Recommended Places to Visit: Harvard

Recreation

Parks

Rogers Field
37 Buena Vista Street

Devens Common Center
31 Andrews Parkway

Ryan Land Park

55 Depot Road

Golf

Red Tail Golf Club

15 Bulge Road

Fruit Picking
Carlson Orchards
115 Oak Hill Road
Recommended Dishes:
Peach Crisp
Chicken Fingers
Lemonade

Museums

Fruitlands Museum
102 Prospect Hill Road

Fort Devens Museum
94 Jackson Street

Historical Society
215 Still River Road


Water Bodies

Robbins Pond
Robbins Pond Road and Barnum Road

Williams Pond
Stow Road and Murray Lane 

Old Millpond
22 Old Mill Road

Eldridge Pond/Elizabeth Brook Reservoir

29 Eldridge Road

Beaches
Bare Hill Pond
End of Pond Road

Beautiful Scenery

Sprague Land

West Bare Hill Road near Still River Road

East View Conservation Land
34 Ayer Road

Hiking

Recommended:
Clapp-Scorgie-Tufts-Smith

Still River Road between Turner Lane and Prospect Hill Road

Hermann Orchard

Ayer Road close to Mill Road

Ohlin Land
Ohlin Lane near Poor Farm Road

Pin Hill
47 Depot Road

Horse Meadows Knoll

45 Sherry Road

WestOak-Dunlap

100 Oak Hill Road

Delaney North

Finn Road

Black Pond/Vesenka/Smith Conservation Land

158 Littleton County Road

199 Whitcomb Avenue, Littleton

Old Mill Road

87 Old Mill Road

Mirror Lake
End of Mirror Lake Road

Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge
End of Still River Depot Road
80 Hospital Road

Sheridan Road and Tank Road

Tried:

Prospect Hill

55 Depot Road

Holy Hill Conservation Area
South Shaker Road near Ann Lee Road

Blomfelt

292 Ayer Road

Bare Hill Wildlife Sanctuary

186 Bolton Road

Maxant Land

Ayer Road and Lancaster County Road

Tripp Land

50 Brown Road

Powell Reed Abbott

East Bare Hill Road and Brown Road

Shaker Spring House

End of Green Hill Road

Architecture

Monuments

Town Common
Ayer Road and Fairbanks Street

TaraVista Behavioral Health Center

85 Patton Road

Schools
Hildreth Elementary School
27 Massachusetts Avenue

Immaculate Heart of Mary School
258 Still River Road

Places of Worship
Unitarian Universalist Church
9 Ayer Road

Holy Trinity Church
15 Still River Road

Evangelical Congregational Church
5 Still River Road

St. Benedict Abbey
275 Still River Road

Immaculate Heart of Mary Church

282 Still River Road

Historical Buildings

Old Hapgood Memorial Library

7 Fairbank Street

Commercial Buildings
200 Ayer Road

200 Ayer Road

Rollstone Bank and Trust (chain)

283 Ayer Road

Town Facilities
Public Library
4 Pond Road

Town Hall
13 Ayer Road

Historical Society
215 Still River Road

Police
40 Ayer Road

Restaurants

Highly Recommended:
Latin American

Bandoleros Mexican Grill

4 Ryans Way

Recommended Dishes:

Carnitas Quesadilla

Western

Devens Grill (closed)
4 Ryans Way
Recommended Dishes:
Shrimp and Scallops Ravioli
Chocolate Explosion

Tried:
Italian

Sorrento's Brick Oven Pizzeria (chain)

285 Ayer Road

Recommended Dishes:

French Fries

Carnevale

Chicken Domenico

Western

Harvard General Store

1 Still River Road

Recommended Dishes:

Hot Dog

Thai

Siam Pepper

325 Ayer Road

Recommended Dishes:

Pad Thai

November 30th 2024: Spend the Day with the Little One

 We started out today with a bite at the Kentucky Fried Chicken/Taco Bell in Hudson, getting the KFC Tenders, Cantina Chicken Quesadilla Meal (cantina chicken quesadilla, crunchy taco, medium drink, guacamole and sour cream).

Pretty decent flavor to start the day with. 

From here we started exploring Sudbury,

Willis Pond

going on a short hike to find Cutting Pond, where the path we took from the intersection of Arboretum Way and Cutting Lane is shown below in pink.

Got a little lost here, 

but we found the canoe launch area in the end.

From here, it was on to the Captain Sargent Conservation Area in Stow, where the path we took from 147 Red Acre Road to get to the water body here is shown below in pink.

Nothing special though, especially being frozen today.

