Park your car at the Town Wharf off County Street. Sit for a moment on one of the big granite blocks and enjoy this view of the river and the recently planted grasses.
- Walk southwest along Water Street past the Melanson Boat Shop and the launching docks of the Ipswich Outboard Club. Enjoy the variety of houses on both sides and note the newly refurbished Green Street Bridge.
- Cross Green Street and enter the River Walk at the Whipple School. The walk hugs the river; there are several benches to pause at, one with a good view of the falls. As you emerge on County Street, note the granite plaque honoring Sydney N. Shurcliff.
- Turn left over the bridge and when you reach the corner, turn to the right past the Heard House Museum. Cross the busy street at the crosswalk to the Whipple House driveway.
- If you turn right towards the QLF buildings, you may walk through their driveway and see the newly reconstructed fish ladder. Plans are being made to rebuild the bridge across the dam and to develop a river walk along the EBSCO property including a riverfront park and access to Union Street. This should be completed in the year 2001. Long term the walk is planned to extend along the river behind the stores that line Market Street.
- For the present, return to the field behind the Whipple House, walk around Sally’s Pond to the river bank and turn left. A narrow but well-traveled trail skirts the river for a short distance before turning left and climbing some sturdy wooden stairs to the cemetery.
- You can retrace your steps along the river or walk through the cemetery, turn left at the sidewalk and return past the Whipple and Heard Houses and on down County Street.
The whole walk covers about a mile.
