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| An Armchair Travelogue: Berkshires - A Picnicker's Paradise |
R.S.Ayyar
08/23/2006
For people in the New England area who are tired of the hustle-bustle of their daily monotonous routine and want to enjoy a quiet weekend in the company of their family, Berkshires offer an ideal option.
Nestled in a vast stretch of greenery amidst rolling hills, Berkshires offer the best of both world – peaceful, pristine country side and a treasure of sophisticated culture. The few hours drive to this scenic place through roads with lush green trees lined on both sides is itself a pleasurable experience. En route, there is adequate feast for the eyes with extensive lawns and meadows studded with farmhouses, lakes with their ripples sparkling in the sun, countless brooks and rivulets criss-crossing the countryside and quiet hamlets set in peaceful surroundings (a retired man’s paradise!) While endless number of deep green forests threaded by trails welcomes the tourists, the mountain lakes and rivers provide excellent facilities for boating, canoeing, kayaking and fishing.
For the tourists who are interested in moving around enjoying the bounties of nature, there are a host of attractions. Shellburne Falls is one of those rare finds – a quaint New England village that has not lost its unique charm to tourism. Its claim to fame is the “Bridge of Flowers†its 400 ft span covered on either side by rows of more than 500 varieties of flowers of all glorious hues and shades, vines and shrubs which are in full blossom from April to October. Nearby is the Native American fishing grounds with the gurgling waters cascading down the Salmon Falls through rocks studded with prehistoric glacial potholes ranging in diameter from 6 in. to 30 ft. It is an amazing view of the rock formation carved in the river bed – nature’s own handcrafted sculptures several hundred years in the making.
The scenic 63 mile long Mohawk trail takes off from near Shellburne Falls meandering through lush green forests over hills and dates to its highest destination – the Peak of Greylock Mountain. At a height of 3491 ft. above sea level, the peak is the highest in the State of Massachusetts. Words are inadequate to describe the gorgeous colorful panorama nature unfolds before our eyes when we stand there. The view is even more breath-taking from the top of the lighthouse there. Poets, philosophers and artists have widely applauded the beauty of this place. Specifically, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hermann Melville, Edith Watson and Norman Rockwell chose the Berkshire Hills as their creative homes and source of inspiration. Mohawk Trail offers facilities for white water rafting and kayaking in the Deerfield River and mountain trekking. Berkshires have also plenty of golf clubs (both private and public) for professional and amateur golfers.
Berkshires is also the home of the historic culture and fine arts dotted with museums throughout its charming towns and presenting outstanding musical and artistic events that draw the country’s top performers. Outdoor summer concerts by Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood have been greatest crowd pullers since 1937. The famous Tanglewood music center also presents weekly chamber concerts, the Annual Contemporary music and Tanglewood Jazz Festival. At Jacob’s Pillow Dance, the world’s leading-edge dance troupes have been performing since 1930. In Lenox, Shakespeare & Company stages powerful Shakespearean dramas played in the true spirit of Elizabethan England which keep the audience spell bound with their powerful dialogues and acting. The menu for music and dance lovers and theatre goers to choose from is quite impressive.
The area is also resplendent with feast for lovers of history and art. You can enjoy an impressive display of 19th century European and American art work including French impressionists at the Sterling and Francise Clark Art Institute. The Berkshire Museum, the Bidwell House Museum and Norman Rockwell Museum are some of the other important ones worth visiting.
Hospitality abounds in all the towns of Berkshire with plenty of hotels, motels, guest houses and restaurants to suit the budget of every family. Shopping is also a pleasure and there is plenty to buy in the form of antiques, handicrafts, fresh farm grown fruits and vegetables, etc. to mention only a few.
Indeed, it will be a pleasurable and memorable weekend for all the members of the family – young and old. You are sure to drive home with ever lasting memories of the exciting experience captured in your thoughts and your camera. Why not plan a trip to beautiful Berkshires soon before the charms of summer are over!
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