Last week we placed two new letterboxes in Concord, MA.  Doc Science had fun carving the stamps.  They aren't listed under "What's New', so I will resend the clues.  Enjoy!

 

    GJourneys

 

HENRYS SAWMILL SITE LETTERBOX

 

LOCATION:  Concord, MA Estabrook Woods, Middlesex County

ESTABLISHED:  May 14, 2002, Placed by Doc Science and GJourneys

TIME:  Fifty minutes to one hour round trip

TERRAIN:  Moderate, some rocky trails.  A bit of poison ivy!!

MAP:  No trail maps available, except for the New England Orienteering Club map #33, which has a scale of 1:15000.  Estabrook Woods is a beautiful 900-acre tract that is owned by Harvard University and the Town of Concord.

 

   From the green in the center of Concord (Monument Square), to the right of the Colonial Inn, take Monument Street 1.6 miles to a very small parking area on the left-hand side of the road by mailbox # 873.  (On the way there, you will pass the North Bridge Parking Lot at 0.5mile.)  Park in the designated areas, and do not block any driveways.

 

   Walk a short distance down the gravel driveway that starts at mailbox # 873.  This will bring you to the Punkatasset sign.  (Brown)  At this sign there is a fork with two trails leading off.  Take the left hand fork to the base of Punkatasset Hill.  In this area, ignore a right trail and two left trails. 

 

   Continue on the main trail, and you will see Hutchins Pond on your right.  Mid-way down Hutchins Pond, pass a wee pond on the left.  Take the next LEFT TRAIL by tall pines.  Follow this rooty trail uphill through tall pines and spruces.  At the top of the hill, the trail passes through an old stone wall.

 

   The trail continues through a small hemlock grove; ignore the trail coming in from the left.  Continue ahead by a large fallen pine tree.  Go downhill through a wet, mucky area (made by beavers).  Cross a small brook on stepping stones.

 

   Take the first RIGHT trail part way up a small hill.  (Small trees have fallen across the trail entrance.)  You will be walking on a trail that follows an esker.  Go through a stone wall.  Just past a few hemlocks, find a dead cedar tree on the left with barb wire coming out of it. 

 

   From here, go 45 paces downhill on the trail; look for a broken off hollow pine tree on the right,  lying at the bottom of a two-forked pine tree.  Look for your treasure in this area.  Stamp in!!  Replace the wood carefully.

 

   You are in the area that was the site of Henry David Thoreau and his fathers sawmill.  There was a small mill pond Thoreau Pond, flowing into Thoreau Brook, which you will see at the bottom of the hill.  He and his father manufactured pencils in Concord.  In the spring, bloodroot blooms at the top of the hill.  Notice the old stone walls that marked the early settlers pieces of land and enjoy this beautiful area.

 

   Return the same way that you came in; this is a large tract of land and the trails are not marked.  People often get turned around and come out on a different street!

 

Read the Waiver of Responsibility and Disclaimer before setting out.

 

 

LIMESTONE QUARRY LETTERBOX

 

LOCATION:  Concord, MA, Estabrook Woods, Middlesex County

PLACED:  May 15, 2002 by Docscience and GJourneys

TIME:  One to one and half hours round trip

TERRAIN:  Moderate, some poison ivy

MAP:  No trail maps available, except for the New England orienteering Club map #33, which has a scale of 1:15000.  Estabrook Woods is a beautiful 900 acre tract of land that is owned by Harvard University and the Town of Concord.

 

   From the center of Concord, take LOWELL ROAD north.  Cross the Concord River.  Pass Liberty Street on the right, and at the blinking red light, go RIGHT on BARNES HILL ROAD.  Take the first LEFT on ESTABROOK ROAD...

 

   Drive to the end of this road (gated), turn around and park on the RIGHT side of the road in the designated area.

 

   The Estabrook Trail starts just past the gate.  Continue a short distance on this main trail to a four-way intersection.  Go LEFT on this trail, which is the continuation of Estabrook Road; it will eventually go to Carlisle.  This is the road on which the Minutemen marched on their way to battle at the Old North Bridge.

 

   Pass a trail on the right, that says, Posted, No Hunting.  You will pass Mink Pond on your right; a small trail goes down to the shore.  This is a wonderful pond for wood ducks, and there is a big beaver lodge at the far right-hand end.  Continue on the Estabrook Trail.  A smaller trail will angle off to the right (The Esker Trail).  Continuing on the main trail, notice an historical granite marker on the right side of the trail.

 

   Go a short distance, and turn LEFT on a smaller trail; it passes through a stone wall.  In about 1/8 of a mile, pass through another stone wall; find a small side trail going RIGHT up over a fallen log step.  This trail winds around to the right of a small limestone quarry. 

 

   At the beginning of the first small quarry, the path passes by a rocky outcrop on the right.  From this point, go 12 paces.  On your right, notice a dead oak tree leaning at a 45degree angle against another dead oak.  It is forked at the end.  Look for your treasure at the base of the leaning dead oak.  Stamp in!!  Carefully replace the stones and branches. 

 

   In these small quarries, limestone was quarried and made into ground limestone for gardens, and used in plaster.  There are beautiful saxifrage, baneberry, barberry, jack-in-the pulpit and columbine plants, growing around the limestone quarries, but there is also poison ivy!  Beware!!

 

   You can continue on this meandering woods trail back to the main trail.  Turn RIGHT, and follow this trail back to where you parked the cars.  This conservation area is very large, so dont take any side trails.  People are known to end up on another street!

 

Read the Waiver of responsibility and Disclaimer before setting out.