Today our hike down memory lane is taking you back 300 years. Nestled behind the ca. 1710 Weeks Brick House and Gardens, in Greenland, New Hampshire, are the Weeks Nature Trails, a dog friendly hiking secret gem of the seacoast. Consisting of approximately 30 acres of conservation land, the Weeks Nature Trails are well marked and meander through hardwoods, pine groves, and marshland bounded by the Winnicut River. But it’s not your average hike!
A unique feature of the Weeks Nature Trail is the audio tour available to download for FREE from the Weeks Brick House and Gardens website. This informative 14 minute audio tour highlights key features along the trail that show the land’s use by generations of the Weeks family for farming and lumbering. The tour can be paused at any time so walkers can enjoy their visit at their own pace. Dogs are welcome under owner’s control. As always, please be respectful of the wildlife who inhabit this area, and clean up after your pet. Also it is important to note, there is an active railroad line bounding one side of the trail, so please be careful if your dog is off-leash. A trail map is available for download.
Another interesting feature of this property is the Colonial Gardens at the Weeks Brick House, designed by noted garden historian Ann Leighton and Katharine C. Weeks. The garden beds are an example of a typical housewife’s garden of the late 17th century, which contained the herbs and plants essential for a New England household from medicinal to culinary. In addition a small-scale WWII “Victory Garden,” has been added to show how later generations would have used the garden. Download the updated plot plan of the historic gardens for a self-guided tour. Please note though that dogs must be on-leash when exploring the garden and house grounds.
If you happen to be in town September 11 – 19, 2021, you can learn even more about the Weeks Brick House as part of Greenland’s 300th Anniversary celebration! Normally the Weeks Brick House is open for tours by appointment only, but in conjunction with other events of Greenland’s Old Home Days 300, you are invited to take a self-guided tour of the home. The house will be opened for tours on Saturday, September 11 from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM; Sunday, September 12 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM; and Saturday, September 18 from 10:00 AM to 12 Noon, and 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM. Please note though that dogs are NOT allowed in the house, and cannot be left unattended outside. So please bring along an extra human to keep your dog company while they take turns exploring the house. For the complete schedule of events celebrating the 300th town anniversary, visit Greenland Old Homes Days 300. For those unable to visit, but are curious to learn more about one of the earliest brick houses in New England, and the family who called it home visit WeeksBrickHouse.org.
The Weeks Nature Trails are accessible off of Tide Mill Road in Greenland, NH. Look for the sign for “Dance Innovations Dance Center” at 64 Tide Mill Road on Route 33, for where to turn. The parking lot for the hiking trails is located several hundred yards on the left. The house and gardens are located off of Tide Mill Road, then take an immediate left onto Weeks Avenue. The grounds of the Weeks Brick House and Gardens are open to the public, but please respect the privacy of the tenants.
To learn more about additional places to explore in the New Hampshire seacoast and beyond, visit our Dog Friendly Places reviews.
And for those of you who only want to go back 6 years in time rather than 300, here is a video from our 2015 visit to the Weeks Nature Trails…
