16 Out in the Mountains |May 2000

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, anoth-
er to Palm Springs. If you’re anything like me, you
were thinking, “Gee, w_ouldn’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 possi-
bilities. ,

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 any-
where — less than half an hour from St. Johnsbury,
two and half or so from Burlington, an hour and a half
from Hanover, NH.

We arrived at the Inn late in the evening on my

“ and dinner, from sunny sky no coat

birthday, March 7. Innkeeper Grace Newman greeted
me, showed me around a bit, introduced me to her ter-
rier, Daisy, and inquired about my breakfast prefer-
ences. 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 pro-
vided a supply of cream and sugar so I could fix cof-
fee at my late momingleisure, 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.

I

The Great Outdoors

I’m not the outdoorsy type, though there’s nothing
I love more than meandering walks with my afore-
mentioned canine companion. I have recently gotten
very into snowshoeing and was hoping that there

rwould 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 cer-
tain 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 subse-
quent meanders, pausing at the
Cottage door to wave her in the
direction of the trail entrance, fol-
lowing paths at her whim. We went
out every morning after coffee and
every afternoon before whirlpool

necessary to below freezing and
blustery on the last morning. Our
walks rejuvenated, inspired my cre-
ative juices, and contributed to the
restful sleep I got each night.

The trail names always prompted

All photos: Carolyn Ashby

a
smile
as I walked V
past the painted wood plac-
ards: 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 sea-
son, nature- and view-filled hiking.

For those who enjoy working hard while being out-
doors, 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:‘tl1e
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 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,