Upcoming events

WMT Hike #6: Cheshire Rail Trail Through Keene

Saturday, September 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This hike is a little different since we also welcome those on bicycles. After all, this 5.5-mile section of the Wantastiquet-to-Monadnock Trail follows the Cheshire Rail Trail. This is a very modest hike, punctuated by a stop at Odelay, a local Main Street eatery in Keene. Or, if you prefer, bring your lunch and eat it on a bench downtown. Registration is required for this event to coordinate return transportation; see below for contact. Carpooling is very much encouraged.

Presented by: Wantastiquet-Monadnock Trail Coalition, Monadnock Conservancy, Pathways for Keene, and Keene Parks and Recrecation.
Location: Meet at Stonewall Farm, 242 Chesterfield Road, Keene, N.H.
Contact: To register, please email Frank Richter or call 603-256-6082.

Cheshire Walkers at Carroll’s Hill

Wednesday, October 3, 2018, from 8:45 to 11:30 a.m.

The Tolman family donated a conservation easement to the Monadnock Conservancy in 2011 with the intention of keeping the land open to the public for hiking. The Swanzey Open Space Committee has worked with the Tolman family to create a trail up to the top of Carroll’s Hill, named for the late Carroll Tolman, a Swanzey farmer. This trail traverses the property’s hemlock and hardwood groves and affords views of the hilltop forests. A moderate hike, it starts on the Old Calvin Curtiss Road before winding up the north slope of the hill through mixed forests and arriving at a scenic overlook. This trail crosses privately owned land and is maintained by the Swanzey Open Space Committee.

Presented by: Monadnock Conservancy and Cheshire Walkers, a program of Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth-Hitchcock.
Location: Meet at the Keene Department of Public Works, 350 Marlborough Street, to carpool.
Contact: Email Ryan Owens or call 603-357-0600, ext. 103.

WMT Hike #8: Gap Mountain

Saturday, October 20, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The entire length of this hike (about 4.5 miles) is on the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail, a long-distance trail from the Long Island Sound in Connecticut to the summit of Mount Monadnock. Beginning at an old train depot, you start off on an easy walk, entering the woods on Fern Hill. The trail becomes steep and rough toward the summit of Gap, from which there are beautiful views across the valley. You’ll get a break to eat lunch and admire the views of Mount Monadnock and the surrounding area. Then, continue on a mostly downhill section to the parking area. Please wear sturdy hiking shoes, and bring plenty of water and a lunch. Rain will cancel. Registration is required for this event to coordinate return transportation; see below for contact.

Presented by: Wantastiquet-Monadnock Trail Coalition and Monadnock Conservancy.
Location: Meet at the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests Gap Mountain North Trailhead parking lot at the end of Bullard Road in Jaffrey, N.H.
Contact: To register, please email Hiel Lindquist or call Tom Duston at 603-256-6082.

Cheshire Walkers at Converse Meadow

Wednesday, November 7, 2018, from 8:45 a.m. to noon

Converse Meadow features an historic pre-Revolutionary mill site and dam where flour, lumber, boxes, and shingles were produced from the 1760s to the 1930s. Though few signs of the mills remain, the property is now host to an easy 1.5-mile loop trail that follows the shore of Converse Meadow Pond and related wetlands. The Town of Rindge purchased the property in 2004 to prevent the land from being developed, and a conservation easement held by the Monadnock Conservancy further ensures Converse Meadow will remain open space in perpetuity. Join Conservancy executive director Ryan Owens to walk the trail and learn about the natural history of the site.

Film: David Attenborough’s “Light on Earth”

Thursday, November 8, 2018, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

The spectacular light produced by glowworms, fireflies, and plankton is known as “bioluminescence” — light made by living creatures. But those familiar glows and flashes are just a fragment of the bioluminescent world. Explore the mysterious realm of living light with this award-winning documentary film, which follows David Attenborough and a team of researchers as they investigate the science of bioluminescence, including several species found right here in New England. Dave Wichland of Wichland Woods, a unique mycology business, will talk about bioluminescent mushrooms following the film.

Presented by: Monadnock Conservancy, Harris Center for Conservation Education, and the Keene State College Film Society.
Location: Putnam Arts Lecture Hall theater, Redfern Arts Center, Keene State College, Keene, N.H.
Contact: Email Katrina Farmer or call 603-357-0600, ext. 111.

Intro to Herbal Tinctures

Tuesday, December 11, 2018, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

This is a great class for you and your friends who are interested in the inherent healing and substance that plants provide. Brenna Morris of Luna’s Herbals will introduce you to native plants and their medicinal properties, and then teach the basics of tincture making. You will make a tincture from native plants, and take the tincture home to enjoy or give as a gift. This class is hosted at a conserved property. Please click here to register in advance; $25 for Conservancy members, $35 for non-members. (Fee covers all workshop materials.)

Presented by: Monadnock Conservancy and Luna’s Herbals.
Location: Camp Glen Brook, 35 Glenbrook Road, Marlborough, N.H.
Contact: Email Shauna Sousa or call 603-357-0600, ext. 110.