August 1, 2011 by Amy Elliott Bragg
Favorite places: Field, forest and stream edition
I feel pretty lucky that my day job takes me back to Farmington Hills.
Why? Because I love, love, love Heritage Park.
I would go a little crazy without regular walks in the woods, and Heritage Park has some of the best woods I know.
Over 200 acres of rolling hills, meadows, hardwood forest, and Rouge River valley, all left to the city by Eleanor Spicer, who called her homestead “the only unspoiled place” in the city.
It is my favorite place to get lost.
Reader Dave Gifford wrote in to share his favorite places:
(Photo by Dave Gifford)
One of my favorite places are the woods I grew up playing in. It was a dense, dark, tall forest with 100+ year old oak trees full of enchantment and animals. My imagination ran wild here growing up. Â Unfortunately, the woods were cut down by developers when I was 18, but when ever I get a chance to get lost in some woods, it takes me back to a better place, where I feel young and adventerous, as if I am the first to explore this area.
The house we lived in when I was three backed up to some long-gone woods, too. I thought tigers lived there and would not go near the fence.
Dave also wrote:
Another favorite place is on the Clinton River. When the current is slow, it is an amazing paddle from Rochester Hills to Shelby. You would never know that you weren’t up north thanks to the parks the river runs through. It is a great backyard escape.
(Photo by Dave Gifford)
Jealous!
Where are your favorite woods? Where do you go to get lost? Do you boat to work, like Edsel Ford used to? Do tell.
P.S. – Dave just started blogging and you can read his work here.