Nature's Garden Naturally: A November Hike

November is here. The clocks are turned back and we can now awaken to the sun, instead of the dark - at least for a few weeks anyway. The brown oak and yellow beech leaves still cling to the trees, but most of the others have fallen. There is still some color in the woods, but the bare branches of some trees quietly announce the long months of winter ahead. It is not one of my favorite months, and if given a choice, I might decide to just curl up in a chair and read a book instead of venturing out on a damp November day. However, with a little thought and effort I realize that there are plenty of activities that can be enjoyed before the first snowflakes fly. This weekend, I am glad that my son Aaron, asked me to go on a hike. He had heard about a short hike in Weare, the town where he and his two brothers were born. Although we lived there for nine years, I was not familiar with Buxton Forest - which makes me wonder if it had not yet been made into a public preserve. The Buxton Forest/Elizabeth Simons Preserve is maintained by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (SPNHF) who have created a marked trail and cleared a viewpoint atop Mount Wallingford.

The hike is either 2.5 or 3.2 miles round trip, depending on whether you believe this sign, or the SPNHF website. It is mostly flat and takes you by some nice wetlands.

These wetlands provide critical habitat for a variety of species and even on this grey November day we saw one duck and an unidentified mammal in the water.

There were plenty of leaves on the trail, but it is well marked so even with the thick layer of leaves, it was fairly easy to follow.

The hike is rated as moderate to strenuous. The reason for this becomes apparent toward the later portion of the trail, which rises steeply. Although not difficult, it does get the blood pumping. All of the effort, brings you to this fine Northeast view.

It was a cloudy day, so the mountains were somewhat obscured, but it was spot to relax and enjoy our lunch just the same. Shortly past this point, there is a nice stone wall.

This time of year you won't find any wildflowers in the woods, but it you keep your eyes peeled, you can spot some interesting plants and fungi.


Shelf Fungus

Club moss (below) is an attractive plant that resembles baby evergreen trees. Interestingly the spores are rich in oil and highly flammable.¹ They have been used to make dusting powder for use in surgery, as a water repellent in baby powder and to ignite fireworks. They were also used in Indian ceremonies to produce a flash of light when tossed into a fire. The plants have also been harvested for use in holiday decorations, although this practice is now discouraged.²


Lycopodium annotinum

Afterwards, we took a different route home, traveling through Hopkinton and making a short detour to Gould Hill Orchards for some cider and another beautiful view. As much as I enjoy reading a good book, it felt much better to get some fresh air and exercise outside.