LJ-genie: bring me: Woods!

[kitchen_kink]

So, say you were on a cleanse, peaking in a water- and tea-only fast this Sunday. Say you would like to go on that day to some woods. Ideally, said woods would be:

1. not too far away from Cambridge/Somerville, as you don't want to drive too far while on a fast;
2. not too crowded, so you could do silly spiritual things without attracting too much human attention;
3. not made up entirely of hills and mountainy things, as you will be weak from fasting and not so much into climbing things, and;
4. still fairly isolated.

Where would you go?

Comments

[entrochan.livejournal.com]

Middlesex Fells. You could probably find a reasonably isolated place, especially this time of year, if you did a bit of bushwacking to get off the paths.

[entrochan.livejournal.com]

http://www.fellsbiker.com/maps/

You'll also tend to find things a little less crowded if you go to the section on the right side bottom.

[majes.livejournal.com]

Yes; what she said.

[effloresense.livejournal.com]

I would have to agree with the Fells.

The other place that I used to go where I could find an isolated spot was Sheepsfold Meadow, which has some lovely trails around it for that woodsy goodness.

I would go either early or late though because there are a lot of dogs there on Sunday around mid-day to early afternoon, if I remember correctly.

[alice-ayers.livejournal.com]

Walden pond?

[cutieperson]

seconded.

[wench33.livejournal.com]

thirded. If you walk far enough you can find non-people spots.

[zarex.livejournal.com]

Walden's very nice, but also very popular. I'm not sure it would be private enough.

[moominmolly.livejournal.com]

DeCordova?

[kitty-scarboro.livejournal.com]

i love DeCordova.

[uberjay.livejournal.com]

Ooh, the DeCordova in excellent. I'm not sure it would qualify as an other-people-sparse location, but I bet you could find a quiet place. The artwork that's scattered around the grounds gives it such a delightfully surreal feel.

I also recommend the Fells—it's really close and there are many trails.

[moominmolly.livejournal.com]

I believe that if you wander back in back of the DeCordova, there are trails through the woods. I might be making that up, but I'm pretty sure.

Anyway, the Fells definitely works. :)

[klingonlandlady.livejournal.com]

We used to go into the woods from the DeCordova and walk around the lake there, but last time we went they had put a chainlink fence in the way, so you couldn't do that. Dunno if it's a reservoir, or private land. But, humph.

[zzbottom.livejournal.com]

About 45 minutes west of here, is the current Devens (formerly Ft. Devens). I was stationed there for a year and a half. Not sure if a former Army base would suit your needs, but you're bound to be pretty isolated in the woods there. I could give you slightly more guided directions as to route and parking if you'd like.

South of here is Blue Hills. Likely to be more populated, but there are lots of trails and relatively easy terrain.

[dda.livejournal.com]

Near there is both the Bolton Flats and Oxbow Wildlife refuge (I think); there are definitely some woods there and often very few people.

[chanaleh.livejournal.com]

If 45-ish minutes is not too far a drive, there's the Harold Parker State Forest reservation in Andover.

[starphire.livejournal.com]

If "close" means "as close as possible to be secluded" then I'd go with the Fells too. But there's also Breakheart Reservation in Melrose. Both are a bit hilly, with steep parts that can also be avoided. And well-wooded. If it can be 45 minutes away, I'd go to Callahan State Park in Framingham, or the adjacent reservation lands.
Unfortunately, Sunday's not the best day for avoiding people in such places - but if you go farther in from the parking areas you can usually get beyond most people's range (not so much from mountain bikers).