This past weekend I walked the Northern Rail Trail in Andover, NH, from the access point off Lawrence Street (to the right off Route 11 by the Irving Gas Station) to Plains Road, and back, a total of 5.4 miles. (Map of the walk.) There is plenty of parking and a port-a-pot right by the ball field on Lawrence St.
Most of the path was fairly sunny, with a few shady spots. The most notable feature was the dragonflies, thousands of them, many varieties, swooping low arcs over the path and alongside it. (Click any photo for larger view.)
Horseshoe Pond was also a great place to stop and observe: so many turtles perched on rocks, some cedar waxwings in the trees, lily pads just starting to bloom yellow.
And like everyone else who walks this trail, we came across a memorial area for Josh Wilterdink, who died after a car crash at age 18.
Some other interesting flora, fauna, and human-made things to see along the trail at this time of year:
Some bridges …
Some blooms … ox-eye daisy, lady’s slipper, dandelions, sarsaparilla, yellow hawkweed, British soldiers lichen, sheep laurel …
Some human and animals “signs” …
And a few other goodies … I wasn’t quick enough to get the snake we saw scurrying away …
