Travels Around Prince Edward Island - Part 2

 Walking along the Black Marsh Trail in western Prince Edward Island couldn’t be more idyllic. You’ll see dramatic cliffs, curious botanicals, numerous bird species and this signature rock that’s red, like much of the land on PEI, because of iron oxide. 

Whether in the forests with their dense canopy or the red rock cliff tops with stunted foliage and towering wind turbines, I ambled this trail, feeling like I was wandering through a wonderful dreamscape with butterflies fluttering about, delicate orchids growing near my feet, the azure sea crashing far below, and the occasional eagle soaring overhead.

The clouds swell and the sea churns as a prelude to the arrival of Hurricane Fiona in Prince Edward Island. Here, I notice the rustling of the tall grasses, and the  humming of a wind turbine that rises in the distance.

continue reading "Travels Around Prince Edward Island - Part 2"

Irvington, A Scenic Hudson Valley Town

It’s so easy to hop on Metro North from Manhattan and quickly escape to a stellar scenic landscape in Irvington, one of the peaceful villages fronting the Hudson River. This is Matthiessen Park, a bucolic public park with numerous distanced picnic tables and benches where you could sit for hours reading a book or working on your laptop. 

The 26-some-mile Old Croton Aqueduct Trail that meanders from the Bronx up through the river villages of the Hudson Valley (including Irvington) is a leafy gem with its signature stone cylindrical ventilator shafts peppering the route. I’ve walked numerous portions of this trail. 

continue reading "Irvington, A Scenic Hudson Valley Town"

Connecticut’s Woodcock Nature Center

Ridgefield, Connecticut has managed to preserve and maintain so many green spaces that they have an entire book devoted to these. (The Ridgefield Walk Book is sold in town.)

The Woodcock Nature Center is one of these green spaces.

One of the loop trails in the Woodcock Nature Center wanders beside wetlands and across snow-covered pedestrian bridges over the myriad waterways. When I recently hiked there, I was completely alone in the woods that are laden with old oak, maple and hickory trees as well as a network of low stone walls,

Walking the trails here is a year-round delight. But I found trekking along the purple-red loop especially stunning in the winter when ice crystals glow on the many frozen streams and wetlands.

continue reading "Connecticut’s Woodcock Nature Center"

Exploring Ridgefield, Connecticut

 As I’ve continued my explorations in Ridgefield, Connecticut, I found that the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum has been hosting an outdoor sculpture exhibition. Frank Stella’s Stars are perfectly placed in the snowy landscape.

A few minutes from Main Street, I found a tranquil hiking trail in the Seth Low Pierrepont State Park that paralleled the lakefront and then angled into the woods.

What I love about Ridgefield, Connecticut is that just outside of downtown there are a variety of trailheads easily accessed off the road. The red-blazed Jones Trail, which starts beside a cul-de-sac, gradually climbs an undulating, wooded landscape peppered with boulders.

continue reading "Exploring Ridgefield, Connecticut"

An Abundance of Nature in Ridgefield, Connecticut

 I’ve continued my explorations in Ridgefield, Connecticut, revisiting some sights and learning more about the landscape.

In Connecticut, the short, mostly suburban Ridgefield Rail-Trail takes on a sylvan vibe along the section where it intersects two trailheads that veer into dense nature preserves.

I hiked in a still woodland dense with mountain laurel, red maple and hickory, occasionally passing a running brook and boulders left from the last Ice Age. Impressionist painter J Alden Weir once owned and farmed this Connecticut property (Weir Preserve-Weir Farm Art Center) that’s traced by stone walls and has long inspired artists.

One of many old barns and other original structures sitting among the boulders and fields at the Weir Farm National Historic Site. This stunning landscape, where Impressionist painter J. Alden Weir lived, has an active artist-in-residence program

continue reading "An Abundance of Nature in Ridgefield, Connecticut"

My Interview: Hiking An Awe-Inspiring Trail in Spain

I’ve hiked all over the world. And, by far, the trail that always puts a smile on my face when I think back to my journey is the Camino dos Faros (Lighthouse Way) in Galicia Spain. A streaming Spanish program recently invited me to talk about my experiences on this trek and why I adore this trail. This is my 10-minute interview with Cristina Alonso.

continue reading "My Interview: Hiking An Awe-Inspiring Trail in Spain "

Photos - Travels in Rhinebeck, NY

Originally settled in the 17th century, the historic village of Rhinebeck in New York’s Hudson Valley is a beauty. Wander its streets to explore the various architectural styles, from Gothic Revival to Queen Anne, while shopping, browsing or sampling the farm-to-table cuisine.

