Experience a Vermont Inn to Inn Walking Tour

Focus on All Things New England Having trouble viewing this email? [View this email on the web](. MAY 9, 2022 Inn-to-Inn Walking Tour in Vermont An inn-to-inn walking adventure lets travelers discover a side of Vermont that you just can't see by car. By car I’d have missed the haunting old Revolutionary War cemetery; on foot, it seems as inevitable as a bend in the road. High on a hillside overlooking Okemo Mountain, the scenery is spectacular and refreshingly inviting. It ends in a scene of utter peace: still other weathered granite stones tilting down the hill, and a lake edged with water lilies. I have time to write the story because I have time to daydream, and I have time to daydream because I’m walking. The day stretches out ahead of me like the slowest magic-carpet ride on earth. “Travelers, there is no path; paths are made by walking,” said Spanish poet Antonio Machado. I’m walking in southern Vermont, from inn-to-inn, making my own path, but in fact I’m also following a specific route carved out by four innkeepers. It’s a walk designed to deliver the full Vermont experience: red barns, sunlit fields, babbling brooks, old Capes, and a bit of backwoods funk. Not to mention a broad spectrum of dining experiences and four unique inns. The “Vermont Inn-to-Inn Walking Tour” is a four-day, self-guided meander averaging 10 miles a day, mainly around the villages of Chester, Weston, Ludlow, and tiny Proctorsville. The four historic inns — [Inn Victoria]( [Golden Stage Inn]( [Pettigrew Inn]( & [Colonial House Inn & Motel]( are linked by their owners’ shared love of Vermont and a commitment to their under-the-radar walking tour. It’s simple and efficient. The innkeepers transport your bags inn-to-inn, Vermont Sherpa-style; greet you at the end of the day with refreshments and a home-cooked meal (possibly a feather bed or Jacuzzi, too); and, in the morning, send you on your way with a hearty breakfast, snacks for the road, a map of your walking route, and best wishes for a pleasant day. A final feature that sets this tour apart from so many others? You’re on your own, so you can set your own pace. Walk alone or with friends; do as much or as little of the walk as you like; and at any time and in any order. Basically, the tour is as idiosyncratic as the state you’re walking in. THE WALK Walkers linger at Inn Victoria. Photo credit: Annie Graves Part 1: Inn Victoria to Golden Stage Inn (13 Miles) Imagine an artful sprinkling of Victoriana, with extras like a full-blown English tea on weekends; a breakfast that runs the gamut from elaborate crepes to a baked frittata; and friendly innkeepers Penny and Dan Cote, whose warm welcome tempts you to forgo walking and just wait for afternoon cookies. Step out the front door of their 1851 Victorian mansion, and you’re in the heart of Chester village, home to [Meditrina Wine, Cheese and Beer]( store. Where they are awaiting your arrival for some tasting or purchase. [MacLaomainn’s Scottish Pub]( a great refreshing stop. Beyond the village border, you’ll pass historic Chester Depot before straying into deep countryside. Pavement morphs into dirt (the Green Mountain State is home to more dirt roads than paved), and suddenly it feels as though you’re stepping off the map into uncharted Vermont. Red barns sprout up, ubiquitous as milkweed in late summer, along with enough winding stone walls to defend a medieval village. By the time you amble off the dirt and across the Black River into the village of Proctorsville, you are ready for some relaxing time at [Outer Limits Brewing]( and taproom for refreshment, or at [Singleton’s General Store]( if they don’t have it, you won’t need it. Now on to [Golden Stage Inn]( where a nice swimming pool awaits your arrival. Part 2: Golden Stage Inn to the Pettigrew Inn (11 miles) Originally a 1788 stagecoach stop, this beautiful country inn is home to Michael and Julie-Lynn Wood and their honeybees, sheep, chickens, a bottomless cookie jar, and great hospitality. After a luscious hearty breakfast, one wants to simply relax by the pool and sip on iced tea; the walking trail awaits. Alas, it’s time to depart for the day’s adventure offering great views of Okemo Mountain. The walk begins through the small village of Proctorsville, passing the town’s post office, church, library and elementary school, and becomes more rural as you leave the village behind (and below). As you ascend the hill and the pavement turns to a dirt road, your efforts will be rewarded with grand views of the pastoral and mountain landscapes surrounding you. A visit to the area the locals call The Pinnacle offers you a spot to relax and enjoy your snacks while absorbing the stunning world around you. Then you’ll descend the other side of North Hill, barely noticing at first that your surroundings are transforming from rural to village once again. You will emerge in the village of Ludlow, where you can take your time to browse the shops, galleries, and pubs, or you can head directly to the [Pettigrew Inn]( where a warm greeting and refreshments await you. Part 3 The Pettigrew Inn to the Colonial House Inn & Motel (7 Miles) This elegant 1829 building