New England In The Fall

The plan was to have only two bases so we didn't spend the whole week living out of a suitcase. The first half of the week we stayed in a fabulous family run B&B near Waistfield, Vermont. We arrived in New England the third week in October and we'd been told it was past 'peak foliage'. We would never have known it as we thought the autumn colours were stunning and there were trees everywhere! Apparently the first two weeks in October are supposed to be the best. The blessing for us with our timing meant less traffic and fewer tourists.

The plan was to have only two bases so we didn't spend the whole week living out of a suitcase. The first half of the week we stayed in a fabulous family run B&B near Waistfield, Vermont. We arrived in New England the third week in October and we'd been told it was past 'peak foliage'. We would never have known it as we thought the autumn colours were stunning and there were trees everywhere! Apparently the first two weeks in October are supposed to be the best. The blessing for us with our timing meant less traffic and fewer tourists.

On our third day we headed west and walked around the cute village of Bristol, drove south to Shoreham and headed towards Lake Champlain and weaved our way up the lakeside. On our final day we headed out early again and saw the morning mist hug the trees. We took in some more covered bridges, drove north to Stowe, where we saw lots of fabulous carved pumpkins, up to Smugglers Notch and then headed east to New Hampshire.

Jackson was nestled in the heart of the White Mountains and proved a great base for us. We stayed in a quaint old Victorian B&B built in 1902. It was like stepping back in time and we loved it. On our first full day in the area we explored both Crawford and Franconia Notch and were blessed with some more sunny weather. Our day was filled with scenic walks, breathtaking views, waterfalls and wildlife. I especially enjoyed watching a squirrel stuffing it's mouth with leaves. I've heard how they cache food in their mouth, but this one looked like it was stashing materials to make a nice cosy nest in preparation for winter. It let us watch for a while before scampering off.

From Franconia Notch we headed a little further south to the impressive Flume Gorge. This was a memorable stop as there was so much variety in the one place. From sheer gorge walls and waterfalls to covered bridges and breathtaking views. Plus more wildlife! We spent a fabulous afternoon exploring the area. We finally finished the day with a drive along the Kangamagus Highway.

Though the weather was not as bright and sunny towards the end of our trip, we still enjoyed all our walks and scenic drives, especially the local Jackson Falls. I actually took photos again two days later after the rain and you could see how the trees were starting to change colour and how there was a lot more water cascading down the falls.

We drove south to Cathedral Ledge, which aforded great views over the area and as a bonus I spotted a cute little chipmunk munching on blades of grass. We could see Echo Lake far below us, which we later walked around. In the height of summer you could imagine the swarms of people who would inevitably flock to the beach here. Along the path at one point a dead tree blocked our way. After climbing over, I decided to take a photo of the pattern in the trunk. Suddenly, a little head popped out and a chipmunk appeared. I'm not sure which of us was more startled.

It rained on our last full day and by now I had developed a cold, so it was nice to have a break from driving and relax. We did a spot of shopping and then spent the afternoon sitting on the wraparound porch chatting, reading and watching the birds and rain. On our final day we managed to avoid the patches of rain most of the day, so we were still able to explore, weaving along quiet country roads, walking around Meredith on the edge of Lake Winniepasaukee, as we gradually headed back towards Boston.