Named for the many authors, including Washington Irving, who are said to have strolled this scenic property set along the Hudson River in Rhinebeck, NY, Poets’ Walk Park (including this grand gazebo) can’t help but engender inspiration for all who walk the trails through field and forest.

Though Ferncliff Forest in Rhinebeck, NY often attracts those whose sole desire is to climb the 80-foot-high fire tower for its panoramic Hudson Valley views, I prefer exploring the network of trails that course pass ponds and through dense woodland.

In Ferncliff Forest, the 80-foot-high fire tower attracts those who desire dramatic views of the Hudson Valley. But, for me, ambling through the woodlands offers the intimacy with nature that I crave.

Expansive Ferncliff Forest offers several idyllic picnic spots like this one beside a small pond.

Along the network of trails lacing idyllic Poets’ Walk Park in Rhinebeck, NY, shady expanses deep in woodland quickly turn to sun-splashed fields and meadows.

continue reading "Photos - Travels in Rhinebeck, NY"

Faroe Islands - Photos

I’m dreaming of the Faroe Islands, a windswept archipelago of 18 islands that’s snuggled in the North Atlantic between Iceland and Norway. It thrives on its main claim to fame: a reputation for a pristine environment, and awe-inspiring scenery. 

The weather can be dramatic with high winds and drenching rains. In fact, the Faroese have 40 words for “fog.” But no matter whether it’s foggy, cloudy, blustery, whether I was pelted with rain or sleet, or whether the sun was blazing, this is a land with an absolute peaceful beauty that I long to return to.

I visited four of the 18 islands and found that around every bend in the road is an idyllic scene of tumbling waterfalls, rushing streams, jagged peaks with birds soaring about, and expansive pastures where sheep placidly graze. 

A bucolic trail that takes about two hours to hike leads from the capital city of Torshavn to Kirkjubour, a waterfront village of turf-roof dwellings, cathedral ruins and Saint Olav's Church. It's here where Trondur Patursson, a Faroese sculptor, painter and glass artist, created the colorful gate in the photo below. 

continue reading "Faroe Islands - Photos"

Photos: Fiji

Fiji is almost solely known for its stunning white sandy beaches, perfect for sunning, swimming, diving and snorkeling. But on my recent trip, I found numerous other sights and activities, including hiking trails coursing through the Colo-i-Suva Forest Park. One trail allows access to numerous swimmable pools with waterfalls and also provides bird watching opportunities. I also found an eco ethic at many of the resorts, including Castaway Island, Fiji, a resort on a private island. Given that this and other waterfront resorts depend on healthy coral reefs that are home to a variety of different fish and shellfish species, it’s no wonder that conservation efforts are underway to restore coral that have died as a result of climbing water temperatures. These photos show some of the numerous sights and vistas I discovered in Fiji, including Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort, Nanuku Auberge Resort, and Castaway Island’s North Beach that’s the focus of the myriad water-based and many other activities, including a massage table set up on the golden sands at the end of this beach where, at low-tide, you can walk around the rocky point to yet another and more desolate beach. (You can also kayak there.)

continue reading "Photos: Fiji"

A Must-Do Hiking Trail in Spain

Each hiking trail has a personality. Some are majestic, taking trekkers to high altitude where the summits seem to touch the clouds. Others wander through dense forests where the hiker feels enveloped by the foliage, hardly ever passing a village during their journey. As a hiker, I favor trails that allow me to connect with the land and its people, without having to risk life and limb to complete the journey. I recently journeyed to Spain's northwest corner where the province of Galicia is a treasured expanse of lighthouses, quiet coves, fishing villages and vast farmland. My journey took me along the Lighthouse Way (Camino dos Faros), a trail that may very well be my favorite trail in the world. To find out why, check out my recent article for Forbes on hiking the Lighthouse Way.

continue reading "A Must-Do Hiking Trail in Spain"

