Several of us took a walk along the Neponset River Greenway over the weekend, spending a good amount of time near the end of the greenway around Lower Mills in Dorchester, Milton Village, and Milton Landing. This area include one of the most scenic and historic parts of Boston, with the Neponset River (see photo) roaring its way toward the ocean, and making a natural border between Milton and Dorchester.
We wandered around the Dorchester side of the Neponset River for awhile, taking a look at the many historic buildings and structures there, including the old Bakery Chocolate Factory (see photo), which has been converted into apartments and condos. Lower Mills itself is a gem of a neighborhood, with interesting shops, old-fashioned streetlights, old brick buildings, and a real community feel. We walked along Dorchester Avenue (the main street of Lower Mills), soaking in the history and character of this great section of Boston.
Before heading back to the parking lot at Pope John Paul II Park in Neponset, we spent a little time on the Milton Side of the Neponset River, walking through Milton Village and heading down to Milton Landing (see photo). Hidden away on a dead end street, Milton Landing is a quiet, peaceful spot with outstanding water views and pleasant walkways that go in various directions. Milton Landing is in the process of being renovated and redeveloped, with many condos there having sweeping views of the water below. There was virtually nobody out when we arrived at this area, so we pretty much had the walkways to ourselves. We stopped for a few minutes to enjoy the serenity of the spot before heading back to our cars, knowing we'd be back sometime in the summer to do more exploring in this interesting area just south of Boston.
Earlier this year, I touched upon the Neponset River greenway in a blog entry about Lower Mills and Milton Landing. Both of these places are near the western end of the greenway, and are perhaps the most interesting parts of the path. But there are other interesting parts of the Neponset River Greenway, starting with the eastern end at Pope John Paul II Park in Neponset, as well as the extensive wetlands and meadows (see photo) near the Neponset/Milton border.
From Pope John Paul II Park and the wetlands shown above, the Neponset River Greenway moves west into a slightly more wooded (and at times residential) area. The Red Line crosses the path, following it all the way to Milton Village and the Lower Mills section of Dorchester (see photo). This section of the greenway includes views of historic factories and other buildings, a dam, and a particularly fast-moving part of the Neponset River. From here, the Neponset River Greenway heads west for a little bit before ending at Central Avenue on the Milton/Boston border.
As mentioned in the earlier blog entry, a slight side trip can be taken from the Neponset River Greenway near Lower Mills and Milton Village. Milton Landing (see photo) is a calm, peaceful area just down the hill from Milton Village that has beautiful water views from the walkways around this area. The walkways at Milton Landing don't really go anywhere, but instead meander around, ending in spots and looping in others. From this area, it is easy to get back to the greenway and head back to Pope John Paul II park, where a vast network of trails and paths that await folks who wish to continue on.
