Rock Springs Nature Preserve, Scotland, CT
Posted By auntie on February 6, 2013
3.51 miles 2.7 mph
this is a very interesting nature conservancy property. there was a stone bench at an amazing overlook that reminded me of nothing more than “amon hen” from tolkein’s the fellowship of the rings. this, if you recall (and i know you do; you’re all geeks, right?) was a hill on the west bank of the falls of rauros, upon which was built a stone seat called amon hen, or the seat of seeing.
amon hen
it’s a beautifully constructed stone bench. here is the view (click to embiggen).
rock springs panorama (click to embiggen)
lovely view. i must remember to come back here in autumn. the path i took through the preserve after “amon hen” took me through a large pine grove and down to the banks of the little river, which it followed for the better part of a mile. the path itself is little more than a game trail, and must be, in other seasons, a lyme tick mardi gras, because the brush is quite close on either side. the path also comes, in a few places, perilously close to the river bank.
after it leaves the little river, the white-blazed perimeter path takes you to, oh, i guess “amon lhaw,” or the seat of hearing, another wonderfully constructed stone bench, this time dedicated to “mike 2010” and surrounded by massive old pine trees. someone hung pine cones on strings from the branches surrounding the bench, and i’m guessing at one point they were peanut-buttered and studded with seeds for the birds. just a guess. but it makes a wonderful image… amon lhaw, the seat of hearing, surrounded by singing birds and soughing pine boughs.
from the seat of hearing, the path takes you to what i presume is the spring that the property is named after, “old bar 1 indian spring.”
old bar 1 indian springs
cool spot. the trail from here brings you back to the beginning for the conclusion of a nice loop. you can find out more about this property, and see a trail map at the nature conservancy’s website.
UPDATE, Friday, January 10, 2014: the trail map for this preserve is no longer available at the nature conservancy website. in fact, there are no trail maps on any of the connecticut chapter’s preserve websites.
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