Posts Tagged ‘B&B’
September 22nd, 2012 by billwebb
Fall is absolutely the best season in New Hampshire. The days are sunny and dry. The nights are cool (sometimes cold) and the air is crisp. But above all else the colors are tremendous. Guests at our Holderness B&B often ask why the leaves change color.
During the spring and summer the leaves manufacture most of the foods necessary for the tree’s growth. This food-making process takes place in the leaf in numerous cells containing chlorophyll, which gives the leaf its green color. This extraordinary chemical absorbs from sunlight the energy that is used in transforming carbon dioxide and water to carbohydrates, such as sugars and starch.
Along with the green pigment there are yellow and orange pigments in the leaf, but most of the year these colors are masked by great amounts of green coloring.
In the fall as the days get shorter and the temperatures get cooler the leaves stop making the food, anticipating the upcoming winter and dormant season. The chlorophyll breaks down, the green color disappears and the yellow and orange colors become dominant. These pigments mix to create vibrant reds as well as the sharp yellows and oranges.
Old timers will tell you that the brilliance of fall foliage depends on factors like how much rain we’ve had or how hot or cold the summer was. Undoubtedly these factors enter into the mix, but every year is different. The one thing that remains constant is the timing. It always happens in the fall when the days get shorter. It’s Mother Nature’s way of signalling the passing from summer to winter.
The Squam Lake area and the rest of New Hampshire’s Lakes Region will be ablaze with these colors soon. This would be a perfect time to spend a few days at the Inn On Golden Pond where you can enjoy luxurious lodging each night and the spectacular countryside filled with fall colors each day.
Fall at Squam Lake
On the grounds of the Inn On Golden Pond
Tags: B&B, fall foliage, Holderness, Lakes Region, New Hampshire, Squam Lake
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January 26th, 2012 by billwebb
Snow! Snow! Snow! That’s what we wish for every winter here in New Hampshire. A snowy winter is important for skiers and snowmobilers, but it’s especially critical for dog sled enthusiasts. Dog sled rides are a great, different adventure and we have a couple of kennels close to our Holderness B&B that offer rides to the public. This is a great way to explore the countryside of the New Hampshire’s lakes region and the White Mountains. Imagine winding your way through the back woods, no one else around – a wonderful way to see Mother Nature’s winter grandeur. You can share the driving experience with a professional or you can sit back and leave the driving to them.
Check out these two sites for more information about dog sledding opportunities. Barking Brook Sled Dog Adventures and Muddy Paw Sled Dog
Of course, at the end of the day what could be better than returning to our cozy bed and breakfast/inn? Sit by the fire, a glass of wine in hand and enjoy a quiet evening. Or dine at one of the many excellent restaurants we have in the Squam area. You’ll get a great night’s rest in one of our spacious, comfortable guestrooms and when you rise the next morning you’ll smell fresh coffee and the aroma of a home cooked breakfast as we get you ready for another day of winter activity.
The Inn On Golden Pond is an excellent lodging choice in the Holderness, Plymouth and Meredith NH area. So come enjoy the wonders of winter, perhaps a little differently than ever before – on a sled pulled by a team of pure bred Siberian Huskies!
Tags: B&B, Holderness, inn, Lakes Region, lodging, Meredith, New Hampshire, Plymouth, sled dogs, Squam, winter adventures
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August 30th, 2011 by billwebb
As we get to the end of August the days are cooling down slightly and the evenings are definitely cooling down. It’s a great time of the summer, but as the days get shorter we realize fall is just around the corner.
Fall is our favorite time On Golden Pond. Now is the time to be thinking about booking an October visit to our Holderness B&B. The area surrounding Squam Lake and throughout the White Mountains will be ablaze with color. Reds, yellows, oranges… Mother Nature’s true art work is on display with the beautiful trees everywhere in the northeast.
Of course, what better way to enjoy the fall beauty than by spending a few days at a country inn/bed and breakfast. Experience our exceptional New Hampshire lodging where you’ll be pampered in our comfortable, spacious guest rooms and in the morning with our full country breakfast. Spend the days driving through the mountains or hiking the numerous trails in the Squam Range or the White Mountains.
And fall is also a great time to be on Squam Lake or Lake Winnipesaukee. Plan to include a boat tour on either lake during your visit.
Tags: B&B, bed and breakfats, country inn, Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire, Squam Lake
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July 17th, 2011 by billwebb
If you plan to visit Ashland, NH you’ll find that our Squam Lake bed and breakfast is close by. We offer quality lodging which is only 2 miles from downtown Ashland. Right off Interstate 93, Ashland lays claim to being the exact geographic center of New Hampshire which means we are close to virtually all of New Hampshire’s major attractions as well as the White Mountains. So whether you want to enjoy the lakes in the summer or ski the slopes in the winter this is the place to be.
Here’s a short history of Ashland as it appears in Wikipedia.
