Heading north from Whitcomb's Mill Rd., the surface is fairly smooth crushed stone/gravel and slightly uphill. At about 1.1 mi., the trail takes a detour off the former rail bed onto a very rough, rocky path in order to cross Hurricane Rd. (Apparently, the railroad used to pass under Hurricane Rd., but there is no longer a tunnel or underpass.) Continuing upgrade, the surface is smoother once again, but there are some sandy spots that can catch one by surprise. At 3.5 mi. there's a wooden bridge that crosses a stream bed which was dry on this crisp early September day. Unfortunately, the view to the left from the bridge is dominated by the grassy slopes of a covered landfill. A few tenths further along there is a small pond off to the right with a beaver lodge, but the presence of the landfill's maintenance building and the noise from a nearby road spoil the idyllic setting. Leaving the landfill behind, the trail passes through a deep cut in the rock along a path that becomes somewhat rough and rocky. At 4.6 mi., there's an information tree with a smallish map provided by the Westmoreland Sno-Belters along with some postings by area businesses. Just across Route 12 is the Summit Steak House if you're looking to take a break. The next mile or so is smoother and slightly downhill. At 5.6 mi., the rail trail intersects another trail in close proximity to a dirt road and an open area with some dirt piles. My wife and I decided this was a good place for a lunch break and a turn-back point, so a description of the rest of the trail will have to wait for another time. But this section was rather disappointing. The roughness was not to our liking, plus we never were far away from a road with its attendant noise. The lack of any scenic spots along this section (save for the pond at the landfill) made for a rather boring ride. Hopefully, the section further north will prove more interesting and pleasant.

I biked the Cheshire North Branch trail the past week. It was a pleasant ride I must say.
This was my first biking on a non-asphalted surface. I enjoyed it. The experience was very different from biking on the road.The views were nice. I particulary remember the one where I had to pass amidst big rocks. It reminded me of the days when we took a train in a mountain region as a kid.
I stopped for a while and looked around .The rocks, the trees, the greenary, the blue sky,the silence gave a peaceful feeling. I had a hard time finding the trail from Keene but luckily I had a map and with the help of a local was able to get through the streets and find the trail.
I did not see many bikers or hikers on the trail , not sure if it was because I was biking on a weekday.
I plan to bike the south branch very soon. (Winchendon -- Keene)

Another clear but cold day to explore more of this old B&M trail. Started from funky, Christian church
off Rt.12 at Lawrence Road in Troy, ended at Collins Pond Rd. crossing east of Fitzwilliam Depot; one-way
distance roughly 8 miles. Trail is slightly uphill from Troy to the high point one half mile east of Rockwood
Pond, then a slight downhill grade past Fitzwilliam Depot. The trail surface is a mix of packed dirt, some sandy
spots, and frozen mud that has been torn up from ATVs and motorcycles. Also, there is evidence of recent
work on clearing the trail with a bulldozer at various spots, which means it is maintained, but the riding
is somewhat challenging and riding through frozen mud is hard work, especially on the inclined portions.
Yet, this is a very scenic ride through evergreen woods, past ponds, swamps, and wetland areas, with some spectacular views of Mt. Monadnock along the way.
Highlights: Troy depot is completely restored and a visitor's center (see photos); Rockwood pond has the
best views of Mt. Monadnock (see photos); Fitzwilliam Depot general store for a snack.

From the google satellite views, I can trace this trail all the way to South Ashburnham, MA, where it looks
like it meets an existing railway. I look forward to exploring this trail more in the spring.