Posts Tagged ‘lodging’

Need an Ashland NH bed and breakfast? Try us.

July 16th, 2010 by billwebb

Ashland is the town next door and is known as the geographic center of New Hampshire. I guess you can’t get more central than that! Most of our guests pass through Ashland on their way to our Squam Lake bed and breakfast since the most convenient interstate exit for our inn is in that town.

At one time the towns of Ashland and Holderness were actually one. What is now Ashland was the commercial district and the part of town which is now Holderness was considered undesirable, non productive territory. So in the late 1700′s two separate towns were created. Of course, the undesirable land is now coveted as it is the home of Squam Lake (Golden Pond) and some of the most beautiful and valuable land in the state! So much for the foresight of government leaders back then. Ummm… thinking about it not much has changed.

Ashland is home to a small commercial district which is quite convenient for us. There are a few restaurants and shops, a small grocery store, a couple of gas stations and a state liquor store. The town also has a small amount of frontage on Little Squam Lake and their town beach is open to the public for a small fee. One of our favorite sites in town is the Squam River covered bridge which has a wonderful story better left for another day.

Given that our Holderness inn is only 1/4 mile from the Ashland town line and 2 miles from the town center we make a perfect choice for anyone looking for accommodations in the Ashland area. When you’re choosing your lodging at this end of New Hampshire’s Lakes Region give us a call – even if we are in that “undesirable” part of town.

Squam River Covered Bridge

The charming Squam River covered bridge

A Squam Lake walk and a refreshing swim in Center Harbor near our New Hampshire Inn/B&B

June 19th, 2010 by billwebb

One of our favorite walks in the New Hampshire lakes region is in Center Harbor at the Chamberlain-Reynolds Memorial Forest. This conservation area has about 200 acres of woodlands right on the shore of Squam Lake. There are a couple of small sandy beaches and several walking trails – all of which are on flat ground. Over the years we’ve often escaped to this spot for a peaceful picnic lunch or a quiet stroll through the woods.

One year we canoed from the Squam Lakes Association headquarters to the forest (about an hour’s paddle) with the intention of having a relaxing lunch. When we got there we realized it was peak blueberry season and the blueberry bushes along the shoreline were chock full of new berries. Well, we spent our lunch hour picking berries and then had to gulp down our sandwiches and hurriedly make the return trip in time to reach home before check-in time.

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The Chamberlain-Reynolds Forest is about ten minutes from our Holderness B&B. It’s one of the more popular area hikes with our guests, especially those who are looking for a peaceful place on the lake to take a swim. It has no facilities and does require about a ten minute walk to get to the beach, but the setting makes it all worthwhile.

What better combination than quality New Hampshire lodging at the Inn On Golden Pond, a great walk on some of New Hampshire’s prettiest landscape and a dip in New Hampshire’s premier lake?

Need a Meredith New Hampshire Bed and Breakfast? Try us.

June 3rd, 2010 by billwebb

The New Hampshire Lakes region is pretty compact which makes it easy for visitors to see a variety of sites without having to move from lodging place to lodging place. Meredith, NH is just 15 minutes south of us so if you’re looking for a Meredith bed and breakfast the Inn On Golden Pond should be high on your list.

Meredith is a charming town located at the northern end of Lake Winnipesaukee. It’s the home to several very good restaurants and some great shopping. The town has developed an inviting park along the shoreline of Lake Winnipesaukee and there is a wonderful walkway/boardwalk which follows  the edge of the water. It’s a great place to take an evening stroll, perhaps with an ice cream cone in hand.

There is also top notch summer theater in Meredith. Summer Theater in Meredith Village offers musicals throughout the summer season. Performances are held at the Interlakes High School just a short distance from the downtown.

Of course, there’s quite a difference between the activity level on Lake Winnipesaukee and that which you’ll find here on Squam Lake. Squam is more low key offering an excellent place for canoeing, kayaking and smaller motor boats. And while Squam Lake is the state’s second largest it is considerably less developed than its larger counterpart Lake Winnipesaukee. It’s nice to be able to stay in Holderness where things are quieter, but have access to the hustle and bustle of Meredith and similar towns in the lakes region.

So if you’re looking for a B&B in Meredith you might want to think about traveling up the road a few miles to Holderness and to our quality bed and breakfast – the Inn On Golden Pond.

Lake Winnipesaukee Sunset

Lake Winnipesaukee at sunset

Plymouth NH lodging – then and now

May 16th, 2010 by billwebb

Plymouth, NH is our neighboring town and is the commercial anchor for the region.  Plymouth is home to Plymouth State University, Speare Memorial hospital and many retail shops and restaurants. It also has an interesting history.

The native American Abenaki nation originally populated much of the local area and Plymouth was the site of an Abenaki village. The town of Holderness where our bed and breakfast is located and Squam Lake were part of a trading route which followed many of New Hampshire’s lakes and was used by the Abenakis. The town’s first white settlers were from southern New Hampshire, many of them originally from Plymouth, MA. So it’s only natural that they named their new home New Plymouth which later was shortened to its current name.

The famous lawyer Daniel Webster lost his first criminal case in the Plymouth courthouse. Author Nathaniel Hawthorne died in Plymouth while vacationing here with Franklin Pierce (the only U.S. President from New Hampshire.) Poet Robert Frost taught at what is now Plymouth State University. And Babe Ruth used to come to town to visit the Draper and Maynard Sporting Goods Company which supplied the Boston Red Sox with gloves and bats.

Plymouth was also home to the Hotel Pemigewasset located right in the center of town by the railroad station. This hotel and many others in the Squam Lake area represented the best in New Hampshire lodging in the 1800′s and early 1900′s. All have since either closed or been destroyed by fire. Today for those seeking a piece of the historic nh lodging experience there are smaller properties like the Inn On Golden Pond which has its own interesting history.

If you’re traveling to the Plymouth, New Hampshire area and are in need of quality lodging the Inn On Golden Pond is the spot. Our Squam Lake bed and breakfast is open year round and is conveniently located for anyone looking to discover the history and culture of central New Hampshire.

Hotel Pemigewasset in 1922