Post by Pat on Apr 24, 2017 13:19:14 GMT -5
Waterman Ln (Rt 2) Westminster south to Redemption Rock Princeton
4-23-17
I would recommend this 4.8 miles hike to anyone, regardless of whether you're interested in the Midstate Trail. It was a gorgeous, cloudless day in the low 60s so the views were stunning.
We parked at Redemption Rock and got dropped off just north of Rt. 2 to hike in a southerly direction. A short distance through the woods we walked through the parking lot of the old Westminster Village Inn, now a substance abuse facility. The trail continued in the woods and along the edge of a beautiful, raging brook. We heard lots of birds chirping. A nice, wooden street bridge crossed the water onto a road with a few houses. We were back in the woods shortly and felt a slight incline until we were walking a ridgeline. We could see the tops of the hills and a large farm across the valley where rt 31 passed through. This section was in the Leominster State Forest and we saw several magnificent hawks swooping on the updraft. Since the leaves aren't in yet we could see a nest and it sounded like there were babies chirping loudly for their parents.
We soon came to the steep, stone steps built by the CCC that went straight up to a higher ridge, though the trail doesn't go right to the top. It runs anywhere from 3 to 10 feet from the edge of a steep dropoff down on to large boulders. Once up there you get spectacular views of 2 ponds in the valley and there are a couple of very nice lookout points/photo opps. When you come around the corner to Crow Hill Ledges don't be surprised to see a lot of people with kids. They come up from a picnic area below on short side trails and you can see the traffic on rt 140 below.
Having recently had the flu it was a little too soon for me to be out there so that last third was really a challenge and I had to stop quite often. I'm glad I felt good for the best part of the hike. There were some additional rather steep down slopes and more gradual inclines, including along a beautiful old stone wall, but I was never so glad to be finished back at the Rock!
Not counting the ledges crowd, we passed only 2 hikers, an older couple on that last section. It is amazing to me that the trail stays so pristine, without overgrowth, when it seems like there is never anyone hiking it. There was very little mud but lots of dry leaves built up on the path which made it slippery in spots, especially the steep declines. And the bugs are just starting to appear; some mosquito-like swarms, may flies and the first ticks of what is expected to be a big tick year.