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Massachusetts Foliage Driving Tour

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(page 3 of 4)

If you're ready to get back into the car, cross back over to Buckland and bang a right onto Route 2A. At the intersection of Routes 2 and 112, turn left and travel for half a mile, turning right onto 112 south. For eight miles you'll pass through stretches of lovely farmland and gentle hills before making a left on 116 south into Ashfield. Ashfield's Fall Festival occurs on Columbus Day weekend and is a delightful blend of crafts, food, games, and music.

You are no doubt tired enough to pull out the list of B&Bs you've picked up from the Shelburne Visitors Center. Here are a couple we've stayed at while in the area. At the Bull Frog Bed & Breakfast in Ashfield, Lucille Thibault welcomes you to her late-1700s Cape set on 27 acres of farmland, cornfields, and rolling hills. On Route 143 in Chesterfield, Doc and Denise LeDuc open their 1891 Dutch gambrel to guests under the name of the Seven Hearths B&B. On these chilly fall nights, visitors will be happy to learn that three of the B&B's bedrooms have working fireplaces.

Day Two

For more Arcadian tranquility, continue south on 116, going straight where 116 angles to the left. Follow the old-fashioned sign pointing to Williamsburg and Route 9. Ease down 2.3 miles to the Chapelbrook Reservation. Don't be deterred by the spectacle of serious rock climbers struggling up the face with ropes. The rest of us can follow the marked trail up and around a sheer rock face to the summit. After taking in the vista, walk back down and follow the trail across the road to moss-covered falls (being ever mindful of the slippery rocks).

Now, backtrack onto 116 through Ashfield and head south again on 112 for a pretty drive. About five miles down on the left is the DAR State Forest, established in 1929 when the Daughters of the American Revolution donated 1,020 acres to the Commonwealth. There is a nice trail along Upper Highland Lake (as well as a wheelchair-accessible trail along the lake edge that provides access to fishing) and a scenic wetland where moose, bear, and beaver are common. At the end of 112, hang a left on Route 9 through blink-and-you-miss-it Goshen and on down the hill into Williamsburg.

Visit the Williamsburg General Store, a yellow-clapboard old-fashioned (the store is 125 years old), stuffed-to-the-gills shop specializing in ice cream, kitchen gadgets, handmade jewelry, Christmas ornaments, and home-baked goods. It sits next door to the Williamsburg Grange Community Hall. It wouldn't be fall without sampling one of their famous Wrapples -- sliced fresh apples sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, baked in pastry, and lightly frosted. Owner Carol Majercik tells us they sell more than 100 a day on weekends.

Northampton is the next stop. To get there, simply follow Route 9 east out of Williamsburg -- the road will dump you smack dab in the middle of this thriving college town. While there, pick up a copy of the Valley Advocate on the street for listings of everything from food and live entertainment to movies. Main Street has enough art and crafts galleries to keep you busy for hours. The Calvin Theatre and the Iron Horse Music Hall are venues for big-name music groups, and the Academy of Music Theatre shows interesting films.