Sign Up  /  Login

The Parklands LbNA #35935 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Oct 13, 2007
Location:
City:Milford
County:Worcester
State:Massachusetts
Boxes:4
Planted by:Hopedale Connection
Found by: Arf! (3)
Last found:Apr 14, 2011
Status:FFFFFa
Last edited:Dec 27, 2015
The Parklands, Freedom Street, Hopedale, MA
Take Route 495 to Exit 20 toward Rt. 16/Milford, Turn Slight right onto Cedar St/MA-85, Turn RIGHT onto E MAIN ST / MA-16. Follow Rte. 16 thru lights at Milford Regional Hospital. Bear right onto Adin Street, follow to end. Turn right onto Hopedale Street, straight to 4-way intersection. Turn left onto Freedom Street, pass Hopedale Pond. Take 2nd right to stay on Freedom Street. After passing the pond again on the right, look for a small parking area - entrance to The Parklands.

There are 4 boxes in total. Total hike length ~1.5 miles. Bug spray is a good idea in the summer. Also, bring a pen.

Although The Parklands surround The Hopedale Pond, we decided to incorporate a beach theme...you'll see!

Park between the RR tracks & the yellow gate.
Beyond the gate lies the preferred path. Be mindful of this precious land and follow the Parkland Regulations.

As you come up to the pond on the right, stop at the opening beyond the pines for a nice view. You may see people fishing, kayaking or canoeing.

Return to the path and head north, where the trail begins to twist and turn away from the water. Follow the arrow and stay to your left. You should see a collection of rocks wearing a pale green patina. From the trail, face the rocks, keeping the 1st of 3 big trees to your left and take ~16 steps up to find "The Castle".

Resume your hike and, if you brought your pup along, be sure to keep him on a leash - as you can see, there's a fine for violations.

The pond will reappear on your right. As you hike along you will come upon the first of two waterfalls that feed into the pond. You can see them running in the winter, spring and sometimes in the early summer. At the "fall" look deep into the woods to see a cave that runs under the RR tracks. Three stones make a roof - the "Seahorse" lives below one of these stones.

Back on the trail, old moss-covered timbers mark the land. The second "fall", though not as tall, forms an "S" as it winds its way from the hill to the trail. Inside the second curve of the "S" (on the left), where the small tree trunks meet, is where you'll gaze upon the "Starfish".

Stay the trail that hugs the water - avoid the temptation to stray to the left. Common sites include lilly pads, cattails, bikers, joggers, walkers and fishermen. The old Rustic Bridge, connecting the east & west shores of Hopedale Pond, is your next stop. Enjoy the view!

Now it's time to head back. As you do, take a small detour off the main trail, just beyond the leash bylaw reminder. When you reach the clearing with the long boulders that lead down to the water, stay to the left. The old pine stands guard as its roots hug the stone below. Follow the roots that point to path to the left. Approximately 10 steps down the this small path will take you to the moss covered trunk where the "Sea shells" can be found. This is the last of 4 boxes.

We hope you enjoyed The Parklands. Be certain to respect this historic land and let us know how you liked this outing. It's our first letterbox!

More about "The Parklands"...

The Parklands was conceived by Henry Manning in the late 1800's. The plan to build a park system across 400 acres was implemented in 1899.

A park superintendent directed the planting work and maintenance year-round. Even in the winter, the woods were continually thinned out and brush was burnt. The work crew burgeoned to thirty or forty men during spring planting season. The principal objective of the design and execution of the Parklands was to keep the pond and the park "as natural as possible, to refuse any touch of artificiality, except in that portion where closeness to the houses forces certain yieldings to a cultivated aspect." A period account described the 'three rules for planting: the trees must look as though they came there by accident, the bare places must be gradually covered, [and] picturesque trees must be set on the border of the water." Excerpt from http://www.geocities.com/daninhopedale/parklandshist.html.