By Julia Beauregard
Hometown Weekly Editor
On Monday, January 1, Walpole Trails hosted their fifth annual First Day Hike. According to their Facebook page, the group “added a 5th hike in our 5th year and as we celebrate the 300th anniversary of Walpole's founding.” This First Day Hike was a brilliant way to enjoy the beauty of Walpole and to start the year off on the right foot: through moving our bodies.
Hikers were able to choose from participating in anywhere from one to five different trails to venture upon. The trails included: Norfolk County Agricultural School, Adams Farm, the Town Forest, the woods behind Route 1A Ballfields, and/or the newest addition in North Walpole's Mine Brook starting at the Robbins Road VFW. All of these trails could be self-guided at any time throughout the day.
Though, the group provided guided hikes throughout the day as well. The First Day Hike kicked off at 10am as hikers met for hike one at the Route 1A ballfields. All the hikers met at home plate before venturing into the woods behind the fields for a scenic one mile hike.
The next hike took place at 11am, allotting one hour to elapse between these two hikes, in the town forest. The town forest is located at 275 Common Street. This trail was a bit longer than the first, with a length of 2.25 miles.
The next guided hike took place at Adams Farm at 1pm. This allowed for hikers to take their time on the second hike as two hours had elapsed between these two hikes. Hikers could take in the still yet beautiful scenes present at Adams Farm, a Hometown Weekly favorite spot. The trail at Adams Farm tallied at 2 miles.
The final hike of the day, and the longest of the four guided hikes, took place at North Walpole's Mine Brook by the Robbins Road VFW. Hikers met in the VFW parking lot at 2pm to venture on this 4.5 mile hike.
The trail at the Norfolk County Agricultural School was the only trail that was not guided by the group; rather this 1.75 mile trail was one that could be self guided throughout the day.
In the spirit of community and nature, Walpole Trails successfully marked the beginning of the year with their fifth annual First Day Hike. Whether opting for guided group hikes or exploring the trails individually, the event offered a diverse range of experiences. With this successful celebration of Walpole's 300th anniversary, the community demonstrated the enduring appeal of connecting with the outdoors as a collective.
