InnBrattleboro » Winter Activities

Hiking Mount Monadnock

Tim Brady — Sat, 15 May 2010 16:17:12 +0000

Mount Monadnock, in New Hampshire, offers some great half day hikes to an amazing bare rock summit with 100 mile views to points in all six New England States. Mount Monadnock, located in the Monadnock State Park, is said to be the second most frequently climbed mountain in the world, after Japan’s Mt. Fuji.

While there are a variety of approaches to the summit, we have found our personal favorite to be the White Arrow Trail. Hiking the White Arrow Trail takes about two hours from the parking area up to the summit and about an hour and fifteen minutes down. We would say that this hike is moderately difficult, the park states that there is an average 27% grade. There are some sections that are steep and rocky. We would not suggest hiking this trail in the wet weather as there are sections that become streams in the rain. On an average day most of the trail is dry and clear, with about 3/4 of the hike in the wooded section and about 1/4 above the treeline.

To reach the start of the White Arrow approach, park in the lot off the Old Toll Road – on NH Route 124. After paying your $4 park admission (can you believe that they maintain these parks for $4?) head up the old toll road trail. This trail will take you to the intersection of the White Arrow Trail, which is located at the Old Halfway House. Don’t worry – all of the trails are well marked and your $4 includes a map of the mountain.

The trail makes several turns, with a variety of other trail options splitting off here and there. White Arrow is the most direct route to the summit however.

For most of the hike you will find yourself under a tree canopy (bring bug spray). But after about an hour you will be able to see the summit. While it looks very close, this is where the hiking gets somewhat more challenging, incorporating some large stretches of relatively smooth rock face. Take your time, be sure to look around and chose the best path up the rocks, sometimes the easiest path is not the most obvious. This is also a great time to take a gander at the forest below – there are several great points to take a break on the rocks and enjoy the amazing views and cool breezes.

The view at the top is amazing – although it is likely to be “crowded”. There are several approaches to the summit and so regardless of how busy your trail was (White Arrow tends to be moderately busy – especially on weekends) the summit is guaranteed to be bustling with other hikers.

On the descent – which is markedly easier – you still must be careful of your footing and ease your way down the same rock surfaces carefully.

Mount Monadnock is in Monadnock State Park in New Hampshire. The White Arrow Trail (Old Toll Road) starts about 30 miles from our Vermont Inn. Travel Route 9 into Hampshire – to 101 to 124 to a town called Jaffrey. Its a scenic drive that will take about 40 minutes.

The Park is open 7 days and hiking is popular year round. Off season hikers should check in at the base (located off of Dublin Road – a bit further down 124).

There is a great (and funny) list of Monadnock FAQ’s on the GCC site that should be able to help with any other questions.

Also, you can check out this step by step guide assembled by one of our guests!

Hiking Mount Monadnock is certain to be an experience you remember. There is a reason that it is one of the most hiked mountains in the world and if you are in the Brattleboro area, why not explore it for yourself. Of course, we hope that you will stay with us at our beautiful Vermont Inn which makes a great base camp for this and many other activities in New England. To read about some of our other favorites, be sure to subscribe to our blog!

Ice Fishing

Amy Brady — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 22:04:33 +0000

Ever wonder about those little huts out on the ice around Vermont? Well, beside creating a great “Norman Rockwell” backdrop at our Vermont Inn, they are used by ice fishermen to keep warm and dry. A few days ago Tim headed out on the ice with our friend Doug, who operates a small local outdoor adventure guide service, to learn a bit about the basics of ice fishing.

Watch as Doug explains the simple equipment you will need to ice fish, as well as shares some tips for an enjoyable experience on the ice.

The Retreat Meadows is a very popular ice fishing spot in Brattleboro, and is luckily located just behind our bed and breakfast. We are happy to make reservations with Doug at Brattleboro Outdoors if you would like to borrow an ice shanty for the day, or have a guided afternoon of ice fishing (or other outdoor activities). Of course, we hope that if you are heading to Vermont, you will stay with us here at Forty Putney Road!

For details about ice fishing in Vermont, you can check out BrattleboroOutdoors.com.

Snow Shoeing

Tim Brady — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:40:03 +0000

There is something about the feeling of being outside in the Vermont winter. The crisp clean country air and the peaceful silence that comes with a soft snowfall. One great way to get outside and experience this serenity is snow shoeing. Lucky for us, there are plenty of great cross-country ski trails around Brattleboro that also make fore a snowshoers paradise. As a matter of fact, you can snowshoe almost 15 miles of trails right from the backyard of our Brattleboro Inn! But there are also several nearby locations that are well suited for all snowshoeing skill levels.

