Lake St. Catherine
Most people think fall
foliage and ski slopes when Vermont is mentioned. I think verdant lakes ringed by indigo
mountains. I’m a swimmer and love
nothing more than to immerse myself in a cool lake. Like Burt Lancaster’s character Ned Merrill
in The Swimmer (based on John
Cheever’s allegorical tale), who decides to “swim home”
by dipping in swimming pools across the country, I am slowly swimming my way
across Vermont—only through lakes not pools.
My family spent a week
on Lake St. Catherine (Poultney/Wells area of Vermont), where my
husband Gary and two sons fished to their hearts’ content (no mean feat). Despite the presence of speedboats, I swam
across each day as Gary chaperoned me in a canoe. Early mornings were quietest (my theory is
that motorboaters are late sleepers, which Gary discounts as absurd). There were endless parts of the lake to
explore by canoe and kayak, including marshes, inlets, canals, sunken islands,
and a state park with a public beach.
My favorite day was our
last. It rained and the entire lake was
emptied of everyone but yours truly and a blue heron, who fished two feet from
my kayak. I was slightly scared of being
struck by lightning as the clouds turned from light grey to charcoal black, but
it was worth it and I made it out in time!
Other Great Swimming Lakes
·
Emerald Lake 65 Emerald Lake Ln East Dorset, Vermont. Lovely trail around lake.
·
Echo Lake (Plymouth State Park), near Ludlow, Vermont. Trail across from lake.
·
Lowell Lake (a hidden gem tucked away in the outskirts of Londonderry on Route
11. 3.5 mile Vast Trail circles round
the lake.
Ø
See Vermont State Park’s official website for a list of Vermont’s
lakes. http://www.vtstateparks.com/htm/silver.htm)
Weston
Having bid my sad adieu
to this amazing lake, I turn to Weston—which is what brought me to southern Vermont in
the first place. If you’re ready to
escape 21st century woes, consider this special corner of paradise.
Weston is home to the
famed Weston Playhouse, a lovely staple of theatergoers on the summer stock
circuit, where I saw Ella, an amazing
one-woman tour de force about Ella Fitzgerald. There is an after-theater cabaret for late-night owls. Down the road its sister
stage, The Rod and Gun Club (don’t worry the only shooting is staged), presents
smaller works in a more intimate venue. http://www.westonplayhouse.org/the_aliens.php. (The nearby Dorset Theater recently featured
Judd Hirsch. http://www.dorsettheatrefestival.org.)
Up the hill sits another
cultural gem, the Kinhaven Music Festival (its executive directors are Debby
Buck, first violinist of the esteemed Lark Quartet & Tony Mazzochi, a
trombonist/educator). World-class
faculty offer free chamber music concerts every Saturday night. Fridays and Saturdays students perform
chamber ensembles and symphonic works with leading guest conductors.
Kinhaven is what introduced
me to this part of Vermont (my son Alex has attended the past three summers). Top
music students are selected by competitive auditions around the country. The atmosphere is relaxed and concerts are
held in Kinhaven's converted barn/concert hall – amidst its rolling green
meadows and sparkling spring-fed pond.
You can still catch the
last two weekends before it ends on August 26.
http://kinhaven.org/about/
(Oh, and don’t bother
charging your cell phone—you may as well leave it home because chances are you
won’t get reception in Weston.)
Photo
by Alexander Aylward
Favorite Spots Near Weston
Here are my special picks
when I visit Weston. This list is by no
means exhaustive. If I’ve omitted
something you feel belongs, please share!
·
Butternut Falls – nice short hike beside
river and falls. Boasts a daring dive
off a high-perched rock into a deep pool below for intrepid souls. Kids love it.
I tried it once and swear my heart stopped as I plunged!
·
Quechee Gorge (“Vermont’s
Little Grand Canyon”), Quechee, VT - about 1 ½ hrs north of Weston. http://www.quecheegorge.com/
·
Sugarbush Farm, a working family farm in Woodstock that has an incredible array
of delicious treats. It lets people
sample 14 types of cheese, jams, taste and many other delightful treats (like chocolate
amaretto syrup). I expected them to
change their liberal sampling policy after my sons had to be literally dragged
out (dimming the lights didn’t work) but they still are operating as before. http://www.sugarbushfarm.com/
Vermont suffered extensive damage from Hurricane
Irene last fall, some of which is still apparent, especially in rivers and
streams that are filled with rocks and other storm debris. The trails below are fully operational now.
·
Bromley Mountain (part of the 100 Mile Appalachian Trail) - the trailhead/parking
lot is a couple of miles from Bromley Amusement Park as you head from Weston on Route
11/3 (approximately 6 miles east of Manchester, VT). It’s a fairly rugged
trail and is 3 miles each way, though my
9-year-old son has done it several times.
On top there is an incredible panoramic view for those who
persevere. It’s also the top of the ski
lift from Bromley’s amusement park.
·
Bromley Amusement Park - I’m no fan of these
parks, but Bromley’s is fairly low-key and has a really fun alpine slide down
the mountain. Even I did it. http://www.bromley.com/
·
Jenny Coolidge Road – (off Greendale Road
near Kinhaven) a long, secluded walk by the river leading up to the Green
Mountain National Forest.
·
Benedictine Weston Priory Monastery –
just when you can’t take it anymore, go for a serene walk around the lovely
priory grounds. The monks raise animals,
cultivate gardens, and host a gallery. I
sat by the divinely peaceful pond, as my nine-year-old stayed
uncharacteristically calm and sketched.
Momentarily, I shed my earthly cares.
58 Priory Hill
Road. http://www.westonpriory.org/
(*Coincidentally, the initials of Bach’s
most famous son Carl Philipp Emanuel)
