Valentine’s Day Full Moon Walk & Cross-Country Skiing (Part II)

Post and Photos by Ginny Hole

Join SW Walk & Wheel Ways on a Full Moon Walk through Nevers Park on

Friday, February 14, 2014. Yes, that's Valentine's Day! Bring Family and

friends to the Rotary Pavilion at 7:30PM. Gather around the park's newest

addition, a gas fire pit, before and after the walk to enjoy a cup of hot

chocolate with us. The walk will begin at 7:45PM. In the event of snow, all

are welcome to bring snowshoes or cross-country skis. Rain cancels the

event.

The next Full Moon Walk will be Saturday, March 15, 2014, same time

and same place.

With the forecast of snow in the air once again, two more places in South

Windsor come to mind as ideal to explore on cross-country skies. Not many

people are aware of this property, as the entrance to South Windsor Land

Conservation Trust is hidden behind the parking lot of the Cummings, Lanza,

and Purnhagen Law Firm located at 1610 Ellington Road. The best time to

visit is on the weekends or in the evening during the workweek due to limited

parking. A trail sign greets you at the trail entrance, leading you to four

loops to explore. The Podunk River, woods and Priest Farm surrounds this

property. The trails are grassy, wide and mostly flat. Two ponds are on the

property, one a lily pond and the other is for ice-skating. Both ponds have

benches for viewing. Just past the skating pond on the right, another trail

takes you to the Priest Property. This trail should be avoided in the winter

due to boardwalks making it difficult to cross on cross-country skies, and the

rest of the trail is overgrown.

Plans are to mulch the rest of the trail in the

Lawrence Road Park is just off Dart Hill Road. Two entrances to the park

leave from the parking lot on Lawrence Road. Trail signs have not been

posted as of yet but it is easy to explore. The trails are flat, wide and wind

through young trees and brush so it is easy to keep your bearings. The left

hand trail takes you towards Dart Hill Road and loops to your right along the

backyards of the homes on Perrin Lane. Rabbit tracks are a common sight

along this path. Continue heading north and it will lead you to the park’s

main feature, the beaver pond. Walk along the pond and eventually you

will see another path on your right. This path leads to Lawrence Road if you

continue straight or take your first right to explore more of the park’s trails

before heading back to the parking lot.

If you missed my first write-up on “Looking for a place to snowshoe or cross-
country ski in South Windsor’, you can find it on the SW Walk & Wheel Ways’

website, www.swwww.org and click on the News Page.