For first timers, check out the Brattleboro Outing Club. The outing club sets up shop in the winter on the golf course, creating a 14km system of trails for cross country skiing and snowshoeing throughout the picturesque hilly country club. They even rent equipment and offer lessons right on site on the weekends. The outing club is located just across the water from our inn, on Upper Dummerston Road.

If you are looking for something a bit more challenging, or a nice afternoon trip, check out Grafton Ponds. Grafton Ponds is located in Grafton Vermont, about 25 miles up Route 30 (to Rt 35, to Townshend Road). A bit bigger than the outing club, and with snow making equipment and groomed trails, Grafton Ponds is a local favorite for a serious day on the trails. Grafton Ponds rents equipment, offers lessons, guided tours and even snow tubing. All situated in a picturesque community in rural Vermont.

For those who already have equipment or prefer the “wild” side of getting out on a mountain, the Kilburn Loop trail in nearby New Hampshire’s Pisgah State Park should certainly fit the bill. Pisgah State Park has 13,500 acres of forest and covers more than twenty-one square miles. Trails roam for miles in the park and six different trailheads leading into the park each allow for a specific use such as snowmobiling, or snowshoeing.

Of the trails, the Kilburn Loop is for skiing and snowshoeing as motorized vehicles are prohibited to protect these ungroomed trails. The trail itself is five miles long and loopy. While the trail is rather steep at times, it is also picturesque and offers a series of rewarding views and places to pause.

Sure Pisgah State Park and the Kilburn Loop are a challenge, but a fun one. If you don’t have your own snowshoes, the Outing Club mentioned earlier rents them on site (on the weekends) as does Burrows Specialized Sports in downtown Brattleboro.

Any way you try it, snowshoeing is a great way to spend an afternoon staying active in the winter. And Brattleboro is a great base for any snowshoeing adventure.

Ice Skating

Tim Brady — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 19:16:19 +0000

My first ice skating experience was on a pond – well really it was more of a big puddle, with an eight foot circumference out behind my childhood home in Connecticut. My first skates were double-bladed things that strapped onto my winter boots and my Dad brought out a kitchen stool for me to use for support. Since then most of my skating has been with newer black, single-bladed hockey skates. However there is something about winter in Brattleboro Vermont that calls out for some good old-fashioned ice skating.

Luckily there is some great outdoor ice skating directly behind our Brattleboro Vermont Inn. The Retreat Meadows (the name of the water behind the inn) freezes over every winter and creates a scene reminiscent of a Norman Rockwell painting. The ice on the Retreat Meadows gets “feet thick”, enough for ice fishermen to put out their huts and even drive their trucks on. Near the road, there is a large cleared area perfect for ice skating (at least it is cleared unless there has been a big snow fall when good friends and neighbors clear it again). This natural rink provides the kind of skating that is right out of Vermont’s past. You can easily walk down to the ice from the inn, just remember to bring your ice skates.

For those who have never skated on an open pond or lake, it is important to remember that thin ice is dangerous to skate on. Make sure that the ice is thick enough and that it is the weather is cool enough to keep the ice from having soft spots. Even when the water is shallow (and in Retreat Meadows, some places are only two feet deep) falling through will at the very least, ruin your day.

Luckily this is not likely to happen in Retreat Meadows. After all, the ice fishers know the area and the ice so if they are out there, and other skaters are there, chances are the ice is pretty strong. If you are in doubt or uneasy about it though (or if you prefer something a little warmer) don’t worry, Brattleboro offers an indoor ice skating alternative!

Brattleboro’s indoor ice rink, The Nelson Withington Skating Facility, is located at “Living Memorial Park”. The indoor skating rink is open to the public on odd days and weekends, you can see the public schedule on their website. The park and rink are located on Route 9 near the Creamery covered bridge (about 5 minutes from our inn) and the skating facility is open seasonally from October 15th to April 15th.

So weather you long to relive the nostalgia of skating on a glassy pond, or just want to try ice skating for the first time – Brattleboro Vermont offers an ice skating adventure for all. Of course if you are heading to Brattleboro, we hope that you will join us at Forty Putney Road B&B, where you can skate right out back of the inn and come inside after for some hot chocolate by the fire – making your own ice skating memories…

Artists in Brattleboro: The Cotton Mill

Amy Brady — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:19:35 +0000

The Cotton Mill is an old mill in Brattleboro, Vermont that has been converted into studio space for artist and performers. The first weekend in December the Cotton Mill opens to the public with demonstrations and art for sale, just in time to pick up some great holiday gifts. Since the space is not usually open to the public, many of the pieces of art you see in this video can be purchased at the shops downtown including Gallery in the Woods and The Artisan Design.

