MT. WASHINGTON VALLEYNew Hampshire

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VALLEY SOuTHErN COMfOrTS

The other day I was driving through Tamworth and thought what a wonderful little village – I should spend more time here. After all it is only a twenty-minute drive from North Conway and it is another world altogether. It made me think about how different the surrounding villages are than North Conway. How they have not changed since I moved to the valley thirty years ago and probably 100 years before that. The growth that brought national shopping outlets and a seven-screen movie theater to North Conway bypassed the villages. I live in North Conway and love it for many reasons - you can walk to just about everything, you can buy Brie and quinoa. You can watch a Hollywood blockbuster or go for homemade pasta that rivals the North End. And you are still in the heart of rural New Hampshire, on the edge of the White Mountain National Forest and you can swim chest high in the Saco and still see your toes. You can X-C ski from your door or have a NY-style pizza delivered to it. But in the villages you can step back in time.

MT. WASHINGTON VALLEYNew Hampshire

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Above: Silver Lake silent at sunrise © Karen Stancik PhotographyCover: 1.Freedom Village at Ol’ Home Week © Karen Stancik Photography

For instance – take a weekend or just a day and cruise south. It will take a full day to experience Eaton, Snowville, Freedom, Sandwich, Wonalancet, Tamworth, and Chocorua. You do it by driving the southern Valley scenic route and you will want to stop often to experience these flavorful

New England villages. Bring the camera and your favorite classical CD. There are myriad food and rest stops so enjoy the local delicacies at the bakeries and the road stands. You won’t be able to do all of this in one day so choose your season and make the trip your own.

Above: Eaton and Crystal Lake at dawn © Karen Stancik Photography

I like to get up early, grab a cup of coffee, and get to Eaton Center and Crystal Lake for sunrise, particularly if I can get there before the fog lifts. When it does, enjoy the view of the Little White Church, or perhaps attend a service. (www.littlewhitechurch.com). A short drive from the

lake is Foss Mountain, an easy hike up one big blueberry field. Pay particular attention to the signs though. Blueberry picking is not permitted in some areas. Even out of season when there is no “easy pickin” the hike offers outrageous views. A sure hiking value as far as I am concerned .

Above: Get ready for the parade in Freedom © Karen Stancik PhotographyRight: Blue Ribbons at the Sandwich Fair © Karen Stancik Photography

A short drive takes you right past Purity Lake where you might catch a view of loons on the lake from your car or park and visit the Hoyt NH Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary. The 135-acre sanctuary includes almost half of the southeasterly side of Purity Lake. Stonewalls and foundations are homestead remains from the early 1800s.

From here, head out to Freedom Village. If you are fortunate to visit in summer you can participate in Freedom Old Home Week, a New Hampshire tradition that was officially recognized by Proclamation in the State Legislature in 1913. Watch the parade, enjoy a lobster dinner, captain your vessel in the cardboard boat race or run a 5K. And be sure to get lots to eat, as there are food and fun stands throughout the village. Stop at the Freedom Village Store where friends, neighbors and visitors come to meet, mingle and shop for everything from antiques, maple syrup and maple crystals, homemade blueberry jam and locally made bird houses.

Heading back from Freedom and new to the valley is the Sap House Meadery. Mead or honey wine is an alcoholic beverage created by the fermentation of water and honey. Created in the Valley by Ash

Fischbein and Matt Trahan in 2010, Sap House Meadery meads are now available at many local eateries and grocers. It’s worth a stop and a drop!

One of my favorite drives is Rt 113A from Sandwich to Wonalancet. If it is fall fair weekend, you will need to simply stop and enjoy the fair. Otherwise it could take you that long to get through town. The Sandwich Fair is still an old fashion country fair, not too big, not too small and ripe with fair foods, animals and aromas from both!

Just a short drive from Center Sandwich you will come upon the Sandwich Creamery. Take that right down the dirt road, (the potholes are worth the trip, just go slow). At the end you will find a little farm. Chances are you may miss meeting the owners busy in the creamery but you will immediately feel welcome. Just go ahead into the front of the creamery barn (there’s a sign). Inside are a frig and freezer stocked with the creamery’s own

ice cream, in cups and pints, spoons provided. In the frig are fresh eggs for you to take back to your B&B; ask your host to cook them up for breakfast. The creamery’s own cheese is the best I have ever enjoyed. Bring a knife and a box of Triscuits and you’ve got lunch by Sandwich Falls just up the road. The most fun part of the whole excursion is dropping your money into the slot in the wall to pay for your treats. I particularly love the tray of coins from which you can take your own change. Can’t do that in Boston!!

Above: The Sandwich Creamery is always worth the stop © Karen Stancik Photography Above: Hiker’s Welcome, Below: Wonalancet Trailhead © Karen Stancik Photography

Get back to 113A and keep heading to the falls, grab the goodies and your camera. You are right beside the road so no hiking is required, find a sunny rock and enjoy lunch. If you walk up the stream a bit there is a scenic bridge, cool for photos.

As you are heading out of Sandwich you will enter Wonalancet. Pull over to the right by the field and look straight ahead at one of the most photographed spots in the state of New Hampshire. No matter the season, I always stop. Sometimes it takes me what seems like forever to get home.

Just before the church 113A takes a right. But before you continue on, keep driving straight (sign for Wonalancet PO). In a few minutes you

will come upon a trailhead parking area. Park at the trailhead but walk back out to the road and take a right. This is private property but look for the hikers welcome signs and enjoy the solitude. The short walk has great views, easy side trails with wooden walking bridges over tiny streams and a major panorama of Whiteface and Passaconaway, two of NH’s 4000 footers. The stop gives you a nice relaxing stretch after your lunch.

