Some challenging hills lead to Chester NH, a historic small town with a good General Store for lunch or a snack. Expect mostly wooded roads, old farms, and out-of-the-way historic districts such as North Danville. Chester's October scarecrow festival adds great local color, with several hundred creatively dressed scarecrows on display throughout the region. The 27 and 54 mile routes both depart from the Amesbury Elementary School. Note that the 27 is a shorter scenic route that does not include Chester.
Ride from Concord past Revolutionary War sites to a working cranberry bog - at least it was a working cranberry bog until recently! We'll be on relatively quiet roads through Concord and Carlisle. People with CRW connections may recognize this as Kathy Horvath's Thursday night ride route.
There are bathrooms at the start and nearby choices to buy lunch after the ride. For people who would rather bring lunch, we can all have lunch together in the little park next to the Visitor Center (weather permitting).
Harold Parker State Forest Headquarters
(Google map)
Gravel ride
Gravel riders, please join me on a beautiful but challenging ride through Harold Parker state forest and a few nearby reservations. We will be riding on quiet paved streets and mostly wide double track trails that go through the forest and around Sterns Pond, Salem Pond, and Field Pond. There are some sections with loose gravel that will require some extra attention, but the majority of the 7.5 miles of gravel riding are easy to negotiate.
A casual but somewhat hilly route from Manter Fields in Newbury, MA with 30 and 40 mile options. We'll ride through scenic woodlands passing many farms, golf courses and curiosities.
Bring your own picnic (BYOP) for lunch on the lawn after the ride.
BTW: If you rotate the long route to the right, it looks like a chicken!
Mostly flat to rolling, shady roads. All rides go through Harold Parker State Forest. Short ride goes through Reading, Wilmington, N. Reading, Middleton, and Lynnfield. Medium ride adds N. Andover, Boxford, and Topsfield. Long ride adds Groveland, W. Newbury, and Georgetown. Rest Stops at Food Mart in West Newbury and Richdale in Middleton.
Ride start can be reached from the MBTA Reading or Wakefield Commuter Rail Stations.
Join us this week for a delightful ride from Topsfield to Ipswich's Great Neck coastline and back. We will travel to Ipswich via a short passage thru Willowdale State Forest, across Linebrook Rd. and Jeffrey's Neck Rd. The return will be via Jeffrey's Neck Rd., through Ipswich, and around a section of Appleton Farms on Waldingfield Rd. and Highland St. A sharp turn onto Ashbury St. will take us along Bradley Palmer SP up to Ipswich Rd. and on to Perkins Row, Central St., and Main St. in Topsfield. A quick turn on to Ipswich Rd. and North St.
Another north shore gravel route, this time with a little more time off road than on. The route will traverse double/single track, rail trail, dirt road, with excursions into Pingree Woods, Bradley Palmer State Park, Willowdale (East and West), Appleton Grass Rides, and Harvard Forest before returning to the start at Patton Park.
Bikes with tire widths of 35 mm or more will be more comfortable.
Please be ready for pre-ride discussion at 9:15 am.
Flat to rolling loops through the North Shore. All rides pass through Boxford, Topsfield and Rowley. Medium ride adds Newbury and Newburyport. Long ride adds Plum Island including the paved bike lane on the Plum Island Causeway. Short ride lunch stop is in Topsfield. Long and medium ride lunch stop is in Newburyport at Abraham's Bagels. Abraham's is in the same block where a 17th century woman named Elizabeth Morse lived. She was convicted of witchcraft a dozen years before the Salem witch trials. Visit the plaque dedicated to her on the north side of the building.
Join NSC club mates this week for an autumn lunch ride starting in Essex and traveling through Manchester By the Sea, Beverly Farms, Wenham, Hamilton, and Ipswich before returning to Essex.
This repeat of the 2026 Blazing Saddles Gravel ride is scheduled at the request of some NSC volunteers at the 2026 Blazing Saddles Century event and for the pleasure of all interested North Shore gravel riders.
Plan on arriving at Manter Fields before or by 9:00 am. Our departure time will be at 9:30 am. Please be ready for the pre-ride talk at 9:20 am. Note: clocks turn back one hour at midnight on Saturday, Oct 31st.
A casual but somewhat hilly route from Manter Fields in Newbury, MA with 30 and 40 mile options. We'll ride through scenic woodlands passing many farms, golf courses and curiosities.
Bring your own picnic (BYOP) for lunch on the lawn after the ride.
BTW: If you rotate the long route to the right, it looks like a chicken!
A casual but somewhat hilly route from Manter Fields in Newbury, MA with 30 and 40 mile options. We'll ride through scenic woodlands passing many farms, golf courses and curiosities.
Bring your own picnic (BYOP) for lunch on the lawn after the ride.
BTW: If you rotate the long route to the right, it looks like a chicken!
A casual but somewhat hilly route from Manter Fields in Newbury, MA with 30 and 40 mile options. We'll ride through scenic woodlands passing many farms, golf courses and curiosities.
Bring your own picnic (BYOP) for lunch on the lawn after the ride.
BTW: If you rotate the long route to the right, it looks like a chicken!
