From Stamford · Hilltowns Loop · 8A, 116 & 112

Full-day version that starts in Stamford: it adds the ride there and back to Hilltowns Loop · 8A, 116 & 112. Here is what you'll find on the core stretch:

The hilltown curves in a single loop: you leave Shelburne Falls on MA-2 to Charlemont, climb MA-8A along the Chickley River to West Hawley, continue on MA-116 to Plainfield and Ashfield, and come back on MA-112 through Buckland. It's 38 miles of two-lane roads with steady curves, up and down across the plateau. Shelburne Falls is the base for coffee and food. The pavement is patched and the shoulders are narrow: a pack pace, not a race.