Other common pines in our region are the loblolly, which has three needles, one for each syllable in “lob-lol-ly ” and Virginia pine, which has two needles. One naturalist who took us on a guided hike at another park some time ago shared her method of remembering how to tell pines apart: there are five letters in the word “white,” and the white pine has five needles in each fascicle or bundle of needles. Millie and Louise walk by an ancient black walnut tree. We identified the pines by counting the needles. The poplars grow in straight, towering columns. As we descended the gentle slope to the lake’s edge, the woods morphed from black walnut trees to yellow poplar and white pine. ![]() The trail we walked on that first day of January took us into one of Liberty Reservoir’s many narrow coves. Soldier’s Delight Natural Environment Area is nearby - we’ll take you there another time. Looking at the reservoir on a map, the outline of the convoluted shoreline resembles nothing less than a classic Maryland gerrymandered Congressional district.īelow the dam, the river runs through a narrow valley and joins the South Fork to form the main stem of the Patapsco River at the McKeldon Area of Patapsco Valley State Park, one of our favorite places to hike. You need to park on the side of the road - and do be considerate of the neighbors. The trailhead is at the dead end of Old Liberty Road. It was a chilly and overcast day, perfect for a walk in the woods - once you started moving. Together, we explored the Shoreline Trail along the banks of Liberty Reservoir northwest of Baltimore. As I am truly blessed, I was lucky to spend New Year’s Day with two of my best pals: my wife, Louise White, and our dog, Millie. Just getting outdoors and walking is good for your body going out with a pal, especially a four-footed one, is good for the soul. As I’ve said before, we’re lucky to live here with so many wonderful places to get out in the woods and along the water, up in the mountains or over on the Eastern Shore. Now and then, we’ve checked in from South Mountain or other spots farther west, like Oregon, but most of these walks have been within about an hour’s drive of Annapolis. ![]() January marks the start of my third year writing this column and so far, I’ve covered nearly 100 different delightful and dog-friendly sites in and around Anne Arundel County, and only a couple of places more than once. ![]() Capital Gazette eNewspaper Home Page Close Menu
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