Ok, back on 113A to Tamworth Village, past farms and road stands offering the best of the season, berries, sweet corn or squash. It’s all-good. If it is Sunday morning in growing season stop at the monument for more seasonal veggies, local maple syrup and honey, homemade breads and muffins, pickles and relishes, even handmade knit wear.

Find a parking spot on the street because you are right on the edge of the village center. A short walk will lead you past the Barnstormers Theater, America’s oldest professional summer theatre, and the Remick Country Doctor Museum and Farm. What a treasure this place is.

“Remick” is a day in itself. There is so much to experience. Go to remickmuseum.org and see for yourself. Father and son, Drs. Edwin Remick and Edwin Crafts Remick served their

Left: .Early snow on the Wonalancet country roads © Karen Stancik Photography

community for 99 years. The museum farmhouse offers a view of the life of a country doctor from the original medicine room to the tools of the trade. Holy cow, thank you God for modern medical technology. If it is a weekend, the farmhouse will be closed but stop anyway and meander around back. You can walk along the low-impact Binsack Trail for spectacular views of Mt Chocorua and the Ossipee Mountain Range, visit the pigs, cows, goats, horses…yep it is a working farm. In summer, experience the period gardens and crops. Plan ahead and enjoy one of the special workshops on

Above: Canoeing on Lake Chocorua, Below: Mt Chocorua from White Lake © Karen Stancik Photography “Chocorua’s Curse”, by Lydia Maria Child, contained in The Token (1830)

Above: Remick Farm © Karen Stancik Photography

self-sufficient food preparation to seasonal classes such as weaving a Christmas stocking.

Continue up Route 113 to Chocorua. At the intersection of 113 and 16 take a left and then park. Why?…more ice cream, of course, located at the dam…a combined scenic and culinary treasure.

Just south on Route 16 on the right you will come to Little Lake, then take a right and park before the wooden bridge and Lake Chocorua.

The tale goes that Chocorua, a Native American, leapt to his death from the top of the mountain because he believed white settlers had killed his son. Several authors tell of his curse.

“A curse upon ye, white men! May the Great Spirit curse ye when he speaks in the clouds, and his words are fire! Chocorua had a son — and ye killed him while the sky looked bright! Lightning, blast your crops! Wind and fire destroy your dwellings! The Evil Spirit breathes death upon your cattle! Your graves lie in the warpath of the Indian! Panthers howl, and wolves fatten over your bones! Chocorua goes to the Great Spirit — his curse stays with the white men!’ *

Above: The Dam in Chocorua Village © Karen Stancik Photography

There are many books on the region’s history available throughout the Valley and just as many versions of the story. Decide for yourself.

Reverse direction and head north on Route 16 to get back to the Conways. On the way, you will pass White Lake State Park. The shores of the lake are as large as the views of Mt. Chocorua.

Your last stops are the New Hampshire Country Store and Coppertops Weathervanes and Cupolas. They are a step back in time. The Country Store has over

50,000 feet of antiques, penny candy, nostalgia, and souvenirs, authentically furnished and filled with three floors of New England products. Did I mention there’s a bakery in the back? And Coppertops whirligigs, weathervanes and cupolas can be shipped to your home. They are both fun excursions on their own.

By now you must be tired and stuffed. Relax, fifteen minutes back to Conway and the chance to put your feet up and continue relaxing on some veranda or by the fire. Me, I feel a nap coming on.

Driving DirectionsFrom North Conway and Conway get onto Route 16 or Route 113 and head to the intersection of these routes in Conway. It is the intersection adjacent to the Conway Public Library. Depending on where you are coming from turn onto Pleasant Street, Route 153S, Eaton Road (they are all the same road!) Almost immediately Route 153 forks with Tasker Hill Road, stay to the left on Route 153S for about 5.1 miles to Eaton Center and Crystal Lake

To get to Snowville and Foss Mountain from Eaton Center and Crystal Lake, take a left just before the lake onto Brownfield Road, after a mile turn right onto Stewart Road. Go another mile and turn right again onto Foss Mountain Road. (Note, this road is closed in the winter)

Turn around and head back down Foss Mtn Road; take the left onto Stewart, then left again onto Brownfield Road. When you get to the lake turn left again and head south on Route 153 again. Take one more left after the lake to stay on 153S. Go 4.2 miles and enter Purity Spring Resort

To Freedom, keep south on 153 for 3.1 miles. Turn left onto Cushing Corner Road. After 2.2 miles you will be on Elm Street in Freedom Village. The Freedom Village Store is on Elm on your left. Backtrack an intersection and enjoy the drive down Old Portland Road. Back on Elm, continue south. Elm will bear to the right and become Freedom Village Road/153S

To Sandwich and Center Sandwich, turn right onto NH25W for 6.7 miles. Take ramp onto NH16N/25W, White Mtn Highway. After 5.1 miles turn left to stay on NH25W. Continue on NH25W for 9.8 miles; Take a right onto Little Pond Road for 2.2 miles to Sandwich. Turn right onto NH109N for 1.7 miles to get to Center Sandwich.

To Wonalancet, turn right onto NH113 E for 3.7 miles. Continue straight onto 113A for 6.7 miles to Wonalancet.

To Tamworth, continue north on 113A, also called the Chinook Trail, keeping to the right for 6.6 miles into Tamworth Village.

To Chocorua, turn left at the monument onto NH113E for 2.9 miles. Turn left onto Route 16N for 1.4 miles. Turn left onto Chocorua Lake Road to park at Lake Chocorua.

Return to Conway, via route 16 north (10 miles)

Roadside whirligigs © Karen Stancik Photography