Antics like this occurred during our Cheshire Cobbles escapade. Oh, cousins!
Remember how one secret to a happy relationship is to take exciting weekend trips? Let’s add to that: Make your relationships even more thrilling by including hilarious and brilliant family members in your travel plans! Ensure that all parties involved enjoy hiking and making dramatic poses in pictures. And eat a lot.
The beautiful bed and breakfast where we stayed in the Berkshires.
So it was that my husband Colin and I drove three hours on an October Friday evening from Boston to the tranquil Berkshire Mountains to meet with my beloved cousins, Andrew and Eric. (You may know Eric because you’re one of the thousands of people who read about his cutting-edge pineapple technology.)
Colin posing dramatically on the outlook of Cheshire Cobbles in Western Massachusetts.
It turns out that Eric and Andrew are trip-planning geniuses. To prep, Andrew scoured TripAdvisor to find the top-rated hotel in the area: a gem in Cheshire called Harbour House. (Note: This is not a sponsored post. The delightful B&B owner, Eva, had no idea of my world fame when she housed me and fed us fluffy pumpkin-chocolate-chip muffins.)
What a day it was, tromping through the crispy leaves in the warm-cool fall air!
When Colin and I arrived late on Friday night, we learned that Andrew had already schemed with Eva about where to hike the next morning: “Cheshire Cobbles!” my cuz declared. I immediately pictured Cheshire Cats tap dancing around cobblestones and wee elven cobblers hammering away with little shoe-tools.
The gold, red, green, and bright blue of autumn in Western Massachusetts!
Eva showed us the way to the “Cobbles” in her car. It was just a few minutes’ drive from the downy bed where we’d slept that night, and the sunny dining room in which we’d stuffed ourselves silly at the ten-part breakfast alongside travelers from Germany and Austria. As you can tell from the photo below, I was awkwardly wearing only long underwear during this hike. I’m not really sure why except that it was cosy.
How many places around the world can I do “L” backbends? Next to cliffs?
Through the crunchy leaves and streaming gold sun, we hiked! Luckily, Colin is like a forest wolf and can track the “Blazes” (what the cool kids call, “Colored thingies that tell you which way to walk when you’re in the middle of nowhere”), so we stayed un-lost. When we emerged at the top of the hill (“Cobble?”) what a vista we saw! Do you enjoy our poses?
Colin climbed all over the boulder heaps like a king of rocks.
Tromping back down the hill, exhilarated, we talked about our school year so far (Eric and Colin are teachers, too), climbed boulders, and took silly and also luscious photos. How lucky we felt that Eva had steered us towards the hidden hike of Cheshire Cobbles! Just like that crazy Cheshire Cat, you can’t help but grin wide when walking in a place like this.
Is this path through Cheshire Cobbles one you’d like to follow?
Are you liking our Western Massachusetts escapade so far? Well, stay tuned, because Part Two (replete with an epic bike path, gorging ourselves at a farm stand, and a world-famous museum) is coming next! Until then, I look forward to your comments. What hidden tourist gems have you found thanks to the kind suggestion of a local? Have you also spent time around the Berkshires? Do you, too, enjoy dramatic photo poses? Comment away!
I think taking lots of goofy pictures together should be added to your ways to have a happy, exciting relationship with your significant other. It looks like you had a great trip with the whole crew–great backbend, by the way! I’m impressed by how clear and vivid all of your photos look. Do you have a really nice camera or do you edit your photos, or perhaps both (if you don’t mind my asking)?
Thanks, Ruth! In answer to your question, I have a so-so compact camera and do a lot of hard work editing!
Hmm. “Cobble” must mean hill (or small mountain) in Berkshire County, MA—or maybe MA in general, or maybe I’m just the only person in the world who did not know this. Williamstown has Pine Cobble, a favorite non-technical climb for even only moderately fit Boomeresque Williams College alums. They look very similar from your photos—rocky outcroppings at the top.
Ahh, yes!
Looks like a beautiful part of the world. You’re lucky you can get away there for just a weekend!
Indeed, that’s a great feature of New England: You can zip through six states in a few hours!
Awesome pictures! cool B&B, I absolutely love the views of nature ^_^ and haha ‘L’ Stunt
Ooo, I like that term, “L Stunt!”
Your pictures are just gorgeous and yes, anyone who takes a trip with me MUST like to eat and take wacky pictures!! The hike scenery looks absolutely beautiful and the colors are amazing!
Glad you, too, see the importance of goofy photo taking!
Bah.. how would you bend like letter “L” , next to a cliff? Didn’t you get scared? Reply! Thanks for the Hike pics!
Hehe– Not scared. I do it all the time, and was a former high jumper!
What fun! Sounds like a wonderful weekend with family.
What a great weekend – good company, good food, and good weather!
Exactly!
Looks like a great area to go walking in, especially on a beautiful autumn day.
Indeed, t’was!
Fun post and beautiful pics…I got a laugh out of your husband’s pose like Usain Bolt
He also did it on the Great Wall of China!!! Proof: http://www.aroundtheworldl.com/2011/08/16/an-epic-hike-on-the-best-part-of-the-great-wall-of-china/
Fun post! That B&B looks gorgeous
Thanks! Indeed, if you’re ever in the area, I highly recommend the B&B. Again, this isn’t a sponsored post, but it’s a great place!
This post entirely confused me to start with, as Berkshire is a county in England where I spent part of my youth, and I really couldn’t figure out which mountains you were talking about. Then it all became clear
Ahhh, right! Being in NEW England (which stole all your names) I need to remember to be clear for a global audience!
The Cheshire Cobbles photos remind me of the scenery of on the Sandstone Trail in Cheshire, England. I wonder if it isn’t a coincidence?
FASCINATING! I wonder!
I’m with Hogga! Maybe instead of fighting, we can just agree we’re both better than Mexico’s fall? (Does Mexico have a fall?)
Hahah!
Nothing except the Canadian countryside as well:p
Really nice pictures!
Oooo, you wanna fight, Canada?
Let’s have a mountain-off! Oh wait– yours are a little bigger than our Berkshires…
Awesome pictures, Lillie. There is nothing quite like the US countryside in autumn. I’m feeling extremely nostalgic right now – might just have to pack up, head home and strike some poses of my own.
Awww, Addison– I’m glad the photos resonated with you!