If you would like to contact these artist directly please find their information below:

Natalie Blake Studios
802-254-9761

T. Breeze Verdant
Marquetry & Inlay
802-258-9820

Solinglass
802-251-0389

If you would like to contact any of the performers in this video please find their information below:

Luminz Dance Studio
802-254-9200

John Hughes Music

Nimble Arts New England Center for Circus Arts

And for information on Brattleboro and the surrounding area, please keep an eye on our website InnBrattleboro.com or spend some time with us at our inn, Forty Putney Road Bed and Breakfast here in Brattleboro Vermont. Thanks for watching!

100 Reasons to Stay, Play and Live in Brattleboro, Vermont

Tim Brady — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:39:29 +0000

Owning a Bed and Breakfast in Brattleboro, Vermont is so much fun. One of the questions we are often asked by our guests is “why did you choose Brattleboro?” So here is a quick list (in no particular order) of reasons why Brattleboro, Vermont is an awesome place to stay, play and live.

Great downtown – stroll through our active downtown with all of its big city amenities
Live theater – 3 Theaters for live performances downtown (Hooker Dunham Theater, Latchis Theater, New England Youth Theater)
Caffeine – 3 Independent Coffee Shops (Mocha Joe’s, Coffee Country & Cafe Lotus)
Food – 30+ Restaurants to choose from
Pizza – 8 Pizza Shops (what can I say we like pizza around here)
Sushi – 3 restaurants to get great Sushi
Brattleboro Museum and Art Center
Martinis – on the deck at Alici’s Bistro in the summer
Vermont Jazz Center
Galleries – Gallery in the Woods, Artisan Design, Gallery 215, Artist Loft Gallery…just to name a few
Architecture – Beautiful historic architecture
Beer – McNeil’s Brewery in the historic fire house
More beer – 40 Tap Handles at Flat Street Pub
Cheap beer – $2.75 Draft Beer on the Fridays on the roof top deck at the Riverview Cafe in the summer
Movies – Check out the Art Deco Latchis Movie Theater
Only a 2 hour drive from Boston, MA
Only a 3 hour drive from New York City, NY
Only a 5 hour drive from Philadelphia, PA
The Vermonter - Amtrak service from Washington D.C., Philadelphia and NYC to Brattleboro Vermont!
Small town – only 12,000 residents
How Tom at Peter Haven\’s Restaurant met me once and remembered my name 2 years later
Countless Boutiques – Beadnicks, Altiplano, Blue Moose, Knit or Dye, Distinctive Decor…just to name a few
So many books – 5 Book stores downtown (Baskets Paperbacks, Book Cellar, Brattleboro Books, Everyone’s Books, & Mystery on Main)
Community Appreciation Day – free lunch served by the Brattleboro Savings and Loan
Brattleboro Food Coop – local and fresh food!
The Hospital – yes, best experience I ever had at a hospital (kind, courteous and only waited 5 minutes to be seen)
Our Local Butcher Shop – North End Butchers
Gallery Walk – 1st Friday of every month – over 40 galleries, shops and restaurants displaying local art
Local newspaper daily – all the news I need in the Brattleboro Reformer
Drive in Movies - Northfield drive-in theater
Wantastiquet – great hike with an odd name
Chesterfield Gorge
The Retreat Trails – hike them right from our backyard
Mount Monadock - sure it’s not in Brattleboro, but it’s close and awesome
Picking Berries – love Dutton Farm
Road Biking along the West River
Strolling of the Heifers (ever seen cows strolling down main street before, well see it here)
Spofford Lake
Mountain Biking
Tubing down the West River
Swimming holes on the West River
Kayaking on the Connecticut River
Hogle Wildlife Sanctuary
Canoeing in the Retreat Meadows
The Treasured Tree Tour – including our enormous Japanese Maple Tree – you have to see it to believe it!
Golfing at the Brattleboro Country Club
Hogback Mountain Scenic Overlook
Fishing
Fall Foliage
Corn Mazes – including the Gaines Farms’ giant cow
It’s haunted… The Spooky Side of Brattleboro (Madame Sharri\’s Castle and the Retreat Tower)
Shelburne Falls – Pot Holes and Bridge of Flowers
Picking Apples – love Scott Farm
Cider – Donuts & Fresh Apple Cider from Green Mountain Orchards
Snow
Ski Jumping – Harris Hill Ski Jump
Ice Fishing on the Retreat Meadows (I love watching them from our 2nd Floor Sun Porch, like a Norman Rockwell painting)
Snow Shoeing
Cross Country Skiing at the Brattleboro Country Club
Down Hill Skiing at Mount Snow (just a short 20 minute drive)
Diversity
The Circus is always in town at the Nimble Arts Circus School
School for International Training
Protests – who doesn’t dig a good peaceful protest
The smelly hippies
Bartering – check out Boomerang, Turn it Up, and other shops
Vermont Fresh Network – restaurants, growers and producers working together
Free Wi-Fi – not just at our inn, but throughout downtown!
A Bush and Cheney free zone
First Home Depot in the US to close – citing local competition-Brown & Roberts Hardware rules!
Supporting local businesses
Keeping Walmart out
Sustainability – Check out the store called Save the Corporations From Themselves
Easy to be Gluten Free
Easy to be a Vegetarian
Easy to be a Vegan
Cheese – Grafton Cheese Company (watch them make cheese, visit their country store or pet the animals at the farm)
Weddings – in the apple orchards at Scott Farm
Sugaring – see them make the Maple Syrup at Harlow’s Sugar House
Candy – Tom and Sally\’s Handmade Chocolates (something for the kids and something for the adults as well)
The Brattleboro area Farmer\’s Market (year round)
Thai food – Anon’s Thia food at the Farmer’s Market and Thai Bamboo – both rock
The Awesome 80′s hour on WTSA 96.7 FM (while I iron the sheets)
Walking our dog and feeding the ducks in the Retreat Meadow (one for them, one for her)
175 years of history at the Brattleboro Retreat
Antiquing on Route 30
Irish Sessions on Wednesday nights at JD McCliment’s Pub in nearby Putney
Live music at the Weathervane
Summer Concerts in the Park
Brattstock – local music festival in August
Renew Building Supply – plenty of reclaimed parts for your (and our) old house
Sam’s Outdoor Outfitters – the biggest little store you have ever seen!
Chelsea Royal Diner – try their ice cream
Wine – great local shops (Windham Wines) and producers (Honora)
Basketville
Our Downtown Waterfall – how many towns have one of those!
Fish Market
Festivals (Keene Pumpkin Festival, Marlboro Music Festival, Yellow Barn Music Festival, Dummerston Apple Festival, Newfane Heritage Festival, Brattleboro Literary Festival…just to name a few)
Newfane Flea Market
Covered bridges
And of course, Forty Putney Road Bed and Breakfast!

