and Staff

Jan 31
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Families Eat Together online presentation

Feb 1
11:59 pm

Deadline for Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club grants application

View Calendar

Popular pages

  • Wellesley’s 7 official scenic roads

Recent Comments

  • Peggy Heffernan on Wellesley police officer injured in crash at intersection of Grove and Benvenue
  • Beth Dublin on Wellesley police officer injured in crash at intersection of Grove and Benvenue
  • Erika on Where to buy the Wellesleyest stuff in Wellesley
  • Alice Roy on Inside Track has jewel of a Wellesley engagement scoop
  • Sue Morris on Wellesley Cotillion makes a strong comeback

Links we like

  • Danny's Place
  • Great Runs
  • Jack Sanford: Wellesley's Major League Baseball Star
  • Tech-Tamer
  • The Wellesley Wine Press
  • Universal Hub
  • Wellesley Sports Discussion Facebook Group

Categories

  • 2021 Town Election (24)
  • 2023 Town Election (2)
  • Animals (428)
  • Antiques (49)
  • Art (592)
  • Beyond Wellesley (52)
  • Books (376)
  • Business (1,556)
  • Camp (11)
  • Careers/jobs (53)
  • Churches (82)
  • Clubs (236)
  • Construction (300)
  • Dump (130)
  • Education (3,189)
    • Babson College (252)
    • Bates Elementary School (18)
    • Dana Hall School (36)
    • Fiske Elementary School (11)
    • Hardy Elementary School (47)
    • Hunnewell Elementary School (46)
    • MassBay (57)
    • Schofield Elementary School (26)
    • Sprague Elementary School (19)
    • St. John School (2)
    • Tenacre Country Day School (11)
    • Upham Elementary School (35)
    • Wellesley College (613)
    • Wellesley High School (996)
    • Wellesley Middle School (204)
  • Embracing diversity (84)
  • Entertainment (814)
  • Environment (772)
  • Fashion (144)
  • Finance (15)
  • Fire (173)
  • Food (358)
  • Fundraising (640)
  • Gardens (164)
  • Government (603)
    • 2020 Town Election (47)
    • 2022 Town Election (15)
  • Health (866)
    • COVID-19 (203)
  • Hikes (6)
  • History (399)
  • Holidays (440)
  • Houses (162)
  • Humor (47)
  • Kids (867)
  • Law (8)
  • Legal notices (10)
  • Letters to the Editor (71)
  • Media (72)
  • METCO (4)
  • Military (13)
  • Morses Pond (109)
  • Music (579)
  • Natick Report (30)
  • Neighbors (280)
  • Obituaries & remembrances (86)
  • Outdoors (655)
  • Parenting (63)
  • Police (778)
    • Crime (395)
  • Politics (554)
  • POPS Senior Profile (10)
  • RDF (6)
  • Real estate (344)
  • Religion (138)
  • Restaurants (340)
  • Safety (154)
  • Scouts (2)
  • Seniors (127)
  • Shopping (163)
  • Sponsored (6)
  • Sports (1,011)
    • Athlete of the Week (12)
  • STEM (108)
  • Technology (165)
  • Theatre (397)
  • Town Meeting (23)
  • Transportation (239)
  • Travel (17)
  • Uncategorized (1,244)
  • Volunteering (350)
  • Weather (179)
  • Wellesley Election 2019 (21)
  • Wellesley Free Library (280)
  • Wellesley Holiday Gift Guide (2)
  • Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend (20)

© 2023 The Swellesley Report
Site by Tech-Tamer · Login