Finally, we passed through Harvard 

Eldridge Pond/Elizabeth Brook Reservoir,
29 Eldridge Road

on the way to dinner at the 110 Grill in Berlin,

getting the Kid's Chicken (Chicken tenders, white rice, French Fries)

and the 110 Cuban (Slow Cooked Pulled Pork, Sliced Ham, Swiss Cheese, Honey Mustard And Fried Pickles, Served On Griddled Thick Ciabatta.).

Delicious as always from this place, and my little one ate all the food on the plate for once.

September 2nd 2022: Hanging Out in Littleton

 Today, I spent the day with my son in the town of Littleton,

Whitcomb Avenue Treatment Plant

Reuben Hoar Library

Castle in the Trees

first revisiting the Smith Conservation Land, where the path I took this time to try to find water bodies I missed out on the last time I was here is shown below in pink.

Unfortunately, no sign of the water bodies were to be found. From here, we went to lunch at Masala Bay Indian Kitchen, a pretty nice Indian restaurant, 

getting the Naan and Butter Chicken (butter, green chili pepper, cream, spice).

Not bad end to a day spent in Littleton.

27th May 2022: Spending Time with the Little One

 This morning, we headed back to Harvard for another hike, this time at Prospect Hill, which I visited once before in the past, this time to try to look for Dean's Hill. The path we took while here after walking through Ryan Land Park

is shown below in blue.

Unfortunately, the views of the orchards were just alright.

After our hike, we decided to head into Westborough for a quick bite from Swanski's Bakeshop, which has taken over from Yummy Mummy Bakery, which I visited once in the past. We got the Lavender Honey Roll,

which unfortunately was nothing special, especially due to the cinnamon in it.

For dinner, we decided to head to Leicester at Castle Cantina Tapas Bar and Restaurant, located within a castle which used to be the Castle Restaurant, which I visited once in the past. Much nicer inside now.

    

We got the Muy Baya Sangria (blueberry, blackberry, strawberry, brandy, red wine, apple juice and lemon lime soda),

the Tostones Rellenos (fried plantain baskets topped with Garlic wine sauce shrimp),

the Aguacate Rellenos (freshly cut avocados topped with chimichurri steak),

the Del Mar Paella (saffron rice, shrimp, scallops, mussels, calamari, clams, red and green peppers, peas and basil),

and the Papajotes for dessert.

Unfortunately, the food tasted overly simplistic, definitely not worth what we paid for. What a pity.

May 7th 2022: More Hiking in Harvard

 Today, we headed to Harvard again,

Hildreth Elementary School

going for a hike at Pin Hill to explore Pin Hill itself, as I did not do so the last time I was here. The path we took is shown below in blue.

Unfortunately, the supposed views at the top of the hill were not to be had due to tree growth over time.

The way back down was way too steep for the little one, so I decided to go the long way around back to the car. From here, it was on to lunch at Sorrento's Brick Oven Pizzeria in town,

getting the French Fries, 

the Carnevale (Caribbean spiced pizza with chicken, crisp bacon, pepperoni, pineapple, tomato sauce & cheese)

and the Chicken Domenico (Chicken, ham, mushrooms & green peas sautéed and finished in an Alfredo sauce).

Pretty good flavors I must say, probably why they have two other locations in Massachusetts.

With that, an end to a day of more hiking in Harvard.

April 29th 2022: Hiking 2 Places in Harvard at the Same Time

 Today, I started out in Harvard,

TaraVista Behavioral Health Center

Rollstone Bank and Trust

going for a hike at the Mirror Lake Conservation Area. I have visited Mirror Lake before in the past, but never went to look for Little Mirror Lake. The path I took here is shown below in blue.

While here,

I decided to take a detour to visit the Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge as well, checking out the Tank Road trail this time around, the route I took going under Route 2

being shown below in blue.

Nice water body here.

Heading back into the Mirror Lake area, I went to visit Little Mirror Lake, which unfortunately has flooded out the trail, and not as nice as Mirror Lake itself.

After leaving the area, we headed into the Ayer section of Devens,

Sweet Heart Memorial,
Jackson Road, 
42.54750928575126, -71.6085550605584

passing through 

Grady Research Building,
323 West Main Street 

to Shirley,

West Main Street Dam, 
Walker Road, 42.55227139782069, -71.61989892422761

where I tried to check out the supposed water body at the Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge section here, but I apparently ventured onto private property instead. I might come back here to find the water body here again when the trails are more established here.

From here, I headed back into Harvard to hike at the Old Mill Road area, where the path I took to get to the beaver pond here is shown below in blue.

Pretty nice view of the pond here.

At this point, I decided to call it a day, heading into Ayer to get a Thai Green Tea 

and a Strawberry Glazed Donut

From Ruby Donut. Nothing special though. 

While still here, I also got a Hot Pastrami Sub from Devens Pizza and Deli nearby.

Once again, nothing special here.

At least I had a good day of hiking today.