Common to our genes and sensitivities is our shared perception of beauty. Flowing waters and open pastures are beautiful. Mountain ranges and cumulus clouds are beautiful. A beauty we discover upon crossing the Dutchess County border into northwestern Connecticut are quintessential New England towns replete with the spires of Protestant churches, storefront diners, bakeries and colonial town halls. Two of these archetypical towns – Falls Village and Salisbury – have the good fortune of being linked by the Appalachian Trail.
Falls Village is a prerevolutionary town established in 1738. Memorable hikes begin with a hearty meal. In Falls Village that is provided by Toymakers Cafe?. Memorable hikes also have remarkable views. Within the first mile of this 8-mile trek is the Great Falls of the Housatonic – a dramatic swimming and sunbathing spot for locals and venturesome visitors.
While the Appalachian Trail leaves the shores of the Housatonic River and heads up into the hills, for those preferring an alternate hike, the gravel Housatonic River Road continues to parallel the riverbank and offers a rustic stroll or bike ride for those wishing to remain among open fields and farmland.
Midway through this Appalachian Trail hike is the finest Appalachian Trail vista in all of Connecticut: Rand’s View. With pasture in the foreground, hedgerows in the middle ground and the Taconic Range in the background, this viewpoint mandates a lunch break – especially in verdant summer and in autumnal foliage.
This moderately strenuous hike concludes with a descent into the town of Salisbury, established in 1741. Memorable hikes conclude with a luscious dessert. In Salisbury that is provided by William’s Bakery.
As a place to overnight, I discovered the exquisite Manor House B&B in the little known, 1758 village of Norfolk – a historic center enlivened with the culture of the Yale Summer School of Music, nature walks up Haystack hill and Dennis Hill, and quaint eateries.
Being on the border of Massachusetts, it was an opportunity to visit the Norman Rockwell museum in Stockbridge and to attend my first concert at Tanglewood in Lenox, which featured James Taylor. Before each song, Taylor gave the background of how the song came about. I always say no matter how many times you hike a given trail, it is different each time. It seems the same is true of a song. Before the vocals of “Walking Man,” he revealed, “I always thought this song was about me. Now the older I get, I keep seeing more of my dad in this song.” He continued, “And now I see how nature and church are closely intertwined.”
I was struck by his choice of the word “church.” He could have said religion or spirituality, or practice. But when I looked around me at the thousands of concert-goers in this plein air venue sitting on our picnic blankets on the sprawling lawn, it was evident that we were all sitting in the pewless church of nature. Upon reflection, during the day as I had trekked the Appalachian Trail, the conifers on the ridgelines were bona fide spires. And no intricate stained glass rivals the opulence of this month’s bountiful mountain laurel which adorned the trail. I realized, too, that every mindful step along the path this day had been a prayer.
Skip Doyle is owner of Outdoor Skipper, a New York-licensed guide service offering hiking, biking, camping, paddling and cross-country skiing outings throughout the Hudson River Valley as well as spiritual-nature retreats. He is founder of Esopus Heritage, which serves to preserve and promote the nature and historic places in the Town of Esopus. As a volunteer for the Adirondack Mountain Club, the Appalachian Mountain Club and other nature preservation organizations, his outdoor offerings can be found at MidHudsonADK.org, AMC-NY.org and OutdoorSkipper.com; contact him at OutdoorSkipper@gmail.com