Peters Hill

Peters Hill is the highest point in the Arnold Arboretum - with a summit that offers great views of the surrounding city, from downtown and the Back Bay to Jamaica Plain and Roxbury. Cognoscenti (of which I was not one until yesterday) know that it's a lot easier to get to the top by taking the "back" entrance off Mendum Street in Roslindale rather than the better known entrances along Centre Street and the Arborway in Jamaica Plain. The Mendum Street gate is where people leave hats and mittens they've found on the Arboretum grounds, such as the hat above (the spikes of the gate are actually black - unless you use a camera flash).

One view from the top of the hill:

The mostly bare trees and bushes on the hillside offer some interesting views of their own:

An adult, having just climbed to the top of the hill and then having just run down the other side toward JP and slogged right back up again, would stop at the top of the hill again to catch his or her breath - and to admire the view again. A seven-year-old, however, would just keep going - especially if she's a competitive sort and wanted to make sure she beat her father back down to their car.