The Walking Trails of Bagnoles-de-l’Orne by Veronica Smith

I am fortunate to live in the Spa town of Bagnoles-de-l’Orne in Normandie, north-west France. The town lies in the middle of the Forest of Andaine, which is perfect for walking trails and cycling.

The town itself offers plenty of sporting activities. There is an outdoor swimming pool; tennis courts, which host national tennis tournaments; archery classes; Tree-Aerobics (including acrobatics while suspended from tall trees!); bicycle-hire; Nordic Walking and many more seasonal delights.

The old railway track , heading north between Bagnoles-de-l’Orne and Briouze, has been converted into a graveled walking and cycling track, crossing an area of conservation with rare marsh-land plants. Or you can go westwards through unspoiled forest towards the medieval fortress-town of Domfront. Eastwards, the spectacular Gorges de Villiers hides ancient monuments. Some trails link to medieval pilgrimage routes, such as the one to Mont Saint Michel.

I am lucky enough to live on the edge of town, surrounded by forest. It is easy for me to access several of the trail routes. Instead of going with an organised group, I prefer to walk at my own pace. Just being amongst the trees and nature is a balm to the spirit. It not only tones up my physical body but helps to clear my brain from stress and calms down my emotions.

The only time that this does not work is during the Hunting Season! For six months, from September until the end of February, if you go down to the woods today, you are likely to get shot by La Chasse! Every year there are accidents and fatalities because, let us not forget, these are people toting powerful weapons with high-caliber bullets. What amazes me is that hunting is classed as a “Sport”! Calming? No! Eco-friendly? No!

There I was, naively thinking that the woods existed to provide fresh air to the planet and to provide a last refuge for creatures other than humans but evidently the forest is just another tourist asset. Oh dear!

Hopefully it will be safe to walk in the woods again come March………!

https://youtube.com/shorts/cxG7wmIN34c?feature=share

ENDS

#BagnolesDeLOrne #dailyprompt #dailyprompt2103 #forestAerobics #ForestOfAndaine #WalkingTrails #woodlandWalking

Tonight and tomorrow night in #IpswichMA !

#CraneOutdoors: Dunes by the Light of the #FullMoon

Castle Hill on the #CraneEstate

Sunday, September 7, 2025, and Monday, September 8, 2025

About CraneOutdoors: Dunes by the Light of the Full Moon

"Transformed and illuminated by the glow of the full moon, the beach and dunes of Castle Neck are a stunningly beautiful landscape. To experience this special place at this magical time, join us for a unique hiking experience.

"We’ll start with the beauty of a sunset while taking an evening walk along Crane Beach when most visitors have packed up and gone home for the day. We’ll have ample time to take in the 'Cape Ann light' that has been the inspiration of many artists over the years. Then, we’ll then head into the dunes where we’ll explore the trails of Castle Neck under the light of the full moon. You’ll enjoy the quiet of Pitch Pine groves and catch glimpses of the Atlantic as you crest the dunes. You might even see some cranberries in the Neck’s naturally occurring cranberry bogs.

"Please note: Our standard Full Moon Hike is suited to kids aged 12+ and/or who can comfortably hike 2-3 miles. For families with smaller children, or those looking for a slower pace, please look for our CraneExplorer: Family Full Moon Hike offerings, which are shorter and go at a gentler pace.

"Bring water and dress for the weather to maximize comfort. You are welcome to bring a flashlight or headlamp, but we may ask for moments of total darkness to fully enjoy the moon and the shadows it makes on the dunes."

$30pp

https://thetrustees.org/event/441279/

#SolarPunkSunday #LunarPunkSunday #TrusteesOfReservations #CraneEstate #WalkingTrails #MoonlightWalks #Nature
#Massachusetts #MassachusettsEvents #SpendTimeInNature #LandPreservation #LandTrusts

So, the Crane Estate is the place I based my #SolarPunkSunday microfiction piece on. While it doesn't have the #SolarArray of Star Island or a #WindTurbine (yet), it is making good use of a cistern that was installed there by the original owner -- which catches rainwater off the roof for future use! Also, there was a wind turbine on nearby Eagle Hill, but it was damaged in 2018 by an electrical fire, and is being torn down rather then repaired. However, both Eagle Hill and Castle Hill would be good places to catch sea breezes from the Atlantic Ocean!

The Trustees of Reservation Have A Mission…

November 22, 2011

"When Chicago industrialist Richard T. Crane, Jr. built his palatial summer home in 1928, he planned carefully for the estate’s water needs, using state-of-the-art technology-after all, the Cranes made their fortunes manufacturing plumbing supplies. As part of a plan that included wells throughout the estate, he arranged to harvest rainwater from the roof of the Great House and store it in an underground cistern next door.

