Enjoy the view, take a short hike, fly a kite, or blow bubbles at the Nettleton Preserve at 15-25 Castle Hill Road. Join Newtown Forest Association (NFA) member and hike leader Aaron Coopersmith on Sunday, July 27, at noon for a Family Fun Hike at the NFA’s 23-acre property. Guests can bring a picnic, join the short guided hike, and enjoy “The most spectacular view in Newtown,” according to the NFA.

Visible from the property on Castle Hill Road is Newtown’s iconic scene with church steeples, the flagpole, and glimpses of façades and rooflines along Main Street. Dr Coopersmith called the view that includes the Trinity Church, Congregational Church, and flagpole “panoramic,” adding, “The majestic view of Newtown center terminates five miles north on a horizon of rolling hills.” He also notes the “colonial charm about the view.”

The location was named “Castle Hill” in 1888 for the castle built on the site by Peter Lorillard Ronald, world traveler and millionaire. When Mr Ronald died in 1905, he left the castle to his mistress, but not the means to maintain it. The building deteriorated and was finally demolished in 1947.

This year mark’s the NFA’s 90th anniversary year. The afternoon is sponsored by the Newtown Forest Association. Rain cancels. No registration required. For further information, visit NewtownForestAssociation.org. Or, contact hike leader Aaron Coopersmith at aaroncoop@gmail.com.