On Saturday, December 29th, participants of the Mid-Holiday Hike on The Two Bridges Trail found themselves in sunshine and temperatures that were twelve degrees above normal! It was an extraordinary winter day for hiking in this Ashfield forest. More than twenty of us eagerly immersed ourselves in the healing power of the trees and the fabulous atmosphere they create. Near the halfway point we passed a steep ravine that shelters a very large vernal pool now covered with ice. Some of us made a mental note to remember to explore this pool in the spring.
The trail continued to take us over several stone walls and up and down hills before we reached the longest decent where the path zig-zags until we were near level ground. Once here, we hiked parallel to a gushing brook that eventually led us to the two bridges built by The Trustees. One of these bridges is at the foot of Chapel Falls. We crossed over it then climbed the still icy trail to the falls to see the powerful water as it plunged into stone pools. This was truly a refreshing, revitalizing hike ending with warm drinks, lunches from home, and upbeat conversation in the meeting room at the Bullitt Reservation office.
