Monday, March 25, we will visit the Ashley Reservoir in Holyoke. One of the reasons we are going to walk there is that the windy conditions that have been prevalent the last few weeks are expected to continue next week (next Monday the wind is forecast to be 12 mph), so I plan walks at places that offer shelter from the wind. The Ashley Reservoir is such a place, with the exception of a short stretch of about ⅜ of a mile.
--Each person walks at her/his own pace and walks only as far as they wish. There is no obligation to complete the walk or walk a certain distance. All are welcome. You do not have to be a resident of Northampton to walk with us.
--The Holyoke Water Department has Porta-Potties at two locations at the Ashley Reservoir, one of which we will go by during our walk.
DESCRIPTION OF WALK: Starting at the entrance gate to the Ashley Reservoir, we will walk approximately ⅜ mile on Whitney Avenue (which is a gravel road with no cars allowed) to the reservoir complex itself. There are several different length walks available at the Ashley Reservoir ranging from one mile to over four miles. Each person walks at her/his own pace and walks only as far as they wish. There is no obligation to complete the walk or walk a certain distance.
Google maps offers a good map of the Ashley Reservoir; the link is
here.
Our pace will be moderate, taking about one to two hours for the walk, depending on how far you walk. Please wear hiking boots or walking shoes, bring a rain jacket, extra water and snacks, and hiking staffs, if you use them.