Every romantic has heard of Walden Pond, a historical lake in Concord, Massachusetts just outside Boston, a stone’s throw from where I lived in Belmont many years ago. A famous example of a kettle hole, it was apparently formed by retreating glaciers 10,000–12,000 years ago. While that may be a fascinating factoid, that is not how people know the Walden Pond name nor why they want to go there.
The writer, transcendentalist, and philosopher Henry David Thoreau lived on the northern shore of the pond for two years starting in the summer of 1845. His account of the experience was recorded in Life in the Woods, and made the pond famous. The land at that end was owned by Thoreau’s friend and mentor, Ralph Waldo Emerson, who let Thoreau use it for his experiment. Concord Museum contains the bed, chair, and desk from Thoreau’s cabin. Below is the foundation of where his house sat and while the photo may be deceiving, you can get an idea of just how small it was in size.
Because of Thoreau’s legacy, Walden Pond has been designated a National Historic Landmark and is considered the birthplace of the conservation movement.
The pond is now managed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and people flock there to swim and hang out on its banks in the summer. Mostly undeveloped woods totaling 2,680 acres, called “Walden Woods,” surround the reservation and of that, 335 acres of protected open space are open to visitors.
My recommendation? Walk around the pond in its entirety and then go back around in the opposite direction and from there, find a lovely spot to sit on the shores and reflect on the beautiful nature that surrounds you as well as the history of the place.
I was a happy camper on that glorious summer afternoon…it’s all so breathtaking isn’t it?
Here are links to read all of our posts on Massachusetts, Boston and Cape Cod.
Details:
Walden Pond
915 Walden Street
Concord, Lincoln
978 369-3254
Parking costs $5 daily although since prices change, be sure to check their website before heading out.
Renee Blodgett is the Founder and Managing Editor of We Blog the World, a global travel, culture and lifestyle publication exploring the world through the lens of meaningful experiences, human connection and cultural depth. Having lived in 10 countries and traveled to 95, Renee has spent much of her life immersed in the people, traditions, landscapes and ideas that shape how we experience the world.
Since launching We Blog the World in 2007, she has written and produced extensive editorial coverage spanning boutique and luxury travel, culinary experiences, arts and culture, wellness, adventure, technology, spiritual traditions and transformative travel. Her work is rooted in the belief that travel is about more than where we go—it is also about what a place, culture or encounter awakens within us.
Renee brings more than three decades of experience across journalism, photography, media, brand strategy, technology, wellness and global storytelling. She has worked with companies and organizations around the world on brand positioning, communications, product launches, media strategy, speaker positioning and storytelling. Through Blue Soul Media, she works with authors, entrepreneurs, thought leaders and purpose-driven brands to clarify their message and expand their impact, which includes speaker coaching/training for high-profile stages such as TED and bringing authors’ work to market while retaining authors rights.
She is also the co-founder of Blue Soul Earth, an educational platform exploring consciousness, ancient wisdom, spirituality, healing and the intersection between science and the nature of reality. Renee is the producer and host of the award-winning Blue Soul CHATS, a conversational series bringing together leading voices in science, technology, consciousness, wellness and spirituality.
Her growing body of work also includes Blue Soul Living, which extends her interest in consciousness and well-being into the spaces we inhabit, exploring how intentional design, energy and environment can support greater harmony and connection.
Renee is the award-winning co-author of the bestselling Magdalene’s Journey and founder of the Magdalene Collection, inspired by women’s voices, stories and wisdom across cultures and generations.
A longtime photographer and storyteller, Renee has documented people, places and cultures around the world and produced photographic collections focused on destinations including the Galápagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome and Ecuador. She also co-founded Traveling Geeks, an international initiative that brought entrepreneurs, journalists, creators and technology leaders together with their counterparts in other countries to exchange ideas and explore innovation across cultures.
Renee’s work has been recognized by Forbes, the United Nations and others for her influence in media and social storytelling. Across her work in travel, media, consciousness and culture, a common thread remains: curiosity about the world, the stories that connect us and the ways meaningful experiences can change how we see ourselves and one another.
