Yesterday Shadow, Wilma, and I Adventured to Bradley Palmer State Park in Topsfield, Massachusetts. This was Shadow, and my second visit to Bradley Palmer State Park as we had been to the Park with Buster in February of 2016. Bradley Palmer State Park is a 736 acre Park on the Ipswich River. It is a former estate of noted attorney Bradley Palmer. Bradley Palmer State Park is popular for hiking, horseback riding, bicycles, canoeing, skiing, and the Willowdale Estate.
We had a wonderful Fall hike at Bradley Palmer State Park on another gorgeous Fall day. I did not remember that we had been there before, but as soon as we drove into the Park, I immediately had memories of my visit with Shadow and Buster. We started our Adventure heading over to the former estate of Bradley Palmer, a pristine building often utilized for private events. I snapped some photographs and then headed over to the nearby boardwalk trail. The boardwalk was covered with colorful Fall leaves, surrounded by the River and varying display of Fall foliage. As you may have observed, boardwalks are one of the many features I find myself drawn to, and this was no exception. I even took a little video, which you can view below.
After leaving the boardwalk we headed over to the River to check out the water’s edge. The River was simple, but the reflection vivid. We spent some time near the water before heading back to the trail. These areas gave me flashbacks of my previous visit with Shadow and Buster, as we too spent some time at this area. Back on the trail we noted that it wove through the Forest, and along the River, however we chose a path off to the right and up to a sunny trail. Shadow and Wilma appeared enthused by the sun, both enjoying some rolls in the the field, before we turned around to head back to the trail. There were no labels on the trails so we did not venture far, but returned to the boardwalk to again delight in this picturesque spot.
Next we decided to try another location of trails. On the way to this trail we encountered some small, attractive horses getting prepped from their day out on the trail. I definitely would not describe myself as a “horse person”, but was quite drawn to their majestic frame and distinct colors. After stopping for a bit we continued to the trail. This particular trail was between two areas of shallow water, and appropriate for bicycles as well as hikers and other visitors. Another gorgeous Fall scene with leaves scattered along the path. There were ducks in the water, lily pads, and lovely Fall colors. We hiked for a bit before turning around. Although I had a complex map in hand, I did not see any labels on the trails. However, it did not bother us as we chose to visit different areas for shorter spells, versus a long official hike.
It warmed my heart that all three pups were able to visit this stop on our Adventures, even if it could not be commonly. A lovely Fall day at Bradley Palmer State Park (Rating: 4).
February 2016
The Adventures of Shadow and Wilma 