
Just before Halloween as I do every year, I visited Willard Pond in Hancock. It’s about as close to a wilderness as you can come these days, at least in this area, and it’s very beautiful. Even the road in was amazing.

Unless you have time to go to a place each day to watch the turning of the leaves you can only go by experience, which in this case means what you’ve seen in the past. In the past I’ve always found the oaks and beeches in this forest at their peak during Halloween week, but there were a lot of bare trees over there. But no matter; I knew it would be beautiful. We’re going to walk right along the shore of that hillside.

It was a windy day and the wind turbines that just peek up over one of the hills were spinning faster than I’ve ever seen. I remember being shocked by their size the first time I saw them.

Though I don’t remember if this photo shows the start of the trail, it does show what the trail typically looks like. It follows along very close to the water and in many places it’s one person wide.

Since you have the hill on your left and the water on your right on the way in, it’s virtually impossible to get lost, but just in case the trees are well blazed. By the way, it’s a good idea to know what trail blazes mean and how they’re used.

From here on it is total immersion in a kaleidoscope of color and beauty. There’s nothing quite like a hardwood forest in the fall; some of the most beautiful fall foliage I’ve seen has been seen right here.

Small maples that had been cut along the trail had grown back, and they were beautifully red.

But most of the maple leaves had found their way into the water of the pond.

There are several places where small streams come down off the hillside to the pond but there are boardwalks in place. Still, wearing good waterproof hiking boots here is a good idea.

Maple leaf viburnums (Viburnum acerifolium) were beautiful as always in reds and pinks but they were also untouched by insects, which is unusual.

Big, hand sized hobblebush leaves (Viburnum lantanoides) weren’t quite so pristine but they were still beautiful. I noticed that all their fruit had been eaten already.

The hobblebushes had their buds all ready for spring. These are naked buds with no bud scales. Instead their hairs protect them. The part that looks swollen is a flower bud and come May, it will be beautiful.

As is always the case when I come here, I couldn’t stop taking photos of the amazing trees. It’s hard to describe what a beautiful place this is, so I’ll let the photos do the talking.

There was a large colony of corydalis growing on a boulder and if I had to guess I’d say it was the pink corydalis (Corydalis sempervirens,) also known as rock harlequin. That plant blooms in summer and has pretty pink and yellow blooms but since I’ve only been here in the fall, I’ve never seen them in bloom. Next summer though, I’ll have a lot more free time and I’d love to visit this place in all four seasons.

A tiny polypody fern (Polypodium virginianum) was just getting started on another boulder. Polypody fern is also called the rock cap fern, for good reason. Though I’ve seen them growing on the ground once or twice there must have been a rock buried where they grew, because they love growing on stone. They are evergreen and very tough, and can be found all winter long.

There are plenty of boulders for rock loving plants to grow on and this is one of the largest I’ve ever seen. Easily as big as a garage, the black coloring on it and other boulders comes from the spore bearing surface of rock tripe lichens (Umbilicaria mammulata,) which grow here by the many thousands. Rock tripe is edible but I imagine they must taste like old rubber. Still, they were a source of emergency food for Native Americans and saved the lives of many an early settler. Even George Washington’s troops are said to have eaten rock tripe to survive the brutal winter at Valley Forge in 1777.

A beaver once gnawed on this huge old yellow birch and it was in the process of healing itself, which is something I’ve never seen a tree this old do. The will to live is very strong in all living things, and this is a great example of that. Though I didn’t see them in person I see some polypody ferns growing at the base of it in this photo. Whether on an unseen stone or on the tree itself, I don’t know.

Something else I’ve never seen is target canker on a yellow birch, but here it was. Target canker doesn’t harm the tree but causes its bark to grow in circular patterns of narrow plates which helps protect it from the canker. According to Cornell university: “A fungus invades healthy bark, killing it. During the following growing season, the tree responds with a new layer of bark and undifferentiated wood (callus) to contain the pathogen. However, in the next dormant season the pathogen breaches that barrier and kills additional bark. Over the years, this seasonal alternation of pathogen invasion and host defense response leads to development of a ‘canker’ with concentric ridges of callus tissue—a ‘target canker.’” Apparently, the fungal attacker gives up after a while, because as the tree ages the patterns disappear and the tree seems fine. What interests me most about this is how I’ve read that target canker is only supposed to appear on red maples. Now I can no longer say that is true.

