By Penny & Ed Cherubino
Gather your favorite walking crew, leash up the pups, and set off to explore a new walking trail. We find two distinct types of planned and routed walking trails. With a little research, you can find a walk through nature, along the shore, follow an historic or artistic trail, or just explore a new neighborhood.
Nature Trails
Fortunately, our ancestors set aside and maintain beautiful places like the Belle Isle Marsh Reservation in Winthrop, the Northern Strand Community Trail from Everett to Lynn, or the well-loved Middlesex Fells Reservation. Please check the rules for dogs at any location you consider. Unfortunately, these can change over time due to irresponsible dog guardians.
We’re big fans of the Trustees of Reservations and appreciate the dog-friendly policies at some of their properties. In planning our list of places to stroll, we checked the rules for the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln. It brought a smile when we saw, “We welcome dogs; please keep them on a leash and pick up after them.” This property is perfect for planning a walk, enjoying the sculpture, and having a picnic on the grounds.
Historic, Artistic, and Cultural Trails
In the historic Greater Boston area, organized trails by subject matter abound. In addition to the well-known Freedom Trail, there are more specific walks through history. Boston has a Women’s Heritage Trail, a Black Heritage Trail, an Irish Heritage Trail, and the Emerald Necklace. You can opt for self-guided or guide-led tours. And, you can decide to do parts of a trail rather than all of it. For example, you might walk the Charlestown section of the Freedom Trail as a separate activity.
Outdoor art in the form of murals and sculptures is a great way to explore neighborhoods. There is a mural map on the City of Boston website that points you to artwork all over the city, from East Boston to Hyde Park.
Chinatown in Boston offers the Chinatown Art Tour, which includes a map listing twenty or more pieces of art for you to view. MIT, Boston University, and Northeastern all have public art collections you can explore.
You can extend your art walks to other cities and towns. For example, Lynn describes, “The Downtown Lynn Cultural District’s Public Art Directory provides an extensive selection of striking public art installations created by local and global talent.” Look up a city or town you want to explore, and Google the place and the words’ Public Art,’ and you may find a new way to see that community.
Other Approaches
When you are looking to shake up your longer walks, we have a few suggestions for targeting an area. The summer farmers’ markets began opening this month. Pick a market and check whether it is dog-friendly, since some aren’t. Then see what else is in that general area that might be of interest to you and your pack.
MBTA and Commuter Rail stations are another starting point for exploration. You can walk along the shore at Revere Beach. From various stations, you can stroll the Southwest Corridor in Boston or the Esplanade.
Don’t forget to pack or determine where you can find water or snacks for everyone, and keep your eyes open for facilities for humans. Practice great responsibility as a dog and human pair, and you will make friends for canine companions wherever your feet and paws take you.