has been a centerpiece B&B of the Okemo Mountain ski village for over 65 years. Renamed as the [Pettigrew Inn]( and revitalized with new ownership in July 2017, Courtenay Dundy has transformed this lovely property into the go-to B&B of this acclaimed ski village. Prior to departing on your day’s adventure, the morning breakfast is absolutely amazing. Today’s walk starts at the [Weston Priory]( (a scenic Benedictine Monastery) just a few miles from the village of Weston. Due to the mountainous terrain between the village of Ludlow and Weston, Courtenay will give you a ride to the Priory where you will start your walk. This active monastery receives countless individuals on pilgrimage. Peace settles like mist on the Priory grounds. The monks have restored the once-abandoned farm site with a pond, fruit trees, and lush vegetable gardens that they’re watering by hand, a scene with the simplicity and beauty of a Millet painting. With the Priory at my back, I set off under a canopy of broad-leaved greenery. The road ambles along, and so do I, until a few miles later I hit Weston’s shady village green. Vermont Inn to Inn Walking Tour Explore historic sites, antique shops, and mountain streams while enjoying fresh air and green grass on the Vermont Inn to Inn Walking Tour. Every day a different walk, inn, and adventure. Experience the real Vermont! [PLAN YOUR VISIT]( SPONSORED Vermont Country Store Where the [Weston Playhouse]( sits dominant on the center village green. (make arrangements to take in an evening play!) In this quintessential Vermont village, you can enjoy browsing art galleries, a Christmas shop, take a dip in the stream beneath one of the two waterfalls, and the hugely popular [Vermont Country Store]( where you can snack on free samples, shop and then enjoy a full meal at [Mildred’s Grill]( or simply an ice cream cone. After enjoying village life, it’s time to move on to the [Colonial House Inn & Motel]( just a few miles ahead. This stretch of road encompasses incredibly gorgeous views of magnificent homes within a farm country setting, [Magic Mountain Ski Resort]( and more than a few cows. Upon arrival at the next inn, your eyes look up to the heavens with anticipation of the night sky offering zero light pollution for the incredible star gazing you will enjoy just a few hours after dinner. Part 4 Colonial House Inn & Motel and Back to Inn Victoria (9 to 11 miles) A former Cape-styled farmhouse dating back to 1810, the inn is nestled in the foothills of the Green Mountain National Forest on Scenic Bi-Way Route 100; rated one of the top ten scenic routes in the country. Home to second generation family owners’ Kim and Jeff are indeed master innkeepers. The 14-room inn offers comfortable guest rooms, a charming guest living room and dining room. Breakfast (“Vermont’s Favorite” per Yankee Magazine) and dinner are delicious New England fare including home-baked breads and desserts from the family bakery, [Grandma Miller’s](. Chef Jeff is a graduate from Johnson & Whales school of culinary arts; look forward to the incredible morning glory muffins (dark and delicious)! Popple Dungeon Today’s walk will take you along the length of Popple Dungeon, a dirt road that travels through the old original farm settlements. The road gets its name from the large groves of Poplar trees that once grew here. They were very dense and close to the road, blocking out much of the light and giving the feel of being in a dungeon. The walk will initially take you by a hill-top championship golf course owned by Okemo Mountain Resorts called Tater Hill Golf. The walk will continue through the old farm settlements showcasing Popple Dungeon Creek which meanders across the road at least a dozen times before you arrive at [Inn Victoria](. A favored challenge of many who walk the route is a selfie beside the street sign to Nudist Colony Rd, another is to experience a cool water backrub within the ripples of the stream. As you enter the valley in which the village of Chester is located, imagine the days of old when school children of these old farm settlements walked to the one room schoolhouse just across the swinging bridge over the Williams River. Enter the village and only one decision remains; do I take a right to [MacLaomainn’s Scottish Pub]( or a left to [Inn Victoria]( where the hot tub, afternoon refreshments and owners Penny & Dan await my arrival. It’s a meditative walk. Long before the village of Chester appears and I’ve come full circle, I realize that my life has become breathtakingly simple in the last few days. I walk; I look at wildflowers; I avoid poison ivy; I take a deep breath and listen to nature singing; I wonder what’s up ahead; I try to remember to look back from time to time. Occasionally I hum—and then try to get the song out of my head. SPONSORED [Unsubscribe]( [Forward to a Friend]( [Send Feedback]( [Facebook](   [Instagram](    [Pinterest](    [Twitter](   Help us be sure that this email newsletter gets to your inbox. Adding our return address [Today@NewEngland.com]( to your address book may "whitelist" us with your filter, helping future email newsletters get to your inbox. 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