My daughters Sophie (9) and Lucy (7) and I decided to do a little female trailblazing and set an unsupported female FKT for the one way route of the Upper Charles Trail and had a fabulous time! We had chilly but absolutely lovely sunny weather and the trail is a lovely mix of surfaces and surroundings. We had no issues at all and really enjoyed ourselves. We parked at the Sherborn trailhead and took a lift to the Milford lot to start our one way trek around 8am this morning. That went very smoothly.
Gear wise I carried a 40L pack filled with warm layers, 5L of fluid, tons of snacks, warmers, first aid kit and other essentials/emergency gear. We had more than enough to last us for our time out there and had no need for assistance or resupply. We used the ‘nature potty’ facilities as needed in the forest.
One important note is that the original one way route description should be adjusted as it tells runners to go through the neighborhood at the very end to finish the run at Whitney Street. That would require bushwhacking into a private gated neighborhood that has no trespassing signs surrounding it. We understandably did not feel comfortable doing that and simply followed the very lovely, clearly marked trail that was recently added that leads to the Whitney street trailhead and the small parking lot where our car was parked. That was confusing given the route description and I certainly hope that there is no penalty for being respectful of posted signs and following the actual trail to the end. As far as I can tell there is no difference in distance travelled.
Thank you!