I am personally not a winter person in the slightest. From the below freezing weather to the sun setting at 4:30 p.m., I cannot bear to step outside unless I absolutely must. With this being said, I love the outdoors. This past weekend, I wanted a final chance to take in the beauties of a New England fall and decided to go to Cranberry Park in Norwalk, Connecticut.
It was only about a 15-minute trip from my house, though I'd surprisingly never explored the area. The park was surrounded by miles of beautiful, thick woods; it felt totally remote.
I chose Cranberry Park in particular, because it lies on the property of Gallaher Mansion, a lovely limestone house built in the 1930s. Approaching the mansion, I felt as if I'd travelled back in time.
While the park is open to the public, the mansion was closed from public entry, but we walked around its perimeter, admiring its beauty.
The park itself was well populated, though all participants followed social distancing guidelines. The sense of community was very strong here; everyone was friendly. Many people came with their dogs.
Although there were plenty of hiking trails at the park, we decided against them, because the main area was large enough to explore. There was a lot of wide open land as well as deeply wooded areas.
I definitely recommend Cranberry park to outdoor lovers or anyone that would like to step out of their homes but are struggling with finding COVID-safe activities.
All photos taken by Grace Livecchi '21