The parking area is close to the house; a good place to begin my explorations.  I walked around the post and rail fence and could see Crooked Pond in the distance.  I crossed over the churned-up tread of the Old Railway Trail; a discontinued and dismantled railway connection between the Bridgehampton train station and Sag Harbor’s Long Wharf.  This trail travels on a raised embankment offering some nice views into Crooked Pond, and Little Long Pond, but walking on the churned up trail tread is unpleasant.  Heading through a post and rail kissing gate that runs along the east side of the RR Trail, I continued down a short incline to the Crooked Pond Trail.  I turned right, heading south, Crooked Pond to my left, the railroad embankment to my right.  At the next crossroads, I turned left, past a bench overlooking the pond and navigated a small network of trails around the southern portion of Crooked Pond.  Here I intersected Widow Gavitts Trail, where I turned left along the eastern side of Crooked Pond.  The trail gradually turned into Widow Gavitts Road which is paved.  I passed Sprig Tree Path on my right, and searched to my left for where this paved road continues as a hiking path. On the left side of the road, I found an overgrown trail bisecting a driveway and Widow Gavitts Road.  I followed it into wetlands, and had to work my way around a large puddle and across a narrow brook before I found the path again.  A little further north on Widow Gavitts Road, on the right side, there is a wide boat launch road that also leads to Sprig Tree Path.  I followed Sprig Tree Path past where it intersects Crooked Pond Trail, over the LIPA ROW.  Here Sprig Tree Path has the white blazes of the Paumanok Path. When I crossed over the Railroad Trail, instead of turning right and continuing to follow the Sprig Tree Path, I turned left and walked the Little Long Pond Trail out and back.  It heads towards Lily Pond, but doesn’t reach it.  I then walked the Sprig Tree Trail north to the Round Pond Trail, crossing over Ligonee Brook and stopped to look out over Round Pond.  Then I took the Round Pond Trail back to the RR Trail.  In a hurry, I followed the RR Trail south to where I had begun the walk.

The Long Pond Greenbelt is a great experience, especially when you share it with friends.

Directions: Turn right, north on Bridgehampton/Sag Harbor Turnpike (CR-79) for approximately 2 miles.  Pass Scuttlehole Road on the left and immediately to the right, find a small Nature Conservancy sign by a gated dirt driveway with the faded house number 1061.”  The driveway is to the Val Schaffner House.  It is on the east side of Bridgehampton/Sag Harbor Tpk. about 100 yards north of the Scuttlehole Road intersection.  It is a .3 mile, bumpy ride to the house.  Before reaching the house, I pulled off into a small parking area on the right side of the driveway.  There is a very attractive Nature Conservancy sign, and a split rail fence across the trailhead, blocking motorized traffic, but allowing easy access by foot.