Stonehouse Pond 3/30, Abbott's Grant 4/3, Little Niagra Falls 4/6

"A Bunch of Little Hikes"

"Stonehouse Pond" (pictures)
(Directions) Rt. 202 in Barrington, turn onto Stonehouse Pond Rd. Park at gate in winter, drive down road and park at small parking area in summer.

Scott came home early on Thursday not feeling well. Both needing some fresh air he suggested we go do a small walk. It would probably be a good idea considering a possible 6-12 foot snow storm was forecasted for April Fools Day! I decided to head to Stonehouse Pond, always a pleasant walk! We parked at the gated entrance and began our walk down the road. It was cool out, but nice and sunny and the air felt good. We made our way to the pond shore and in the usual clockwise direction around the still frozen pond.

Trash was spotted along the shoreline and in some of the brush. Another reminder that I unfortunately need to carry a trash bag with we on my walks as there is always trash to be tended too..."sigh". The side of the ledge was still a little icy and I stopped to 'pop' some pictures. After making the steep climb up to the ledge we sat looking out over the landscape and just relaxed and enjoyed the view. Such a lovely little spot!



"Abbott's Grant" (pictures)
(Directions) From downtown Farmington take Old Bay Rd. Turn right at signage for Abbott's Grant. Tiny parking area.

After getting half a foot of snow Friday and more up North, we decided against any major weekend hike. Instead late Sunday afternoon we headed just down the road for a short dusk walk. We began to walk down the woods road but snow was still deep and loose. So I parked at the logging road just down the road and we walked the Cocheco River down to the old dam. It was very wet along the way with spring run off streams everywhere! The water was certainly flowing nicely!

"Little Niagra Falls" (pictures)
(Directions) First Crown Point Rd. in Farmingon, pass by Mt. Blue Job parking. Continue a little ways to Little Niagra Falls Rd. on the left. Follow this road to a turn around/parking area at the marsh shore.

I would be heading to a Yanni concert tonight and then off to 'Invasive Pests First Detector Training' at the Concord Audubon Society on Thursday. So it was nice to get out again for some fresh air. I figured I would bring Scott down to Little Niagra Falls and I had only been here once this past winter. The hike was very wet as snow melted. The marshes were pretty and the reflections of the blue sky and white puffy clouds in the waters was awesome!

As we checked out the cemetery at the highest point of the road a horse rider came flying up the trail. She was startled as she looked over to us standing there! We chatted briefly and she charged back down the trail. We arrived at a strongly flowing fall. It was gorgeous! I snapped as many pictures as I could before we had to head back to the truck.

On the return trip we picked up trash and left it in small piles along the road for future extraction. Earlier at the cemetery I mentioned that there must be an old foundation around unless the cemetery belonged to one of the older houses at the start of the road. But just before we reached the parking area Scott spotted it just off the road. A large stone foundation for a house and barn. And I also spotted a stone well which was uncovered. What a cool discovery! This is one of my new favorite little hikes in the area. A bit of a long drive for such a short walk, but if you use it as a warm up for a hike up Blue Job just across the street it would make for a perfect combo!