Travel
Over the River and Through the Woods : The Highlands Inn
by Carolyn Ashby
I’ll bet the conversations around the water cooler sound pretty much the same in every office during the winter. One co-worker is going to Puerto Rico, another to Palm Springs. If you’re anything like me, you were thinking, “Gee, wouldn’t that be nice!” or “Why am I going further north on my vacation?!”
Of course, if you’re anything like me, you know why I wasn’t taking a flight south or to some other exotic locale – a little thing commonly known as money.
Luckily for those of us who can’t seem to make or hold onto significant amounts of that green stuff, there are some fabulous places not too far from our frigid homes that will welcome and warm us up. For the girls among us, The Highlands Inn in New Hampshire’s White Mountains is one of those possibilities.
Half a mile down a windy dirt road, flanked on either side by miniature rivers of spring snowmelt, three buildings compose The Highlands Inn, a favorite of the Out & About Editor’s Choice Awards. The Farm House is first, the oldest homestead in the town of Bethlehem. The Main Inn and pool are next, and the Cottage hides behind the main building just at the head of the back trails. Surrounded by 100 acres of woods and fields, the Inn offers stunning views of the great outdoors and cozy spaces to relax indoors, including a library/living room with fireplace, sunny breakfast area, TV lounge, and private whirlpool spa. In addition to the many people-friendly perks, the Farm House and Cottage are both dog-friendly – a more than welcome accommodation for folks like me who are married to their canine companions.
The Inn is easily reachable from just about anywhere – less than half an hour from St. Johnsbury, two and half or so from Burlington, an hour and a half from Hanover, NH.
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photo: Carolyn Ashby
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We arrived at the Inn late in the evening on my birthday, March 7. Innkeeper Grace Newman greeted me, showed me around a bit, introduced me to her terrier, Daisy, and inquired about my breakfast preferences. Having settled that breakfast was unlikely to be a priority for me – although I did finally make it for excellent cottage fries and eggs on day 3 – and provided a supply of cream and sugar so I could fix coffee at my late morning leisure, Grace sent me around the back drive to the Cottage, where a Happy Birthday banner and champagne awaited.
A note to those who opt for this cozy, perfect for two, rustic room: winter or spring, you’ll want to pack some serious boots and consider a four-wheel drive vehicle – 10-year-old Honda CRX with bad tires not recommended for mud surfing.
The Great Outdoors
I’m not the outdoorsy type, though there’s nothing I love more than meandering walks with my aforementioned canine companion. I have recently gotten very into snowshoeing and was hoping that there would still be a good amount of snow, which struck me as likely for early March, so that we could wander the many trails at the Inn in winter style.
Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate. It had, in fact, rained so much in the week prior to our trip that Valley View Lane had washed out in spots and the front trails were more water than snow. Fortunately, our first day there was amazingly warm, and just enough snow remained on the back trails to make them walkable without purchasing thigh-waders.
On our first walk, in the morning while it was still cool and the sun hadn’t had a chance to get through the trees to the ice on the wood floor, I felt that a certain part of my body had a much higher chance of “getting close to nature” than the rest of me. It also reminded me that I am way out of shape and nowhere near as agile as my pooch.
I let her take the lead on subsequent meanders, pausing at the Cottage door to wave her in the direction of the trail entrance, following paths at her whim. We went out every morning after coffee and every afternoon before whirlpool and dinner, from sunny sky no coat necessary to below freezing and blustery on the last morning. Our walks rejuvenated, inspired my creative juices, and contributed to the restful sleep I got each night.
The trail names always prompted a smile as I walked past the painted wood placards: Middle Earth, Dale, Hobbiton, Bilbo’s, Gandalf’s Abyss. In addition to the many Tolkien names, there are trails named for Ellen, (Lily) Tomlin, Daisy and Minnie (the Inn’s non-human residents), and Stonewall (for the historical reference, I assume, as well as for the actual stone wall it runs along). With enough snow cover, the trails offer many hours of delightful snow shoeing or skiing and after mud season, nature- and view-filled hiking.
For those who enjoy working hard while being outdoors, there is a late fall weekend you can trade your labor clearing trails for your room and breakfast.
The Great Indoors
Although I didn’t spend much time ensconced near the fireplace in the Main Inn, it would certainly be tempting in the cold of winter and to folks more inclined to the social possibilities of such a gathering spot. I spent much of my indoor time in bed (note: the sleeping loft is nestled right in the roof, be careful if you’re being adventurous or athletic·) or curled up on the couch in the Cottage, taking advantage of the video collection available from the Main Inn. (The cabinet held selections ranging from documentaries like Before Stonewall to pop hits like The Birdcage to edgy dramas like Bound.)
The other indoor attraction I took full advantage of was the whirlpool. Located just off the breakfast and TV area, the whirlpool has a latched door
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photo: Carolyn Ashby
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to ensure privacy, as well as a sign-up sheet for similar reasons. The rich-colored wood, low lighting, and CD player let you choose the ambiance: relaxation for one, romance for two, socializing for several.
Breakfast and snacks are provided by the Inn; lunch and dinner are up to you. I opted for a little grocery shopping, take-out, and improvisation courtesy of the fridge and microwave available in the Cottage. The Farmhouse has a full kitchen available to those staying there, perfect for group cooking and gabbing over a weekend getaway with friends. For those more interested and able to venture forth to local restaurants, the Inn provides menus from a wide range of dining spots. Many guests have jotted notes on the various menus, and Grace is happy to provide tips as well.
The Depot Cafˇ struck me as the classiest of the bunch, with a very tempting menu. Burrito Alley in Littleton is a fabulous option for cheap and very good take-out – the heavenly spicy bean dip carried me through several meals.
Venturing IntoTown
Littleton, NH, hadn’t struck me as much at night on my way through to the Inn. An afternoon venture into town proved me wrong. At one end of town, by the Interstate, sits the ubiquitous Wal-Mart, the chain grocery store among other larger businesses, and a Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Main Street, though, is merely three blocks and contains a wide variety of small shops and restaurants; The Healthy Rhino is the intriguing name of a small natural foods store. The Village Book Shop is absolutely fantastic, containing a wide selection of books, music, journals and stationary, as well as a toy shop downstairs. Aikayla provides the diversity of bumper stickers, funky clothing, and GLBT and woman-inspired gift items that many of us would recognize from the Peace and Justice Store in Burlington.
For those interested in travelling further afield, there are many attractions within an hour of the Inn. The White Mountains boast a host of ski areas and state parks, and North Conway to the southeast is NH’s tax-free outlet smorgasbord.
Although the Inn is women’s space, men feeling a little envious shouldn’t despair. Just find yourself a woman-friend who’ll be sure to invite you for “Family Weekend” (coming up May 19-21: better butter-up your buddy quick!). The Inn offers this special weekend for folks who want to share their time away with a parent or sibling, guy friend, college buddy and spouse, or gay male friend who has already hit all the antiquing spots in Vermont and is looking to branch out. There are also holiday specials, ski and golf weekends, a series of concerts, and honeymoon/wedding packages available.