sites. First we went to the Eshqua Bog in Hartland which has a loop trail with boardwalks to view
the marshy areas. Technically this is not really a bog despite its name. It is a fen which has more sedge plants and mosses and is actually more diverse in vegetation than a bog. A fen is alkaline, while a bog is acidic so the pH level is important for certain orchids to bloom. Eshqua is an unusual name and it may be Abernaki, origin unknown for sure.
The reason we came was to see the Showy Lady's Slipper and the White Bog Orchid, both in bloom
and on a beautiful almost summer day, they did not disappoint as you can see by the pictures. We also saw many dragonflies, mostly the common whitetail I believe, though I wasn't focusing on the insects as you will understand when you look at the pictures below! These plants are not common and are protected it this area. If you pick them, you'll be sorry as they give off a chemical that can cause severe dermatitis to hands and face. First three photos are the showy lady's slipper.
Next we went to Woodstock to climb Mt Tom. We choose the carriage road approach so we could
also go to the pogue. If you are wondering what a pogue is, it is a 14 acre man-made pond on the
Rockefeller Historical Site which was constructed in the 1880s. The name pogue either comes from the Scottish or it is Abenaki, no one seems to know but it is a lovely pond. We saw many dragonflies again and often you see ducks and turtles. The water was very clear so we could see many fish, not sure if they were trout or not. On our way up the road we met a couple from Yorkshire, England coming down. They had enjoyed watching the turtles but by the time we had detoured off the road to Mt Tom, ate lunch on the top and come back down to the pond, the turtles were gone. We did take the nice loop trail around the pond.
There are many trails from the pond loop we want to try at a later date. This area is spectacular when Fall foliage is at its peak.
The Pogue
Mt Tom overlooks the village of Woodstock. All these pictures are credited to Kathy. I'll add a few more later.
Another view of the pond
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