My husband and I have been home together without any breaks for more than a few months. We did not imagine back in March, that it would not be until the year 2021 that we would get a break from each other.

We knew we had to find something we would enjoy doing together, that was inexpensive and close to home. What we found were the rail trails of New Hampshire.

At one time New Hampshire was full of mills making everything from socks to rocking chairs. Those factories needed rail roads to take the finished products to the markets of the world.

New Hampshire has an abundance of beautiful rail trails. In a state of hillsides and mountains, there are miles of flat trails for bicycle riding, walking, and in winter snow mobile riding.

There are some terrific books about the rail trails, and until the virus, my husband and I just had not made the time to go walk these trails. My husband supplies the history, and I take photographs.

Every trail is a bit different. Some go along a river. Other trails go through old farmland. The trails are almost all in wooded rural areas.

While some trails that go through towns are very popular, the more rural trails are just minutes away by car. Planning something to do each weekend, has made the weekends feel like the weekend again. Otherwise it would feel like just another day.

My suggestion for any rail trail is to look up the history of the rail road first. As you walk a trail, you’re sure to see evidence of the train tracks and trains. It’s more than just your average walk in the woods.