A common earth ball (Scleroderma citrinum) grew beside the trail and looked as if it was nearly ready to release its spores. Another name for it is the pigskin puffball and it is toxic. It likes to grow on compacted soil like that found on forest trails. They often have a yellow color on their surface and are also called citrine earth balls because of it. I’ve seen them with a beautiful lemon-yellow color.

My grandmother was with me in spirit when I found a berry on an American wintergreen plant (Gaultheria procumbens,) which she always called checkerberry. It was the ffirst plant she ever taught me and we used to go looking for the minty tasting berries together. It is also called teaberry because the leaves were once used as a tea substitute.

The big leaves of striped maple (Acer pensylvanicum) had taken on their yellow fall color. They’ll lighten to almost white before they drop.

I saw many things here I’ve never seen before on this day, and one of them was the seeds (samaras) of striped maple. I’ve seen thousands of these trees but this is the first time I’ve ever seen the seeds.

Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) grows in abundance all along the trail. Though I’ve seen them blooming profusely here, on this day these were the only blossoms I saw.

This little wooden bench is usually as far as I go for two reasons; because by the time I reach this spot I’ve usually taken far more photos than I can ever use, and because I like to sit in this quiet place and enjoy the serenity and splendor of nature. It just doesn’t get a lot better than this, in my opinion.

As I sat on the bench I watched the ripples for a while as they flowed over the still fresh and beautiful leaves on the bottom of the pond. I could hear a loon calling off on the far shore and I wasn’t surprised. I hear them almost every time I come here but I’ve never seen one. Probably just as well, because they’re an endangered bird. They die from eating lead fishing weights, and that is why only fly fishing is allowed here.

Sometimes when I sit on the bench I watch the water, and sometimes I turn around to see the colors. One is just as beautiful as the other but colors like these can’t be seen year-round.