Did we miss anything? What are your favorite Brattleboro things? Please share your favorites in the comments!

Retreat Tower

Tim Brady — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:54:09 +0000

One of the unique stops along the Retreat Trails is the Retreat Tower. This tower was built by the patients of the Vermont Asylum (now the Brattleboro Retreat) in 1887. At the time, doctors believed that hard, meaningful labor could help mental patients regain their stability. So a group of patients was put to work building this large stone tower, as a scenic overlook of the Asylum grounds.

While I’m sure that the doctors had the best of intentions, some patients chose to use the tower in a different manner. In the years following its construction, according to the book “Weird New England” a fair number of patients climbed to the top of the tower and hurled themselves off of it onto the rocky cliff below. While the number of suicides at this site is a closely guarded secret, the tower was sealed off and remains so today.

For those looking for the haunted side of Brattleboro, ghost hunters report sightings of an airborne human-like form at the top of the tower that appears briefly and then disappears into space.

You can find the tower off of the “Tower Climb” trail on the Retreat Trail system. It’s a fairly easy 10 – 15 minute walk from our Inn. The tower is visible from the Retreat Meadows and a lot of the north side of Brattleboro as well – particularly in the winter and fall as the trees clear.

The tower opens to the public typically just one or two times per year. The dates are not consistent, but you can certainly keep an eye on our twitter feed to know when it opens – as we will definitely be there.

Yankee Candle Village in Deerfield

Tim Brady — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:19:47 +0000

Yankee Candle is headquartered in western Massachusetts. Now, while you cannot tour the actual factory (which is something I would have loved to do) they have built what is best described as a “Hallmark Theme Park” for your candle and nick-nack loving enjoyment.

I visited the Yankee Candle Village with some hesitancy, especially after finding out that I didn’t get to see any massive machinery pumping out candles by the thousands. However, the village does seem to have something for everyone. From the obvious enormous selection of every scent of Yankee Candle – to small rooms full of sports memorabilia – to a winter themed space that actually has falling snow.

