Be a Sport
- Visit North Central
You don’t have to be a great athlete (or even a mediocre one!) to test your skills, stretch some muscles and maybe take on a little competition in North Central Massachusetts. Hiking the region’s numerous trails may be the most popular form of exercise for local residents and visitors—but there’s so much more to do when you want to get your heart rate up, your lungs filled with fresh air and the kinks out of those stiff joints.
Here are a few affordable (or even free!) ideas to help you keep in shape on your visit.
Stay on Course
Spin a disc—on one of the area’s disc golf courses. These popular attractions have been popping up in parks and woodlands in recent years, each offering its own unique setting and challenges. Fall is a perfect time to take a scenic ride to the Royalston Fish & Game Club for an enjoyable 18-hole experience. The Flat Rock course in Petersham has been described as “a classic short and technical New England woods course.”
At the eastern end of the region, Devens offers three courses: The Hill, The General and The Commander. Fitchburg’s Coggshall Park is a pleasure to visit any time of the year, and the disc course adds a fun feature to this great escape spot in the city.
Among the newest local courses are Meadowbrook Orchards in Sterling (which, as you might guess, meanders through an apple orchard!) and Bailey Brook course in Gardner. Looking for a short game? Try the Ingleside course at the new Community Park in Winchendon. Only three holes were complete in June, but work was progressing on another seven—so you can enjoy a new experience with every visit!
Pickleball Anyone?
Doyle Field in Leominster, with six outdoor hard courts, is a popular place to play pickleball…and the courts are open at no cost. Players have access to restrooms and water.
Fish Park on Maple Street in Athol has two outdoor courts that visitors can use for free. The courts are hard surface with temporary lines; bring your own nets. The West Sterling Athletic Fields off Route 62 in Sterling have five lighted outdoor courts with permanent lines—but again, plan to bring your own nets.
Weather not cooperating? The Fitness Center at Mt. Wachusett Community College has four indoor pickleball courts, along with its two outdoor courts, so you can stay in shape even if Mother Nature throws you a curve ball! The Community Center in Lancaster and Game On Fitchburg also have indoor courts that you can play for a one-time fee.
Paddle Your Own Canoe
With an abundance of lakes, ponds, and rivers, North Central Massachusetts is a paddler’s paradise. The Nashua River runs through much of theregion, and, with its tributaries, can be enjoyed from many spots.
The Nashua River Watershed Association, which has been instrumental over recent decades in preserving and promoting the river, has a terrific Nashua River Canoe and Kayak Guide that provides detailed information on the Nashua, Nissitissit, Squannacook, North Nashua, and Stillwater Rivers including information on canoe put-ins and take-outs, river hazards like dams and rapids, portages, and mile-by-mile notes for all paddle-able segments. The NRWA’s list of launch sites includes spots in Devens, Groton, Harvard, Lancaster, Pepperell, Shirley, Sterling
and Townsend.
At the western edge of the region, the Millers River watershed is another paddler’s delight. The Millers River Watershed Association was instrumental in development “Blue Trails on that river and its tributaries. Enjoy a trip on the Millers River Blue Trail (MRBT), which runs between Cass Meadow in Athol and River Front Park in Orange, or the Otter River Blue Trail from East Templeton to Gardner.
Didn’t bring a canoe or kayak with you on your North Central Massachusetts tour? No problem! Swing by Nashoba Paddler in Groton—where you can not only rent equipment, but can also take advantage of a special event like a Fall Foliage Paddle. And in Orange, Billy Goat Boats—located on the Millers River—rents everything from canoes and kayaks to paddle boats and stand up paddle boards. For a unique experience, plan on visiting in mid-September to see (or even join in!) the Orange Solstice Riverfest, complete with fire pots and lighted boats on the river!
