Estates Ride

Map



This ride goes through one former estate - Bradley Palmer Park - now a state park.

This is the entrance off of Asbury Road.












This is the path inside the park. It's a leisurely ride since the path is shared by everyone - rollerbladers, runners, kids with training wheels, dogs, skateboarders, couples out for stroll and moms with baby strollers.














At the end of the park, it's a left turn on Highland Road, now almost traffic-free since the bridge over the Ipswich River has been shut down. This is the left side (going north) past Winthrop Road (yes, THAT Winthrop). I love this tree standing alone in the field. The right side is Appleton Farms, owned by the Trustees of Reservations and the second estate. The next couple of miles are going around this enormous (and wonderful) property.





This is Waldingford Road - horse country. Peaceful and always tree-shade cool. The north side of Appleton Farms.











The next section is Route 1A. This is the "just-do-it" part of the ride. There are lots of cars in both directions. For a while there is a wide shoulder but that narrows and disppears when you enter Hamilton proper. It's not scary - just noisy. The scenery is lovely. The map shows the Cutler Road extension - it cuts off the 1A section and sends you back to Highland Road. Very quiet, peaceful but the last quarter is gravel and dirt - not good when it's wet.

Staying on the basic route takes you to Asbury Road which takes a right and then a left. At the right is the entrance to this charming and still mysterious (to me anyway) Asbury Grove community. I'm leaving it to explore on a special day.









Continuing up Asbury Road - the reward. It's Green Meadows Farm - an organic, CSA with a farm stand. I can't help but stop so I try not to carry any money when I go past. This summer they have "guard llamas" to protect the sheep from the coyotes. You can see them from the side of the road and I got one of them to look at me so I could take her picture.








The Asbury Road bridge crossing over the Ipswich River is very close to home so I don't often stop to look but I should. In high water time, this bridge is crowded with teens and kids jumping off into the water. We've done it too (ok, not me.)