VERMONT: THE GREEN MOUNTAIN STATE
In Discover New England The Guide (2007)

A historian once reckoned that Vermont was ‘every American’s second state’. Quite simply, the cows, red barns, hills, white-steepled churches, village greens and twisting country roads represent ‘traditional America’. No wonder British visitors also love this state, named after its hilly spine: the Green Mountains (verts monts in French). It’s the sort of natural countryside that townies enjoy as much as country folk. There are friendly B&Bs, serving local maple syrup for your pancakes; there are trout in the streams and snowy hillsides for skiing.

“Say ‘Vermont’ to an American, and up comes a vision of red barns and covered bridges, clapboard houses and white churches, apples and cheese, maple syrup and ice cream, contented cows and the most famous fall (autumn) scenery in North America. Best of all, the vision is much like the reality.” Essentially America magazine

My kind of town
Long a popular destination for British visitors, Stowe is everyone’s idea of a New England town, with its white-painted wooden homes and small shops, attractive bed-and-breakfasts and stylish restaurants. All around are meadows, while nearby Mount Mansfield provides hikes in summer, foliage in fall and great skiing and snowboarding in winter. By contrast, Burlington is a metropolis, with its 40,000 population. Sometimes nicknamed ‘Downtown Vermont’, as it is so busy compared with the rest of the peaceful state, the town overlooks Lake Champlain. A large university population adds to the buzz in the lively Church Street Marketplace, with its restaurants and small shops, such as a branch of Frog Hollow, with its fine examples of local Vermont-made crafts.

Somewhere special
In Vermont, pretty villages are a speciality. Take Grafton, a fine example of careful conservation. Just over 40 years ago, the whole town was totally restored: village store, tavern, cheese making company, covered bridges and photogenic houses. Nearby is Peru, once featured in the film Baby Boom. Again, the combination of store, church, homes and antiques shops is a photographer’s dream. But, you could also pick out the village green in South Royalton, the courthouse in Chelsea or the 200-year-old library in Brookfield – or discover you own ‘perfect’ Vermont scene.

Highways and byways
The roads that cross the Green Mountains from east to west are charming. Take the Middlebury Gap Road, 7.5 miles of Route 125, slicing through the national forest. Or Route 131, the 7-mile-long Cavendish Road that runs along the Black River through the town of Cavendish. Or Route 9, the 39-mile-long Molly Stark Trail, named after the wife of a Revolutionary General who fought in the 1777 Battle of Bennington, an event marked with a 306ft-tall monument.

Culture club
One of the USA’s finest collections of Americana is the Shelburne Museum, near Burlington. Set in authentic old houses collected and brought to the site, this is a treasure trove of folk art and quilts, plus paintings by Manet and Monet, and even a paddle steamer – on dry land. Also part of the American folk tradition is Grandma Moses, the farmer’s wife-turned-painter whose delightful naïve paintings are in the Bennington Museum. Come summer, Vermont has music festivals galore, including the 50 year-old Marlboro Music Festival (Marlboro, July, Aug) and the Vermont Mozart Festival (July, Aug).

Only in Vermont
In 2004, the National Geographic Society applauded the Moosalamoo Region of the Green Mountains in their World Legacy Awards. Near Brandon, it has 30 acres of wild blueberry bushes, 60 miles of hiking and cross-country ski trails, and plenty of wildlife: moose, bobcat, bear, falcons and hawks. Angling has a long tradition here, especially on the hallowed Batten Kill River. That’s why Manchester Village is home to the small but beautifully presented American Museum of Fly Fishing, with its collection of celebrity rods and flies.

Away from it all
Remote, rugged and unspoiled, the Northeast Kingdom is dotted with lakes, fine country inns and charming hamlets, such as Craftsbury Common. Come in summer to this peaceful region north of St Johnsbury to walk and paddle, play tennis or golf. Stay in winter for downhill and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling. The pace is slower, so the days seem to last even longer. But during the week, even famous villages are peaceful: Weston, with its oval green, old-fashioned bandstand and summer theatre. Add in fine inns and restaurants, plus the Vermont Country Store, stocked with practical items beloved of grannies and great-grannies, and you have a truly special retreat. More of a town, but equally photogenic, is Woodstock. A summer resort for over a century, its green is guarded by a famous old inn.

Fascinating facts
One of the world’s favourite ice creams is Vermont-made: Ben & Jerry’s. Head for Waterbury to take the tour and taste new flavours. No wonder it is one of the most popular attractions in the state! Another is the Burton Flagship Store outside Burlington; after all, Jake Burton perfected the snowboard in Vermont about 25 years ago, and Vermont’s Stratton Mountain resort was the first to welcome riders.