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Summer Press 5
Summer Press 5
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WHAT TO DO THIS SUMMER IN
AND AROUND ASCUTNEY MOUNTAIN RESORT
BROWNSVILLE, Vt. (June 23, 2008) – Here is just a sampling of what to do in and around Ascutney Mountain Resort this summer.
Golf
Crown Point Country Club, located in North Springfield and just minutes from the resort, is a course steeped in Vermont history and has hosted numerous championships since its opening in 1953. This semi-private course is a 6612-yard, 18-hole, par 72 and commands breathtaking views of Mt. Ascutney and Okemo Mountain. They also have a pro shop, driving range, putting green, private lessons and clinics, restaurant and lounge.
At over 100 years old, Vermont’s oldest golf course, the Woodstock Country Club is a true gem. Redesigned in 1961 by Robert Trent Jones Sr., Woodstock C.C. is a 6,000 yard, 18 hole, par 70 course with water hazards at over a dozen holes to challenge even the most seasoned golfers. The club also has a pro shop, practice range, putting green, private lessons and clinics, restaurant and lounge.
Ascutney is located in the center of many other golf courses, as well, with 9-hole courses at John P. Larkin Country Club in nearby Windsor and Claremont Country Club just across the river. Ascutney’s Activities Director can help guests choose the best course for them and book their tee times. Less time planning means more time golfing.
Horseback Riding
Ascutney is located in the heart of horse country and many areas offer horseback riding lessons and trail rides. Cavendish Trail Rides in Proctorsville offers guests a chance to explore the real Vermont outdoors on horseback. Pony rides and wagon rides are also available. Kedron Valley Stables in South Woodstock offers guided trail rides for individuals and groups. They also have lessons and carriage rides.
Canoeing & Kayaking
When the weather is nice and warm, a day on the water is pretty hard to beat. Several area businesses are ready to help guests into a canoe or kayak rental on a number of local lakes, ponds and rivers, some with instruction, if desired. While paddling quietly along, visitors will see abundant wildlife all around. A stop along the sunny shoreline for a picnic or snack is a must!
Biking & Hiking
One of the best ways to see and experience Vermont in all its glory is on two wheels. With Ascutney’s newly-expanded mountain bike trails and miles of surrounding dirt roads, riders of all ages and abilities will have plenty to see and enjoy around Mount Ascutney. Rental bikes and area maps are available at the Fitness Center & Spa.
Guests can also enjoy the trails that abound in the Quechee area. Wilderness Trails also has bike rentals and mapped biking trails for visitors’ pedaling pleasure.
There are also miles of hiking trails around Mt. Ascutney, including five different hiking trails that lead to the summit of the mountain. Ascutney’s Activities Director will be
happy to point the way with a map of the mountain’s trail network.
Orvis Fishing Guides
Vermont and New Hampshire are blessed with cool, clear fishing waters from the small mountain headwaters to the larger rivers in the valleys below. In most years the fly fishing gets going around the first week of May and lasts well into October. Ascutney’s Activities Director will set guests up with a fly fishing guide to meet their needs, from beginner to expert.
Hang-Gliding and Parasailing
Take to the skies like a bird at nearby Morningside Flight Park. Guests can sign up for any number of flight programs and lessons or simply enjoy a tandem hang-glider flight with a trained instructor at the helm.
Local Swimming Holes
From the nearby Twenty-Foot Hole, a locals’ favorite and recently featured in Vermont Life magazine, to “Class-A” Lake Sunapee, NH, just across the border, there are lots of places in the Ascutney area to cool off on a hot summer day, and Ascutney Mountain Resort’s “Swimming” brochure lists them all, with directions to each one. For the less adventurous, the Ascutney Mountain Resort Fitness Center’s indoor and outdoor pools are just a short walk away.