The space itself is enormous and even has several dining options, including Chandlers, a fine dining restaurant which is illuminated with hundreds of candles. If you are just in need of a snack, or a place to chill while your partner peruses the candles, there is a central cafe with sandwiches, soups and the like and even an animated bear jamboree – singing tunes about candles…

For the bargain hunters, there is a small room near the center of the building that is filled with discounted candles and odds and ends.

If you are looking for some gifts, there is a huge toy section, complete with Santa’s workshop and full time Santa (off season he chills in the workshop checking his list – probably more than twice).

The whole trip wraps up with a full fledged home store, including designer bags and fashions and a host of small impulse items at the sea of cash registers.

I would say that this is certainly a place worth visiting and will get you brownie points from the lady in your life – particularly if she is a candle fan. Best part, the Yankee Candle Village is just about a 30 minute ride from our Vermont Inn and part of our larger “heading south” tour of fun and interesting places near Southern Vermont.

Yankee Candle Village is open everyday from 10am to 6pm, with some extended hours during the holidays.

Ski Jumping in Vermont

Tim Brady — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 01:58:56 +0000

This weekend marked the official re-opening of the Harris Hill Ski Jump here in Brattlebro, Vermont. The jump is the only 90 meter ski jump in New England and one of only six in the USA of this size and caliber. The jump had closed in 2005 and needed significant repair work to reopen. But with the support of the local and even international community, they were able to complete an extensive renovation of the jump and returned the site to a first-class venue in the sport of ski jumping. Harris Hill is a symbol of pride for the Brattleboro community and throughout the Northeast.

We had never been to a ski jump competition, and didn’t know what to expect. Even though we can see the jump from our back yard, it is truly impressive to stand at the bottom of the slope and look up at the jumpers as they fly down the ramp and into the air. Many traveled 90 meters or more, with some even breaking into the triple digits.

Overall it was an impressive display and another cool event hosted by the amazing Brattleboro community. Check out the video (the first we have done for this blog – so its a work in progress!). And of course, if you are headed to Brattleboro for this or any of the other great events in the area, look us up at Forty Putney Road B&B for a great place to stay.

For more information about the ski jump visit the Harris Hill Ski Jump website.

Gallery Walk in Brattleboro, Vermont

Amy Brady — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 14:23:07 +0000

Gallery Walk in downtown Brattleboro, Vermont is the perfect evening for the art lovers out there. Gallery Walk is held on the first Friday of every month and includes art exhibits in over 50 locations around town. Gallery Walk is one of the reasons that Brattleboro was named a top 10 small art town by acclaimed author John Villani in his book “The 100 Best Art Towns in America”. No surprise as our quaint town is home to many artist and art lovers alike.

So how does Gallery Walk work? You should start by getting a copy of the Gallery Walk booklet, if you are staying with us at Forty Putney Road B&B we will have one here waiting for you, if not they can be found at many locations downtown. The booklet contains a map with over 50 locations including restaurants, galleries, etc that will be displaying artists work and will be open to the public the first Friday of the month. Each of the businesses downtown showing an artist has a large bright colored number in the window. This number corresponds to a number in the Gallery Walk book which provides descriptions of the artists and the work that they are showing.

Gallery Walk makes for a great night out and downtown is often bustling with activity on the Friday of the Walk. Turn it into an evening. Make a reservation at one of the great restaurants downtown for dinner and before or after you can stroll through downtown Brattleboro wandering into the various exhibiting locations. Chances are good that even the restaurant you eat at will be showing someones work. Some locations will be playing live music and others will have refreshments set up. In most cases you will even have the opportunity to speak to the artist themselves. Of course the art is exhibited all month long, but with the artists on hand and the energy of the First Friday – Gallery Walk is the ideal time to see whats new.

Gallery Walk is just one more reason we love Brattleboro. If you plan to go, check out the Gallery Walk website for more information. Of course, be sure to also check out our beautiful Brattleboro Inn just a short walk to downtown and all of the Gallery Walk activity. We look forward to seeing you!

InnBrattleboro » Winter Activities

Hiking Mount Monadnock

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Ice Fishing

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Snow Shoeing

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Ice Skating

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Artists in Brattleboro: The Cotton Mill

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100 Reasons to Stay, Play and Live in Brattleboro, Vermont

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Retreat Tower

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Yankee Candle Village in Deerfield

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Ski Jumping in Vermont

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Gallery Walk in Brattleboro, Vermont

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