2023-07-19: Begley Road

I headed out after work last Wednesday for a walk up Begley and Bell Hill Roads, two hilly rural roads in northeast Windham. Following my new strategy of frequent and short walks, this walk was under 4.5 miles in total length, heading up the two roads and then turning around and returning to my parking spot near the junction of Begley and Route 23. The two roads were heavily forested and despite steep elevation on Begley and warm humid temperatures, the low traffic and low density roads revived a little bit of my lost love for roadwalking. On these roads I was really alone which is half the fun of it to me.

Roads Walked: NY-23, Begley Road, Bell Hill Road

4.43 mi, 568' gain, 1h11m RT. Windham NY roads 20/46 mi.

Grass grows beyond rusted fences in an old pool at a disused resort along Route 23.

A limb of Cave Mountain rises above meticulously maintained lawn along the highway.

An uncommon view of Mount Zoar seems oddly prominent above farmlands along Begley Road.

Old farm buildings, their color decaying over countless summers, along the side of the road.

This swampy pond was surrounded by ferns giving an almost prehistoric appearance.

The access road for a campground plunges deep into dense, dark hemlock forests in the beautifully forested area.

A closer, higher exposure look at the hemlock wood.

Richmond Mountain rises above fields off of Bell Hill Road. Another view of the same field from another walk earlier this week.

A great big maple tree guards the edge of a golden hayfield on Bell Hill.

Cave Mountain peers over a recently logged field beyond an old rock wall.