NYC walks: Nature, beauty, & peace

We'll walk through Bronx's Pelham Bay Park, the City's largest, staying on the larger roads and paths to avoid ticks. We'll stop for lunch in the lovely gardens of historic Bartow-Pell Mansion. After lunch we'll walk to Orchard Beach to relax and swim if you wish. Then we'll tour picturesque City Island, which resembles a New England Fishing village within NYC. We'll end the day with an optional dinner at a delicious fresh-seafood restaurant, where two people can comfortably share a huge entree costing about $12 apiece (excluding tax and tip). DISTANCE: About 6 miles. But you can catch a bus back to the train station after about 4 miles, roughly 45 minutes after lunch. PACE: MODERATE (2 blocks in 3 minutes), not slow. If you want to stroll rather than walk moderately, this is not the right hike for you. ENDING TIME: You'll get back to the subway station (by bus from City Island) at around 5:30-6:00 PM if you skip dinner, 7:30-8 PM if you don't. You can leave earlier as well, by catching the bus to the subway around 3:30 to 4:00 PM. LUNCH: Bring your own COST: $3 (in part to cover meetup's organizer fee), plus the price of dinner if you stay (see above). DRIVERS: Option 1: Park in the Middletown Rd. parking lot (see directions below). Walk out of the same entrance, turn right, then right again onto Middletown Rd, heading toward the Expressway. Turn right a third time onto the path running parallel to the expressway, and walk north (along the edge of the park). After passing two pedestrian bridges (one at Middletown Rd.) and one motor-vehicle bridge, you'll find us at the bottom of the third pedestrian bridge, across the expressway from the elevated subway station. (If you happen to get lost on foot, ask someone how to find the bridge to the subway.) It's roughly a 15-minute walk--but unlike street parking near the subway, it's guaranteed. Option 2: The elevated train station and pedestrian bridge are located near the intersection of Westchester Ave. and Amendola Place; if you get near there and can't find it, ask anyone in the neighborhood; they should know. Try parking on the street nearby, then climb the stairs to the subway station (no fare required) and walk across the bridge. Leave extra time for this option; drivers have reported that parking isn't difficult, but of course there's no guarantee. DRIVING DIRECTIONS TO PARKING LOT (OPTION 1, ABOVE). FOR OPTION 2, USE YOUR GPS TO WESTCHESTER AVENUE AND AMENDOLA PLACE. From the New England Thruway (I-95) South Take I-95 South to the Westchester Avenue exit. Go straight along the service road for approximately 4 lights and make a left onto Jarvis Place to go over the I-95/Bruckner Expressway. Make the next left and head north on the service road. At the first light, make a right onto Middletown Road. At the end of the street (Stadium Ave), make a left into the park and the first left into the parking lot. Then walk to the meeting spot, as described in option 1, above. From the Bruckner Expressway Take the Bruckner Expressway north and exit at the Lafayette Avenue exit. Stay on the northbound service road and make a right onto Middletown Road. At the end of the block (Stadium Ave), make a left into the park and another left turn into the parking lot. Then walk to the meeting spot, as described in option 1, above. From the I-95 North Take I-95 north and exit at the Country Club Road/Pelham Bay Park exit. Stay on the northbound service road and make a right onto Middletown Road. At the end of the block (Stadium Ave), make a left into the park and another left turn into the parking lot. Then walk to the meeting spot, as described in option 1, above. From Pelham Parkway, eastbound Take Pelham Parkway eastbound past Eastchester Road and get into the right lane. Go through the next light and make a right turn onto the Pelham Parkway service road. (Be careful not to get onto the Hutchinson River Parkway.) Follow the service road around to a stop sign and under the IRT No. 6 train and head south along the Bruckner Expressway service road. Go straight along the service road for approximately 4 lights and make a left onto Jarvis Place to go over the I-95/Bruckner Expressway. Make the next left and head north on the service road. At the first light, make a right onto Middletown Road. At the end of the street (Stadium Ave), make a left into the park and the first left into the parking lot. Then walk to the meeting spot, as described in option 1, above.