“Ashland was once the southwestern corner of Holderness, chartered in 1751 by Colonial Governor Benning Wentworth. But hostilities during the French and Indian War delayed settlement, and in 1761, it was regranted as New Holderness (although “New” would be dropped in 1816). Settled in 1763, the town was predominantly agricultural except for Holderness Village on the Squam River, with falls that drop about 112 feet (34 m) before meeting the Pemigewasset River. The falls provided water power for mills, and in 1770-1771, a sawmill and gristmill were built. The Squam Lake Woolen Mill was established in 1840. Goods manufactured at local factories included hosiery, gloves, sporting equipment, wood products and paper.
The Boston, Concord & Montreal Railroad entered in 1849, carrying freight but also tourists bound for hotels on the Squam Lakes, to which they traveled by steamer up the Squam River. The interests of the industrialized settlement increasingly diverged from those of the farming community, however, and in 1868 Holderness Village was set off as Ashland, named for Ashland, the Kentucky estate of Henry Clay. The last textile mill, the L.W. Packard Company, would close in 2002, and Ashland is today a residential and resort community.”
An old grist mill (now an office building) and a covered bridge are two great sites in Ashland.
Tags: Ashland, B&B, bed and breakfast, Holderness, lodging, New Hampshire, Squam Lake, White Mountains
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March 3rd, 2011 by billwebb
It’s maple syrup season here in the lakes region of New Hampshire which is one of our favorite times of the year. This process is so fascinating and such a wonderful tradition that we always look forward to it. From the serious producers to the neighbors who simply hang old milk bottle on their maple trees everyone has a lot of fun. Our New Hampshire bed and breakfast is a great place to stay for a couple of days and venture out to several sugar shacks in the area. One year we tapped our own trees and produced some Inn On Golden Pond maple syrup. Attached is a description of maple season which is taken from the NH Maple Producers website. Who could describe it better?
“Each year, the New Hampshire maple industry produces close to 90,000 gallons of maple syrup. Maple sugaring time in New Hampshire runs from mid-February to mid-April.
As the frozen sap in the maple tree thaws, it begins to move and build up pressure within the tree. When the internal pressure reaches a certain point, sap will flow from any fresh wound in the tree. Freezing nights and warm sunny days create the pressure needed for a good sap Harvest.
In late February, New Hampshire maple producers tap their sugar maples by drilling a small hole in the trunk and inserting a spout. A bucket or plastic tubing is fastened to the spout and the crystal clear sap drips from the tree. It is then collected and transported to the sugar house where it is boiled down in an evaporator over a blazing hot fire. As the steam rises from the evaporator pans, the sap becomes more concentrated until it finally reaches the proper density to be classified as syrup. It is then drawn from the evaporator, filtered, graded and bottled. It takes approximately forty gallons of sap to make one gallon of pure maple syrup.
Maple syrup is made in the Northeastern United States and Southeastern Canada, and the maple season usually lasts 4-6 weeks. The days and length of the sap runs depend entirely on the weather.
We hope you will visit a sugar house during the maple season and learn for yourself just how this ancient tradition is carried on. New Hampshire’s maple producers take great pride in the high quality of their maple products. Many sugar houses are open throughout the year, selling their pure maple delicacies.”
Buckets to collect sap Yummmm! It’s boiling time!
Tags: B&B, bed and breakfast, Lakes Region, maple syrup, New Hampshire
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February 11th, 2011 by billwebb
This weekend is a busy time in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire with the Great Meredith Rotary Fishing Derby and the 82nd Laconia World Championship Sled Dog Derby both occurring over the next few days. The weather forecast is encouraging with no major storms expected. The snow and ice conditions are excellent, the best in years for both events.
Our Holderness B&B is very close to Meredith, NH where the fishing derby will be headquartered. However, fishermen hoping to win the derby will be spread all over the Lakes Region including on Squam Lake as tagged fish have been stocked in many lakes across the area.
The sled dog race is just a few minutes farther away following a route through Laconia near Lake Winnipesaukee.
These two events are great examples of the great winter recreation the Holderness/Meredith area has to offer. Take advantage of the fun and enjoy luxury lodging at affordable rates here at our Meredith/Holderness bed and breakfast.
Tags: B&B, bed and breakfast, Holderness, inn, Laconia sled dog races, Meredith Fishing Derby, Squam Lake
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February 10th, 2011 by billwebb
We have a new addition to our area recreational scene. The new Plymouth State University ice arena is a state of the art facility and appears to be the first all “green” arena in the country. Everything from the geothermal refrigeration and heating system to the lighting was designed to be energy efficient and environmentally friendly.
The arena is home to the Plymouth State’s men’s hockey team and women’s hockey team, but also offers programs to the general public including open skate sessions, youth hockey, broomball, learn-to-skate and learn-to-play-hockey sessions. It’s a gem for the area!
When you come to the Inn On Golden Pond for comfortable lodging in the Plymouth NH area you can now bring your ice skates and get out on the ice during public skate sessions all year round. Just click here to see the public skating schedule.
Artist’s rendition of the new PSU ice arena
Tags: B&B, hockey, Holderness, ice skating, lodging, New Hampshire, Plymouth, Plymouth State University
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December 3rd, 2010 by billwebb
The ski season has started here in central New Hampshire. Loon Mountain, Cannon Mountain and Waterville Valley are all open and satisfying the desires of those skiers who’ve been waiting for the new season to start ever since last season ended. These three mountains are about 30 minutes from our Holderness/Plymouth area bed and breakfast. So if you stay for a weekend or a few days midweek you can ski a different mountain each day.