"Over the years, that cistern was forgotten, says Robert Murray, superintendent of the Crane Estate, as water lines easily brought potable water up Castle Hill. The echoing chamber stood empty, just below the surface, for perhaps 60 years, until plans got underway for a major replanting on the Allee-the storied tree-lined lawn that rolls from the Great House down to the sea.

" 'As we were planning for the Allee restoration, we knew that we had to make provisions for irrigation in the event of a mandatory town-wide water ban,' Murray says. A drought would be the undoing of the substantial investment in new trees along the half-mile landscape. The organization estimates they could collect 180,000 gallons of rainwater a year from the roof-enough to take care of those young trees until they can stand on their own.

"The cistern revival is symbolic of a rethinking of the mission and goals of the Trustees of Reservations, a 120-year-old organization dedicated to preserving and protecting more than 100 special places in Massachusetts-some 20 of which are found on the North Shore. It was one of the first land trust organizations in the country, so shifting its time-honed methods wasn’t a natural move. But in response to changing times that demand more agile environmental action, the Trustees launched its 2017 Strategic Plan to make the organization more relevant in an age of eco-upheaval. The emphasis on the environment is not just a feel-good plan-the Trustees have 75 miles of coastline property that they are the first to admit could very well be radically altered by global warming."

[...]

"These properties feature, in a relatively small geographic area, a range of natural, cultural, and historic resources that are representative of the Trustees’ broader network of properties: historic structures like the Great House on Castle Hill, the Paine House on Greenwood Farms, and the Old House at Appleton Farms; important historical collections; significant natural and planned landscapes; coastal habitats, grasslands, marshlands, and agricultural lands."

Read more:
https://www.nshoremag.com/faces-places/the-trustees-of-reservation-have-a-mission/

#SolarPunkSunday #LandPreservation #Massachusetts #LandTrusts #HistoricBuildings #WalkingTrails #NewEngland

Funding of over €200,000 will make #Wexford #walkingtrails ‘multi-user friendly’ https://www.independent.ie/regionals/wexford/wexford-district/funding-of-over-200000-will-make-wexford-walking-trails-multi-user-friendly/a1522747592.html

Areas frequented by tourists often have nice wide sidewalks and lots of spaces to walk. https://lttr.ai/AetXE

#WalkingTrails #Walking

If the local mall near you hasn't shut down completely, you can take a walk inside it. https://lttr.ai/AekQj

#WalkingTrails #Walking

12 Places to Take a Walk for Free
▸ https://lttr.ai/AefRb

#WalkingTrails #Walking

Just a half-hour during your lunch break provides a decent cardio workout. https://lttr.ai/AefBt

#WalkingTrails #Walking

Relax and unwind at Belmont Park Exeter—green space in the heart of the city! 🌳✨

#belmontpark #exeter #visitdevon #ukparks #natureescape #familyfun #outdoorlife #devonexplore #greenspaces #walkingtrails

🔗 Discover more

https://makeitspecialdevon.co.uk/listing/belmont-park-exeter/

On one side of the #SacoRiver in #HollisMaine is #IndianCellarPreserve ...

"This is a lovely 81-acre preserve by the Saco River, with great #WalkingTrails. All together, there are about 3 miles of trails here, as well as some #swimming spots. There is a promontory with a great vista of the Saco River and a little picnic table. This preserve seems to be less trammeled than its neighbor across the river — #PleasantPointPark — and also somewhat popular with #MountainBikers. The perimeter trail, which is about 1.6 miles or so, is very well blazed. The interior trails are less well marked and seemingly less used.

"There is also more information about the site at the #TrustForPublicLand.

"Directions: If you’re coming from #Route202 east, you will turn left after crossing the bridge over the Saco River from Buxton. Take a left onto Old Alfred Road, and the parking lot is immediately on your left. You’ll see a sign for the preserve, and some stone steps."

https://mainebyfoot.com/indian-cellar-preserve-hollis/

#IndianCellarPreserve #LandTrust #HikingTrails
#SacoRiver #SalmonFalls
#MaineDOT #Maine #SouthernMaine #SalmonFallsBridge

I made a "hiking and walking" profile on #OSMAnd. The aim is to display only artifacts that are relevant to walking and hiking which means removing buildings, polygons, etc. But keeping favourites. If anybody got suggestions for improvements, please let me know.

Link to profile: https://use03.thegood.cloud/s/Len89PFZjcwFcHc

Password because my cloud won't let me share the file without one: OSMisOSM12!

thx

#OpenStreetMap #WalkingTrails #Hiking #OSM

https://islandinthenet.com/duck-pond-trail/