Sunday Hikes: Adventures at Cair Paravel

Yesterday, in an effort to fit in a hike before Easter lunch with family, I found myself at the Monastery in Cumberland, Rhode Island. Part of this former monastery now houses the Cumberland Public Library (history here). 


There's a pleasant, flat, easy walking/running/exercise path charmingly named the Peace Mile, but some more interesting trails when you leave the beaten path. Deep in the rocky, rolling woodland, we found the quarry and the massive blocks of rock hewn and discarded by the Trappist monks who quarried the stone and constructed the first building in 1902. 

We felt as if we had stepped straight into the ruins of Cair Paravel. 

There's a lot of evidence of human impact here, but it was certainly an interesting place to explore.

And at its edge, beyond an ugly yet quite interesting working quarry, we were rewarded with great views across to the city of Providence. 

Difficulty: easy to moderate

Distance: variable, lots of trails to choose from

Dog friendly: yes...