Hiking through History New England by Johnny Molloy

Author:Johnny Molloy
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781493014415
Publisher: Falcon Guides

Wide-ranging success in the writing field eluded him until he moved to England, where he thought publishers would be more open to his writings. Frost was right. His association with and encouragement from writer Ezra Pound helped too. There he published two poetry collections, A Boys Will and North of Boston. World War I drove him and his family back to America in 1915, where he returned to New Hampshire an acclaimed poet. Publishers now sought him, including Atlantic Monthly magazine, which had previously turned down his submissions. When they requested material from him, Frost sent the very same poems they had rejected! Frost also had plenty of offers to teach at universities, which he did throughout his life.

In 1920 Frost moved to the stone house in Vermont, seeking a warmer climate in the lowlands of Vermont as opposed to the highlands of New Hampshire. He was looking for more success in the agricultural arena, particularly to cultivate his apples. Frost lived to be one of America’s most-venerated poets, winning four Pulitzer Prizes. He was appointed Vermont’s poet laureate in 1961 and passed away in 1963, at age 88. Robert Frost is buried in nearby Bennington.

The aptly named Robert Frost Trail starts at Lake Paran Park in North Bennington. It parallels the shore of Lake Paran and then splits, with the Shore Trail continuing along Lake Paran. On the way out, take the Robert Frost Trail. It takes the higher road—perhaps the road less traveled by—affording views into Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont’s own Green Mountains. You then drop to Paran Creek, a dark rill feeding Lake Paran. The path cuts through the slender gorge of Paran Creek, passing rock outcrops before climbing to a field. Now you turn back into woods, entering the land that was Frost’s 80-acre farm. Roll through woods before dropping to wetlands. The trail crosses the wetland on an elevated causeway used by cattle to graze both sides of the marsh. Enter the red pine grove planted by Frost and his son Carol. They laid out 1,000 pines as part of Vermont’s soil conservation program. These evergreens are approaching the century mark. The hike then works around woods and beside mossy stone fences that were likely exposed in Frost’s day. Emerge at the stone house museum. See the old barn and apple trees planted by Frost, in addition to his house.

Try to time your hike with a trip to the museum, though the museum can be accessed by automobile. Note: Trail parking is available at the museum but is not recommended, since the museum is open seasonally and the gates to the museum are closed promptly at 4:30 p.m. Towing is enforced.

Miles and Directions

0.0 Start from the swim area sidewalk access on the Robert Frost Trail and enter woods on a level singletrack path. Lake Paran is to your right. Cross a boardwalk over a sloped grassy wetland.

0.3 Reach a trail intersection. Here the Shore Trail splits right; this is your return route. For now go left, climbing on the Robert Frost Trail.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.