Take a Seat: A Tour of Greytown's Best Public Reading Spots
While we're known best these days for our shopping and dining locations, Greytown still has a lot of public green space that can be enjoyed for no cost at all. And, conveniently, there are public benches and seats available all over, beckoning a weary traveler or passerby to pause a moment and enjoy the view.
Interestingly, a study came out this year which demonstrates that reading outside in bright light “stimulates your visual brain more effectively, allows you to see the letters better, and helps your eyesight.” So the next time you want to take a wander with a good book, you can say you are doing so for your health.
And by taking an activity you might normally pursue indoors into the great outdoors, you expand both your inner and outer worlds.
Mr and Mrs Blackwell have been known to fill up the baskets on their Pashleys with books, snacks and beverages and spend an Analogue Sunday afternoon reading at one of our local parks.
So here's Mrs Blackwell's round up of the best seats in town for some outdoor reading time:
Stella Bull Park
Only meters away from the bookshop, Stella Bull Park offers some much needed serenity in the middle of our busy wee town.
For a relatively small park there are lots of seating options and the trees always seem to be full of birdlife.
There's a lovely sunny bench seat by the scented garden:
Under the shade of mature trees:
And one under a large walnut tree, right next to one of Greytown's original library buildings (now the Design Library):
Kuratawhiti Street Park
This is probably Greytown's most popular park, so if serenity is your aim, we would discourage this park on the weekends, as it is host to a lot of sports games. But weekdays often find this lovely space quiet, open, and a perfect spot for an outdoor read.
Seats are dotted amongst the 57 lime trees planted along the park's border; the trees were planted in 1921 to commemorate the soldiers who died in World War I.
Collier Reserve
Probably one of our most underutilised parks, this gem offers beautiful benches and trees for a perfect day of summer reading. Don't be put off by the permanent exercise equipment at the entry to the park; the back of the park is a very peaceful spot to sit and read.
Bonus: Don’t miss the giant horse chestnut tree in this park!
A little bit further afield: These next two spots are both a few minutes out of town but both easy enough to get to by foot (less than 30 minutes walk from the bookshop) or just a few minutes by car.
Greytown Woodside Rail Trail
We've mentioned the Rail Trail in our Introvert’s Guide to Greytown as a destination, but it's worth noting that the trail has several seats dotted along the way as well as some picnic tables.
If you like the idea of pedestrians and bike riders going past you at leisurely intervals, then these seats are a great spot for some reading time.
Greytown River Walk
Featuring Greytown's one and only piece of graffiti, I’ve always thought the table and bench seats outside "The Wireshed'' would be a perfect stop for a read on any trip around the river walk.
Some additional suggestions:
If seats aren't your thing, consider a blanket and a spot below one of our grand trees instead. The Greytown Tree Advisory Committee produced this map with some of our best trees highlighted.
Have you gotten restless with all that sitting around? Make like Thoreau and enjoy the mental stimulation of walking. Here's a walking guide with highlights of our heritage trees.
Thinking of taking to two wheels to work off the baguette and the brie you just consumed during your park stay? Here's Greytown Heritage Trust's cycling map.
And not to be overlooked - we have four bench seats right outside the bookshop and in front of the Town Center building. They are wonderful spots for watching the world go by, and are shaded most of the day by some mature trees.
As always, you can start by picking up your next great read at Mrs Blackwell’s Village Bookshop before you set out. Our friendly book nerds are always happy to help you make the perfect selection.