Central Park's Newly Opened Garden

Central Park’s Southeast corner sees its share of crowds. In fact, with the Zoo, Wollman Rink and The Pond all located in that sector, it might very well be the busiest spot in the  park. And yet, for decades, since the early 1930s, a four-acre plot of wilderness remained truly a hidden treasure, sealed off as an inaccessible (to the public) bird sanctuary where nature was allowed to take over. Hidden, that is, until last month when it reopened with limited hours. It’s well worth visiting the Hallett Nature Sanctuary, a wee, wild landscape with rustic wooden gates, benches and overlook balustrades -- all constructed of black locust wood -- that reminded me of features I might’ve seen in The Hobbit. The skyscrapers around Columbus Circle are all visible through the dense foliage and yet this crowded part of the park may be one of the most serene. I recently took a guided tour -- though I don’t recommend the tour which I found lacking in terms of providing much in the way of informative bird and botanical information -- and fell in love with this small parcel of land with its curvy wood-chipped paths, and schist outcrops. (This is the rock that’s the bedrock of Manhattan.) Even on a day when the mercury hit over 90 degrees with muggy humidity, my visit was saturated with shade, the scent of fresh foliage and the sounds of birds. The Central Park Conservancy thinned out many of the invasive plant species, such as black cherry trees, as well as the Norway maple that the Asian longhorn beetle attacks. As I roamed about, we spotted hoary mountain mint, native grasses, pokeweed, tulip trees, mayapples, and strawberry bushes. The conservancy planted trees that are wind resistant, such as the hackberry. One lovely specimen sits at the center of a wraparound wooden bench perfectly positioned beside a scenic overlook, and my favorite part of this garden that feels like a micro Manhattan oasis. 

continue reading "Central Park's Newly Opened Garden"

Coastal Southern Maine + New Hampshire in Pictures

As small towns go, downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire is a favorite of mine, fitting all my criteria: waterfront location -- it’s on the Piscataqua River; numerous independent coffee shops, bookstores and wine bars; sense of history: the town dates to the early 17th century and numerous centuries-old buildings can still be found. But, most importantly, it’s got a walkable downtown. (The only downside: on Friday and Saturday nights in the summer, the town becomes party central.) While visiting a friend who lives nearby on the border with Maine, we decided to focus our daytime activities around little visited walking trails -- all a short drive from Portsmouth -- rather than joining the crowds flocking to the most popular sandy beaches. Here’s what we found:

The Urban Forestry Center, a two-mile walk from Downtown Portsmouth seems little used during the week when I spent a couple of hours on a web of shaded paths that weaved in and out of the forest and beside the tidal marsh of Sagamore Creek.

Despite all the tourist traffic in York, Maine, I strolled strolled first through Steedman Woods and then along first Fisherman's Walk and then the Cliff Walk in York Harbor.  My friend and I were the only ones on this trail that offered access to sandy bays and wide rocky surfaces, perfect for sunning.

Owned by the elite boarding school in Exeter, New Hampshire, the Phillips Exeter Academy Woods has several one-mile-plus loops through the woods that, at times, border the Exeter River.

Rogers Park is located in Kittery, Maine on land that was originally settled in the 17th century by a member of the Rogers family that came over on the Mayflower. It’s set along Spruce Creek with flat trails skirting the water only to head back into the sun-speckled woodland.

Bird watching opportunities abound in the Heron Point Sanctuary in downtown Newmarket, New Hampshire where great blue herons, cormorants and other water and wading birds can be spotted on trails that skirt the Lamprey River.

Trails parallel the Great Bay’s tidal coast in the Adams Point Wildlife Management Area, a property in Durham, New Hampshire once owned by the prominent Adams Family. Also in Durham, at Wagon Hill, a former family farm, trails now wander around community gardens, into dense woods and along a calm shoreline

In Rye, New Hampshire, Odiorne Point State Park has something for everyone, pebbly beaches, historic military bunkers, dense forestland cut by numerous paths and even a small aquarium at the Seacoast Science Center.