Scuba Diving on Lake Sunapee, NH
Experience the crystal clear waters of nearby Lake Sunapee, NH as few get to do: from underwater! The dive experts at LaPorte’s Skindiving, in Newbury, NH, will help you achieve the dream of scuba diving through various courses of scuba instruction, given by PADI-certified instructors.
Vermont Constitution House
Located in Windsor and just minutes from the resort, The Old Constitution House features period rooms that reflect its use as an early tavern. A large interpretive area in the early 20th century tea room examines the events surrounding the signing of the Vermont Constitution. The collection at the Old Constitution House contains many pieces donated to the State of Vermont by area residents and by the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site
Just over the Connecticut River in Cornish, New Hampshire is Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site (NHS), which consists of 148 acres and includes the home, studios and gardens of Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907), one of America's foremost sculptors. It also tells visitors about the "Cornish Colony" and its contributions to American art and culture, the "Gilded Age" and its effects on American art and culture, and the influence of Classical art on 19th century art and architecture. Classical musicians perform each Sunday in the summer.
Simon Pearce Glass and Pottery
Simon Pearce Glass and Pottery
View the famous Simon Pearce glass blowing daily from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Windsor facility, just minutes from Ascutney Mountain Resort. It may come as a surprise to some that Simon Pearce is an actual person and not just a well-known custom trademark for high quality glassware and pottery. Raised in County Cork, Ireland, Simon Pearce began his career in glass at the Royal College of Art in London and worked in some of Europe's most renowned glass houses. He moved to Vermont in the early 1980s and opened a shop in Quechee. In 1993, he opened his second facility in Windsor, which is an integral part of the company’s operations.
Also located in Windsor, the American Precision Museum preserves the heritage of the mechanical arts, celebrates the ingenuity of our mechanical forebears and explores the effects of their work on our everyday lives. The American Precision Museum, housed in the original Robbins & Lawrence Armory, now holds the largest collection of historically significant machine tools in the nation.
Quintessential Woodstock, Vermont
Famous world-wide as the quintessential New England Village, Woodstock, Vermont has been described as "The Prettiest Small Town in America" by Ladies Home Journal magazine. Just a short 20-minute drive north on Route 106, Woodstock offers a great option for a day away from the resort. From the famous Woodstock Inn on "The Green" all the way down Central Street, its downtown provides a picturesque setting for strolling through the streets, window shopping or sitting on a bench enjoying the view. For artists, galleries abound, mixed in with up and down staircases to quaint shops, alleys and hidden streets full of surprises, and a bookstore or two for browsing. Billings Farm and Museum is a real working dairy farm, one of the oldest and finest in America. It is a museum of rural Vermont life, featuring daily activities and programs. Those who love history will also want to visit Vermont's first national park, Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, which interprets the history of conservation and the evolving nature of land stewardship. Pentangle Council on the Arts hosts performers from all over the world and shows first-run movies for the whole family at the Woodstock Town Hall.
Covered Bridge Tours
Designed and created by Ascutney Activities Director Jonathan Robinson, Ascutney Mountain Resort’s “Covered Bridges” brochure takes guests on two self-guided tour loops to 14 different covered bridges within a 15-mile radius from the resort. With precise directions from bridge to bridge, guests can follow their own guided tours, with each tour ending back at the resort. Distances traveled and estimated travel times are included in the brochure for each tour, as well as a brief historical note about each bridge. It’s a guest favorite and one of the most popular pursuits to be enjoyed at Ascutney Mountain Resort.
Harpoon and Long Trail Breweries
Two of Vermont’s finest microbreweries are to be found not far from Ascutney Mountain Resort. Harpoon Brewery is just north of nearby Windsor on Rte. 5 and only minutes away. Long Trail Brewery is not too much farther away and can be found on Rte. 4, just west of Bridgewater. Each brewery has its own restaurant and daily tours of their facilities.
Ascutney Mountain Resort delivers the perfect Vermont Vacation for everyone all year long and is located just 6 miles off I-91 in central Vermont.
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