There’s new ownership at Waterville Valley with indications there will be many upgrades and improvements. At Cannon Mountain there’s been some expansion with the addition of Mittersill ski area and some new lifts. It’s great to see the industry continuing to add new features all the time.
Cross country skiing will start up later this month assuming Mother Nature provides us with some natural snow. Temperatures are cold enough so it shouldn’t be too long. We are cross country skiers and one of the things we like to do is return to the Inn at the end of the day and curl up next to a crackling fire in the sitting room. Add a glass of wine or a cup of hot chocolate and you feel like you’ve found your little piece of heaven! Of course, besides the inviting fire our guests get a great breakfast to start their day and the opportunity to retreat to a cozy guest room when all is said and done making for the perfect New Hampshire getaway weekend.
So if you’re going to ski NH and are looking for quality lodging give us a call.
Skiers enjoying the slopes at Waterville Valley
Tags: B&B, Cannon Mountain, cross country skiing, getaway weekend, Holderness, inn, Loon Mountain, New Hampshire, Plymouth, quality lodging, ski NH, Waterville Valley
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September 13th, 2010 by billwebb
Fall foliage season is just a couple of weeks away and some of our trees are beginning to show signs of the changing colors. If we had to name our favorite season of the year fall would definitely be it. Our Holderness B&B is ideally located for folks who are coming to New Hampshire to see the colors. The brilliant colors of our hardwood trees not only cover the hillsides surrounding our lakes, but the clear calm waters of Squam Lake also reflect the shoreline trees giving an added visual bonus.
Throughout New Hampshire’s Lakes Region we have miles of walking and hiking trails providing the opportunity to get out and see those colors up close. There’s something very special about walking a trail covered with fallen leaves and breathing in that crisp fresh air that has a particularly clean smell to it in the fall. The air is dry, the temperatures are moderate and the mosquitos have disappeared. Of course, we’re in the foothills of the White Mountains so for anyone who would like to combine some leaf peeping with a more challenging hike you won’t have to go far.
For many fall is the perfect time to take a driving trip. The most popular drive for fall foliage is through the White Mountains and across the Kancamagus Highway which is a perfect day trip from the Inn. We’ve included this route on our website. But there are other lesser known drives that offer wonderful views of Mother Nature’s work as well which we’ve also included in our day trip section. We suggest you stay at least a couple of nights so you can take in some local scenery and get to see some of the off the beaten path side roads which offer a real insight into New Hampshire.
For those who may not have time to take a hike or devote an entire day to a drive in the area you’ll be happy with the spectacular scenery you’ll get looking out from our breakfast room or from our spacious guest rooms to our back yard and surrounding woods. We’ve got Maples, Oaks, Birch, Beech and the evergreen Pines – a terrific mix of colors. If you haven’t made your plans yet don’t delay. Available rooms are getting scarce for our peak foliage season.
Beautiful New Hampshire roadside color
Tags: B&B, bed and breakfast, fall foliage, Holderness, inn, Kancamagus Highway, New Hampshire, New Hampshire Lakes Region, Squam Lake, White Mountains
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August 30th, 2010 by billwebb
As we enter the fall season one can’t help but think that this is really the best season for hiking in the White Mountains and around New Hampshire’s Lakes region. Temperatures during the days are generally very pleasant and the summer humidity has disappeared. And if you hike mid week most of the crowds have disappeared as well.
We like hiking on the many trails in the Squam Range which runs along side of Squam Lake between Holderness and Sandwich. They’re some of New Hampshire’s best trails maintained by the Squam Lakes Association. Most popular are Rattlesnake Mountain and Mount Morgan. But there are others which offer great views and good exercise. We’ve always liked Mt. Livermore which is relatively easy and is a good starting point if you want to hike the Ridge Trail which crosses the entire range. You can hike without seeing another person on several of the lesser used trails.
The Inn is also located about a half hour from Franconia Notch which has several great hiking opportunities. Artist’s Bluff, Mt. Pemigewasset and Lonesome Lake are three excellent hikes ranging from relatively easy to challenging.
Of course, one of the great things about hiking in this area is that at the end of the day you can return to the comfort of our Holderness inn. Our spacious guest rooms are just the answer for those who want to be pampered after a day of recreation. So if you want to get out and enjoy some great outdoor recreation in the Holderness, Plymouth, or Sandwich, NH area give us a call.
A great view from Rattlesnake Mountain
Tags: Artist's Bluff, B&B, bed and breakfast, Holderness, Lonesome Lake, Mt. Livermore, Mt. Morgan, Mt. Pemigewasset, new hampshire hiking, New Hampshire Lakes Region, Plymouth NH, Rattlesnake Mountain, Squam Lake, White Mountains
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New Hampshire’s Lilacs in Bloom
Black Bear around Squam Lake New Hampshire
Loon Mountain, Waterville Valley – Great New Hampshire Skiing
P.O. Box 680 | Route 3