Connecticut for 1 1/2 days

[Brian Gatien]

Not a Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court but a northern Canadian visiting the Nutmeg State for a day and a half next weekend (13-15 June).
I will be staying in Avon and planning to have most of Saturday and the Sunday morning for photographic excursions. My first visit and I will be picking up a new-to-me Canham 5x7.
Any suggestions for test driving it would be appreciated.
Thanks
Brian

 

[Whiteymorange]

Ct is a small state, much of which is taken up with strip malls and suburban housing, but it certainly is not without charm. The Farmington River valley is quiet and rather nice; just head west out Rt 44 a bit. There are lots of industrial age mills in towns like Collinsville. Heading east and a bit north will get you to the shade-grown tobacco farms of the CT River valley, and a wealth of wonderful old tobacco barns, if that's of interest.

There are a few APUGgers in that area, perhaps they'll chime in. Have fun.

 

[Monophoto]

Mystic Seaport

Old Newgate Prison

 

[Brian Gatien]

Thanks for the suggestions. The old mills sound intriguing to me; less of a landscape person. A drive up Rte 7 has been suggested.
I have heard that Mystic Seaport is a bit touristy.
Brian

 

[Monophoto]

I haven't been to the Seaport in many years. But my recollections are that it was an interesting place to visit and was very photo-friendly. In fact, for many years they had a "Photo Day" in early September where they invited photographers to come in for the day, arranged for costumed staff to serve as models, and sponsored a contest for the best photographs produced during the day. But, on a nice weekend day in the summer, it will be crowded.

 

[climbabout]

connecticut

I live in Southwestern Connecticut and the drive on route 7 anywhere north from New Milford north to the Massachusets border is very scenic. Bulls Bridge just north of New Milford has some nice scenery, theres an antique farm tool museum with an old locomotive just near Kent - I believe it's just north of Kent - is nice as well as Kent Falls right on route 7. There's also a covered bridge I believe it's on route 4 in Cornwall. Also, there are many country routes off of route 7 that will take you through rolling hills and small farms. The ride around lake waramaug in New Preston off route 202 is pretty as well. We don't have the Grand Landscape here - but we do have plenty of places with rural charm. Have fun!
Tim
Climbabout

 

[Photo_G]

Sudbury is quite aways west in ON so it might be hard for you to envision CT.

Think the T.O. area either eastward through and past Ajax or down west and south to the Niagara Peninsula and that will give you a better idea of the urban/suburban sprawl you're headed toward.

That said, northwestern CT (as climbabout has described) will give you some scenic shots - there are a lot of 18th C. (i.e. 1700's) types of towns and farms etc. They're more "preserved" than "real" but make for nice shots.

BTW: I believe there is a big horse gathering (steeplechase etc.) going on in Goshen, CT next weekend. Saw a sign for such when I was up at our place on the NY State side last weekend.

 

[AutumnJazz]

I don't get out of Fairfield county very much, but the coast is amazingly beautiful, as are the areas with old farms in the northern part. That's quite a ways away from Avon, however.

CT is very beautiful. In all seasons. Get into town, get into the boondocks, etc. There is beauty everywhere.

 

[gr82bart]

If you're in Avon, I'd drive along 44 to 7 and then south on 7 towards Danbury (or north into MA), then head home via route 6. A good day's trip, at least. Someone mentioned the covered bridge - which I've always wanted to go to, but haven't yet.

Regards, Art.

 

[frotog]

There are wonderful twin landfills right off I-95 at the west haven exit. The estuaries there are dense with muskrats of unusual biomass and productivity. You have to see their nests to believe them. Bring a pair of waders.

 

[removed account4]

you might want to check out route 165.
in some parts of rhode island it is called 10 rod road
it was 10 rods wide ( a rod is 16.5 feet ).
it is route 102 in parts of ri and after beach pond ( ct border ) it
changes its name to rt 165.

it travels between voluntown ct and wickford ( updike ) ri and served as a
path for the folks in land locked ct to bring their cattle to port ( ri ).
it was a path and grassy road for heardsmen to drive their cattle and graze on the way.

its all eastern ct jewett city, rt 395 &C.
a lot of the area there is still rolling farms, forests ... beautiful countryside.
i haven't been to jewett city in a while, but from what i remember it has a downtown that
has a lot of building-stock from the mid-late 1800s if you like that sort of thing.

good luck!
john

 

[Brian Gatien]

Thank you for the additional suggestions, I am going to try to combine a counter-clockwise route on Saturday from Avon (almost Art's suggestion combined with Tim's directions) and then do a clockwise trip to the northeast on Sunday. Mostly I am excited about picking up the Canham.
The weekend weather forecast doesn't look the greatest; I hope the rain comes later in the day and I can get out in the early morning.
Have a great weekend all.
Thanks
Brian