A rural, tranquil lifestyle in the Berkshires
Out in the Berkshires, residents in Windsor enjoy a slow-paced lifestyle 20 miles south of the Vermont border. Surrounded by trees in every direction, “Windsor has a tiny population,” says Lindsey Schmid, Senior Vice President of Tourism and Marketing at 1Berkshire, a business and lifestyle resource for the area. “It’s pretty quiet and sleepy for people looking for that real rural experience.” Homeowners get to live off the beaten path, whether in an off-grid cottage or in a 5,000 square-foot retreat with hillside views. “It's not a far drive to some of the other towns where there is stuff to do, like Pittsfield, Adams and North Adams,” says Elizabeth Nelson, Director of Marketing for 1Berkshire. “The Berkshires is full of farm-to-table food, festivals, independently owned shops and businesses – it's rural and peaceful with all the creature comforts one could want.”
Outdoor recreation in the Berkshire hills
In Windsor, outdoor recreation revolves around the hills of the Hoosac Range. Tamarack Hollow Nature & Cultural Center offers guided hikes and snowshoe treks through the boreal forests. Wahconah Falls State Park has a short, dog-friendly hiking trail leading to a 40-foot waterfall. The 1,800-acre Windsor State Forest offers four-season outdoor recreation, from snowshoeing and snowmobiling in the winter, to hiking and hunting in the warmer months. “Notchview, the Trustees of Reservations property, is primarily focused on cross-country skiing and biking,” Schmid says.
Windsor offers homes in the Massachusetts countryside
Country roads cut through trees and farmland, leading to ranch-style homes, saltboxes and the occasional farmhouse with a barn or horse pasture. The median home price is about $325,000. However, prices range from about $200,000 to $600,000, with some outliers.
Students are zoned for Central Berkshire Public Schools
Central Berkshire Public Schools, rated B on Niche, serve the area. Students may attend Craneville Elementary and Nessacus Regional Middle School, both rated B-minus, before advancing to Wahconah Regional High School, rated B. Graduation rates for the high school and the district are consistently between 94% and 97%.
Driving through the Berkshires
Windsor is a rural, car-dependent area. Berkshire Trail is the main road through Windsor, connecting it to other Berkshire communities. Emergency care is about 30 minutes away at North Adams Regional Hospital. Bradley International Airport is about an hour and 20 minutes south via Interstate 91.
When it snows in the winter, “The main roads are plowed first, then secondary roads, and then people may have to wait a while for the country roads,” Schmidt says. “Homeowners with long driveways are responsible for their own snow plowing.”
Shopping and dining options in the Berkshires
Windsor is at least 20 minutes from shopping and dining options, apart from the homemade samosas at locally owned Sanger General Store. “By about 3:00, she’s sold out,” Schmid says. The closest supermarkets, like Target and Aldi, are in Pittsfield. Locals can also get groceries and custom deli sandwiches at Old Creamery Co-Op in Cummington. In the neighboring town of Dalton, Shire Tavern serves beer and upscale pub fare. Guests enter this cozy, subterranean eatery through a round wooden door at the bottom of a staircase. Inside, hardwood floors and exposed beams give the tavern a farmhouse-style ambiance.
Fun at the fairgrounds in Cummington
The fairgrounds in neighboring Cummington host events showcasing local agriculture, like the Hampshire County 4-H Fair and the Massachusetts Sheep and Woolcraft Fair. Every August, the Cummington Fair brings family-friendly entertainment in the form of a dairy show, live music and a tractor pull.
