Punkatasset Project (A Walk in Nature)
Some years back, Beth and I began taking regular walks in the woods. When we came to Punkatassset Hill in Concord, part of a large tract of public and private land in Concord, Massachusetts, we found a place we could return to. Proximity and varied habitats sold us, as did the lack of overcrowding à la Walden Pond.
The entire tract of land is called Estabrook Woods. We enter by way of Monument St. but numerous other entrances exist in Concord and Carlisle. Some of the trails are wide, some barely blazed. One can easily get lost, though civilization is near at hand.
The British army marched on Concord in April, 1775, looking for caches of weapons. Minutemen and militia gathered on Punkatasset Hill, about a mile from the village, to reconnoiter. Smoke from burning contraband led the Minutemen to believe that the British were burning the town. The Minutemen moved down to confront the British, and a shot heard round the world ensued.
Here are some of the features of the place for us:
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The hill itself. Called Broad-Topped Hill by Native Americans, it stands steep and tree-covered. The town (I guess) keeps one slope clear for skiing, but only the occasional cross country skier does so. Ski jumping occurred at the site, and supposedly the Norwegian ski team trained here back in the 20s. That’s a head scratcher but there you are.
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The rolling hills and fields. Glaciers gamboled here back in the day.
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Hutchins Pond. The centre of the circuit we take. Thoreau Brook feeds the pond and Sawmill Brook leaves it. Thoreau’s family owned land hereabouts, part of their pencil-making empire.
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Flora and fauna. We rarely see beaver—they are more active at night—but we see their handiwork: hutches and tumbled trees. Snakes surprise us as they sun. Mushrooms in covert places. Lady’s slippers in spring. Blue heron, ducks, geese. A carpet of lily pads spread across much of the pond.
A camera, which we share, accompanies our walks. Over the past few years we have amassed thousands of pictures of the place. Every visit shows us something new. These pictures represent creative mindfulness to me. Mindful of the large and the small, the beautiful and the ugly, growth and decay. Punkatasset Project will ongoingly swell with further pictures and ruminations.
Click the following link for a map of the place:
http://www.concordma.gov/Pages/ConcordMA_NaturalResources/Punkatassset.pdf