Charter Oak Park (Main St. Manchester) to Porter Street Parking Lot Leg

 

I was in Manchester, Connecticut for another reason this evening, and The Map Man agreed to bring the girl child out to check another 2 miles off our big journey!  We parked one car at the parking lot near Porter Street where we began our 1st official leg last weekend, then drove out to Charter Oak Park in the other to start our one-way walk from there.  It was chilly, and windy, and it sprinkled on us more than once, but that made the walking quite pleasant, and guaranteed that this busy stretch of trail was quite empty other than us.

Above, we started our walk at the end of the park towards Main Street, between a fence filled with artwork tiles and the Hop Brook.

Below, one of several fish ladders on the brook.

Above, following the brook upstream, where it forms from the joining of Porter Brook and Birch Mountain Brook.

Below, another of the fish ladders, and an East Coast Greenway trail marker.

Above, the park-like trail begins to rise.

Below, looking back about halfway up the switch-back at the highway and foot bridges over Birch Mountain Brook.  The trail rises a total of 315 feet, according to the All Trails app that we referenced.  The trees are full of flowers and buds, regardless of the cold weather.

Above, we emerge beyond the switch-back portion of the trail to wherecit follows along Highland Street.

Below, for the next 4 photos, we paused at the small trail park across from the original Highland Street Market to read the tributes to several locally famous Manchester Road Race participants and East Coast Greenway advocates.

Above, enjoying the plantings along the parking lot at the end of our leg.

7 miles down, 2993 to go!