It's a beautiful place, with miles of trails that include wide paths through open fields and thin trails climbing up hills and over roots. Many people were out and about - which is not necessarily a good thing - but clearly it is a well-loved place. There were runners, walkers, people with kids and dogs, bikers, and horseback riders. It was hard to find a place to sit in peace with no human interaction. I was constantly passing or being passed by other park users.
This experience is a double edged sword for me. I want people to get out and see the world, to explore what's beyond their own back yards and take a walk somewhere a little bit wilder. But at the same time being outside can be such a wonderful solitary experience that when my walk is punctuated by passing people I get annoyed. Sometimes I just want it to be me and the trees, not me + trees + someone's giant dog sniffing my pant leg.
My walk was very pleasant. I liked being able to explore different trails in such a short span of time (1.5 hrs). I started out walking through fields edged with trees, then took a much smaller trail through some deciduous forest, then ended up walking along the Ipswich River surrounded by evergreens and picking my way over stones and roots. The day got brighter as I walked, and the river sparkled to my right as I returned to the main parking area. I even found some great fungi growing on a log!
I'd definitely like to return and explore the other sections of Bradley Palmer, maybe even make the trip up for a trail run (lots of people were out running and it actually looked pretty fun!). This weekend take a walk outside and get yourself some fresh air - it'll revitalize you, I promise!
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