Sharon sits on the state line, with New York's Dutchess County just over the hill, and the village green is a very large one, a wide sweep of lawn flanked by white eighteenth-century houses, an old church and a small town hall. It was founded in the 1730s, a farming and ironmaking town in the north-west hills, and it looks it, with stone walls running across fields and old maples shading the street. The setting is part of what makes it a favourite with weekenders from New York, who have filled it with antique shops and country inns.
The district's history is in the hills. The ore beds of the Salisbury area fed furnaces that made iron for the Revolution, including cannon and shot, and charcoal burners cut the surrounding forests to feed them, so most of the woods you see are second or third growth. The Sharon Audubon Center, on the outskirts, protects a large area of woodland and meadow, with ponds and trails, and it is a good place for birdwatchers. The Housatonic River is a few kilometres to the west and the valley is a long, green trench between ranges.
For a rider, Sharon is a crossroads of good roads. Route 4, Route 41 and Route 343 run through it and out into the hills, with long, rolling bends, farm views and plenty of space. To the west, the roads descend to the valley and cross into New York, and to the north, they wind toward the Berkshires. The traffic is moderate, the surface is mostly good and the scenery is the sort that makes you slow down. In October, the hills are red, orange and gold. Dirt roads are common in the district, and occasional gravel on the tarmac is a reminder that this is still a rural area.
Sharon has a general store and a few places to eat, but fuel is limited, so fill up beforehand in Kent or Torrington. The village is quiet on weekdays and busier on weekends, particularly in summer, when visitors come for the antique shops and farm stands. A coffee on the green with a view of the old houses is the perfect pause. Spring and early autumn are the best seasons, with warm days and cool nights.