A walk through Walden

Walked through the woods at Walden. It was the most amazing hike. Venturing from the usual pond path that surrounds Walden Pond I walked some of the other paths in the woodland surrounding the pond. Along the Bean Field path the animals were scurrying about in the leaves, rustling and foraging. Autumn has arrived in New England. I love walking in the woods listening to the crunching of the fallen leaves. It reminds me of being a child exploring the woods around my house in Maryland, for which I invariably was grounded for when I returned home with hitch hikers on my pants.

Pond Path at Walden

This isn't usually something I encounter walking along the pond path, the most widely used path at the pond. Out to Ice Fort Cove path down to the pond for some shots of the pond, which is now surrounded by beautiful autumn colors, still not quite at their peak.

The path intersects with  Fire Road, both north and south. A steep down grade I walked along Heywood's meadow. Walking along this path I heard what sounded like the plucking of a harp string, which made me think of Thoreau describing a similar incident in his journal. I always find those things intriguing when they happen, something he has written about happens, or I see. I gives a whole new dimension to the experience. Walden is such a spiritual place. I always feel at peace there. On a trip there in January Jim told me I completely changed when I saw the pond. It does have a strange effect on me. Not sure how to describe it. I suppose, to pilfer one of Emerson's favorite words, it's sublime, ethereal perhaps? I always feel like I have come home when I visit here. This trip when I pulled into Concord center I sat in my car looking around feeling very at peace and whole. I sat and took in the smell and sounds of Heywood meadow for a few minutes then walked up the path imagining camping there, which is not allowed, but I can still imagine how peaceful it would be. The past few times I have been to Walden I have looked for Emerson's cliff, but never succeeded. I found today! I have passed the path to the cliff several times, but have never been facing the right way to catch the sign pointing to the cliff. Eureka!

Climbed the cliff to look out at the vista and take in the quiet of the woods. A few people could be heard off in the distance, but it appears people rarely walk the other paths in the Concord and Lincoln land conservation, or not when I do. I walked around the cliff for a while, then laid on the rock smelling the autumn air and taking in the colors of the forest, which is mostly yellow now with splashes or orange and red. I could look out and see the pond bathed in all the colors of the seasons, green, red, orange, and a multitude of hues of yellow. The colors of fall seem to awaken the senses.

As I meandered through the trails back to the pond I could hear the exuberant voices of young people relaxing by the pond, looking to be in their teens I surmised a break in the day from school as they were all wearing their packs. What a great place to have to visit between sessions of learning. I sat on the beach a while admiring the colors of the water. Studying the people at the pond. A woman reading, two men fishing, Joe and Frank I learned earlier, and high school aged students sitting on the retaining wall talking and eating lunch.  I love the water at Walden the colors are spectacular. The pond consists of so many colors, especially in the autumn.

I headed back up to the parking lot, stopping by the replica constructed of the cabin Thoreau spent two years, two months and two days living in by the pond in 1845. The ruins of the cabin are not too far off the pond path along the highway side of the pond. The light streaming into the cabin illuminated the entire house. The light and shadows on the aged door were alluring. And the smell of the cabin. I always love the smell of it.