The other day we went over to the Richard Emett Conservation Land to explore the trails. This land has been available for recreation for over a decade, but we had failed to branch out of our own local area and make it the few extra miles to Texas Road to park and explore. We parked at the trail head by the intersection of Texas Road and Sherlock Lane after passing by a Pick Your Own apple orchard.
It had both woodland trails and a circumnavigation of Nashoba Pond. Like a few other conservation lands in Westford, this one has the prerequisite abandoned car. My dog thought the snapping turtle was the greatest find on the trail, but this car fascinated my husband and I. I have asked around to find out the story behind the car but so far no one has been able to shed any light. It is near an old foundation with a small fireplace and was clearly there before the trees grew around it and through it. I am hoping that by sharing this that someone can help fill in the history. It makes me think of a time when men with hats and women with gloves went for a Sunday drive.
Aside from the car, I have to admit that we have been missing out by not visiting this land more often. A father and daughter passed us twice in both directions on their mountain bikes and the only other people we saw were close to the trail head on Texas Road. There was a variety of birds and turtles and some swamp lands spanned by bridges. We carried a map of the trails which was helpful since there are many branches in the path. If the rain finally clears, we hope to head back this weekend and pick some apples on the way home. Maybe by the time we had out, someone here will have shared the mystery of the old car.
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(a copy of the map we used can be found here: http://www.westfordconservationtrust.org/Wct/Trails/Nashoba/nbwTopo.gif)