As I got back on the trail to leave a chipmunk ran up a tree root and stared, as if to ask why I was leaving so soon. Though it had seemed like hardly any time at all, I had been here three hours. I hope all of you have beautiful woodland places to visit. They’re very uplifting.
If you are lost inside the beauties of nature, do not try to be found. ~Mehmet Murat ildan
Thanks for stopping in.
Very beautiful Allen! Picture one = Wow, picture two = Awesome and so on.
Autumn is definitely my favorite season, and this fall has been great. It is 57 degrees and sunny today in Michigan.
I have wanted to see corydalis, apparently it grows here but I have never found it. So I look forward to your trip back to Willard Pond in the summer. You will have more time next summer? Retirement or just cutting down on hours? Thanks for the lovely walk.
Thanks Chris! We’re still mowing lawns here with temps also in the 50s. Ain’t life grand!
Corydalis isn’t common here at all. That’s the only one I’ve ever seen. The flowers are pretty from what I’ve seen online but I’ve read that they’re also easy to miss.
I’m retiring at the end of February. Then all the clocks go into the trash bin and I have fun every day. That’s the plan, anyway.
That sounds great no more clocks! And fun every day! Congratulations!
Thanks! If it all goes according to plan it should be great!
I’m glad you take the time to record your rambles. Personally I don’t have the patience most of the time! I love living in Oregon, but now I hope I get to see New Hampshire sometime!
Thank you Lyn. Though I take occasional notes I don’t really record anything. I find that most of the time now these posts write themselves right there on the trail, so all I have to do is remember and write. It sounds odd but it works!
I hope you get to see New Hampshire too. It’s beautiful at all times of year with mountains, lakes and seashore but especially so in the fall.
THANK YOU so much for taking me on your journey of wonder AND If you are lost inside the beauties of nature, DO NOT TRY TO BE FOUND.
You’re welcome Krys. I get lost like that all the time and so far nobody has found me!
What a beautiful walk you have shared with us, Allen! The leaf colour with the blue sky and the sparkling lake water is glorious!
Thank you Clare. I was actually hoping for an overcast day but once I started through that forest I was glad we didn’t have one. Willard Pond is always beautiful.
That is a beautiful place. I was very surprised by the self healing tree that the beaver had bitten. I liked the chipmunk posing for you.
Trees do heal themselves but I’ve never seen a wound that big do it.
Chipmunks are everywhere here and they will often follow along with people, warning all the creatures ahead that you’re coming. They’re very cute little things.
Our equivalents which are squirrels tend to be very shy.
Squirrels and chipmunks get used to people when they see them a lot. We have rather tame ones where I work that I’ve almost stepped on because they didn’t move when they saw me coming.
The squirrels in London parks are quite tame but ours our very flighty.
I enjoy all your posts, but I truly appreciate each of the quotes you include at the end. It spurs me to investigate the authors and has led to more than one book purchase. Thank you.
You’re welcome Zoe. I’m glad to hear that because I do the same thing. Many of these people I’ve never heard of, but I started using their quotes because they said what I wanted to say so much better than I could.
If you have a lazy day and want to try something different, just Google “nature quotes.” It’s amazing how many are out there.
Truly a beautiful and much appreciated walk. I did have to laugh at myself though because for a moment when I saw the hobblebush buds, what I saw was a caved wooden rabbit. Then I realized what it was. The bench by the water is a place to spend some truly “quality” time.
Thank you. That’s funny because another reader saw the same thing earlier. I must have a different kind of imagination because I didn’t see it, and I don’t see a turtlehead in that plant either.
When you sit on that bench past, future and present all become one moment.
I’ve hiked that area for many years, all the way back to John Kulish when he worked for the Harris Center. Coming down the hill from the west in two feet of snow is fun. If you’re looking for neat place to find the nearest thing to wilderness in southern NH you should check out Heald Track in Wilton. There’s 1,500acres of forest and open space. In addition there are four ponds and 10 miles of hiking trails. Not to mention old cellar holes It’s owned by SPNHF and is open to the public. If you haven’t been there you can go to the SPNHF web site and you can get directions and a map. I’ve been a Land Steward on Heald for 20yrs and would be happy to guide you or anyone who is interested to some of the more interesting places.
Thanks very much Bart. I’m retiring in February and what you describe is part of THE PLAN after retirement, so I might just take you up on your gracious offer. I’ve wanted to branch out from Cheshire County for a while now, and the Heald Track sounds like it would be a great place to start. My goal is to show more of the beauty of the entire state rather than one particular spot, and come February I’ll have the time to finally do it.
We will have to make the trek over there and take a lovely walk thanks!
You’re welcome. You won’t be sorry that you did!
Thank you for taking us all along on this beautiful walk. I was especially interested to see the target canker on the yellow birch.
You’re welcome, Daphne. Wasn’t that strange? I’ve got to go back and find out a little more about that tree.
It was a delight to walk with you along Willard Pond, thanks for sharing your beautiful photographs.
You’re welcome. It’s one of the most beautiful places I know of.
Beautiful spot, love the clear water!
This is one of my favorite spots. We’re lucky to have lots of clean, clear water!
Good morning, Allen. So many pics just glowing with golden fall beauty. The furry hobblebush bud looks just like a rabbit’s head! I love the pics with fallen leaves in water. On a sunny day, such as you had, everything is so lovely to behold. That bench in the shore is the perfect place to sit and soak it up.
Good morning Ginny! I’ve never seen the rabbit head in hobblebush buds but I do now, so thank you for that.
I’m glad you enjoyed the walk. It’s always so beautiful at Willard Pond and yes, that bench is a great place to sit for a while!
I like the chipmunk. Once upon a time, I spent weekends in Marlow and drove to work in Chelmsford, MA on Monday mornings. I passed within a mile and half of Willard Pond along 123. I sure would like to visit the pond someday.
I remember. You passed by some really beautiful spots back then. Pitcher Mountain, Bailey Brook Falls, Willard Pond…
The pond isn’t going anywhere, so whenever you come back east you’ll be able to see it. I’d like to go further around it one day but someone has to take my camera away so I can.