The Inn On Golden Pond

Happy Halloween to everyone. Of course, Halloween means that November is up and that is the time of the year when our loons leave the lake and head for their winter habitat.  Loons

Squam Lake loons gone until next year

are a fascinating bird and while they have been around for millions of years they seem to have found their way into our consciousness as a result of the movie “On Golden Pond.”  They certainly hold a special spot in the hearts of lake residents all around Squam Lake.

When people visit our Holderness bed & breakfast they almost always ask where they can see loons. The best way is on the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center boat tour which departs from Holderness village three times a day during the summer and fall seasons. Occasionally we see them from the road, but it’s rare.

Loons will gather in groups before departing their summer home. They migrate to open water anywhere from the Maine coast to the Gulf of Mexico. Their plumage turns a dull gray during the late fall and winter months. They’d stay all year, but the ice which forms on the lakes throughout the New Hampshire Lakes Region means they can’t swim and dive for fish. So off to the open water they go. Males go one place, their female partners go elsewhere. An interesting phenomenon – married for life, but taking separate vacations!

As the cool weather settles in our attention turns from the many outdoor activities available to us during the summer and fall to the warm and inviting inside of the Inn. This is a time when our guests really appreciate the cozy feeling of our beautiful guest rooms and our main sitting room where people relax next to our fireplace where there’s always a crackling fire in the evening.