This short YouTube video slideshow provides a window into my coastal Maine/New Hampshire travels. 

continue reading "Coastal Southern Maine + New Hampshire in Pictures"

Portugal's Schist Villages in Pictures

After visiting Portugal almost a dozen times, I continue to find hidden lands, networked by a tangle of old trails that wander through cork forests, and beside threads of rushing water. Lands with once abandoned villages that rose from stone and are now seeing a new life as artist residences, contemporary inns, quaint restaurants, and shops displaying artisan crafts. These lands in the center of Portugal, referred to as the Centro region, are home to the charming Schist Villages or Aldeia do Xisto, such as Casal de Sao Simao, Ferraria de Sao Joao, and Candal. Check out my YouTube video slideshow of my magical journal.

continue reading "Portugal's Schist Villages in Pictures"

Antigua In Pictures

Most people know Antigua for its white sand beaches and teal waters that beckon snorkelers, divers and sailors. But, instead, I searched out trails -- such one to Signal Hill that offers panoramic views -- that wandered through an arid landscape, and contemporary art galleries, such as the vibrant Fig Tree Studio Art Gallery that's snuggled in the middle of the rainforest. My wee B & B, Blue Bay Antigua, on the quiet east end of the island, afforded a charming accommodation for those on a budget. The pool offered views of the ocean, as did my whitewashed room, simply decorated with small watercolors done by Caribbean artists that hung on the walls.

This short YouTube video slideshow offers a window into my visit.

continue reading "Antigua In Pictures"

Cayman Islands in Pictures

The Cayman Islands that I recently experienced is the one few spend the time to become acquainted with. Not the Caymans of snorkeling, diving, endless hours on the beach or stepping off a cruise ship for a quick visit. My Cayman Island travels -- aside from Grand Cayman, I overnighted on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman -- was all about wandering walking trails through the dense forests, spying exotic parrots, browsing contemporary art in the National Gallery, bicycling to an iguana nesting sanctuary, and strolling through orchid and palm gardens.

My short YouTube video slideshow provides a small window into the authentic Cayman Islands that I know.

continue reading "Cayman Islands in Pictures"

The Best Urban Rails-to-Trails in the U.S.

As transit networks for human-powered activities, rails to trails are bringing together communities, linked by a shared interest in a safe way to commute and commune with nature, and, in the process, protecting natural resources while also revitalizing local businesses.

1. Illinois Prairie Path, Illinois

Nicknamed the Roarin' Elgin, the now retired Chicago, Aurora & Elgin Railroad once carried commuters and freight between Chicago and its suburbs. Its legacy, the 62-mile Illinois Prairie Path (IPP), one of the country's oldest rails to trails, is perfect not only for the botanically inclined but also the committed commuter.

2. Ojai Valley and Venture River trails - California

Urban grittiness is evident along the six-mile Ventura River trail where rotating and decommissioned oil derricks are in plain sight. But art installations also dot this trail, such as a bronze of oranges, reflecting the produce the railroad once transported, and other Ventura themes.

3. Burke Gilman Trail - Washington

 Traced by a sandy beach, Golden Gardens as well as other parts of the trail offer views of the mighty Olympic Mountains, even snow-capped Mount Rainier, in the distance.

4. Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail, Florida

The path -- it's dotted with aluminum sculptures as a nod to its railroad history -- allows bladers, walkers and cyclists to safely and scenically traverse the Gulf coast, tidal waterways, myriad leafy parks and quaint neighborhoods in a state that's hardly noted for its pedestrian-friendly clime.

5. Minuteman Bikeway - Massachusetts

Short but oh-so-sweet, the 10-mile-long Minuteman Bikeway wanders through the landscape touched by the Revolutionary War, paralleling the Battle Road, aka Massachusetts Avenue, the route taken by British soldiers that marched to Concord. Following the path of the Lexington & West Cambridge Railroad from Cambridge to Bedford, this rail-to-trail is heralded as a year-round commuter way, even in the dead of winter.

6. Washington & Old Dominion Trail - Virginia

Many cyclists, joggers and bladers escape D.C. or commute on this trail that compliments the capital's retinue of memorials and monuments with lessons in history that are blended with a sense of peace rarely found in the chaotic Beltway.

7. Silver Comet Trail - Georgia

For 22 years since 1947, passengers could board a luxury train that cruised over towering trestles and through tunnels bored into mountains as it made the trip from New York to Birmingham, Alabama. That storied corridor has been transformed into the 62-mile Silver Comet Trail that spans Smyrna, Georgia (on the outskirts of Atlanta) to the Georgia/Alabama border near Cedartown in a rural North Georgia corner that's a mix of hardwood forests and rolling fields.

Find out more about this these seven urban rails to trails in the article I wrote for NationalGeographic Traveler - Intelligent Travel.

continue reading "The Best Urban Rails-to-Trails in the U.S."