Covered Bridges Adventure
Hi there!!!
After a wonderful three days of discovering the lighthouses of Maine, New England, now its time to discover the bridges of New Hampshire.
We easily located our accommodation, Squam Lake Inn and we were very pleased to see it when we arrived after driving through heavy rain. The first rain in fact we have seen for months on end!!! As where we live in Australia we are in a bit of a drought!! Our hosts made us very welcome on arrival, showing us to our room, which was really beautifully decorated and presented, however a tad on the small size in terms of where to put our suitcases!
Once we sorted ourselves out we drove five minutes up the road for dinner in a quaint, very American pub called The Common Man in Ashland. Great food! The toilets were pretty cool too with lots of verses and sayings. Also in their entrance way they were selling lots of old magazines.
After a very restful night and great shower to freshen up we located ourselves in the breakfast area. I was very excited to read the breakfast menu!! Which was scrumptious by the way!!! Loved the idea of the glass window pane too with the weather forecast... quite funky!
Now for a day of covered bridges.... the first one is just up the road called the Squam River Covered Bridge.
The bridge is 61'0" long with a clear span of 25'9". It has an overall width of 23'6" with a roadway width of 14'0" and a maximum vertical clearance of 14'1". There is a sidewalk on the Little Squam side of the bridge. The bridge is posted for ten tons.
The style is a town lattice truss.
I loved this bridge because of its petite size and character, plus its location, which is also the same area that On Golden Pond was filmed.
Right on to the Smith Bridge
On the way slamming on the breaks to stop and take photos of pumpkins and this beautifully quirky road side collective...
Read the veggie sign thoroughly.... :-)
Oooops I nearly got run over as I forgot to look the correct way for the traffic!!! Thankfully the ute slowed up for me!! Didn't fancy being returned home in a box!!
Its a pretty wet miserable day... but still having loads of fun in the discovery of covered bridges...
The style of this one is a Long truss with added arches and it was built in 1850.
The bridge is 149'2" long with a clear span of 140'6", has an overall width of 20'7" with a roadway width of 13'9" and a maximum vertical clearance of 12'0". The bridge was closed to traffic in May of 1991 but obviously has since re-opened as we drove over it!
After leaving Smith Bridge we came across the huge home being built...
On to the next, which is Blair Bridge
The style is long trusses with arches and constructed in 1869.
The bridge is 292'10" consisting of two clear spans of 139'3" and 131'0". It has an overall width of 20'2", and a maximum vertical clearance of 13'3". The bridge is posted for three tons.
Next up is the Flume Gorge Walk which includes the Sentinel Pine and Flume Bridge
Looking down to the Flume Bridge
This picturesque covered bridge is one of the oldest in the state. It was built in the 1886 and has been restored several times. Such bridges were often called “kissing bridges” because of the darkness and privacy they provided. This bridge was built across the scenic Pemigewasset River. Pemigewasset means “swift or rapid current” in the Abenaki Indian language.
Table Rock : Over time, the rushing waters of the Flume Brook exposed this large outcropping of rock. Table Rock is a section of Conway granite that is 500 feet (150m) long and 75 feet (20m) wide. Caution: The rocks are slippery - please stay on the trail.
As you walk through this area, you will notice many boulders. Some are quite large, weighing over 300 tons. During the glacial period over 25,000 years ago, a great ice sheet more than a mile thick moved over this area. The mass of ice was so powerful, it moved both large and small boulders. As the ice sheet retreated, these boulders were left behind. They are called glacial erratics.
If your in the Franconia area the Flume Gorge is a must to visit!!! So so beautiful underneath the canopies of the trees and the rushing sound of the water through the gorge. Absolutely Magical!!!! Even though it was drizzling you didn't notice much because of the canopy's overhead acting like an umbrella.
Next on the list is the Riverwalk Covered Bridge at Littleton. Great little township.
This bridge is 352 foot. The Warren Truss bridge was completed in September 2004. Partly developed as a tourist attraction, it allows easy access to the Riverglen House, a senior center. The main street side is adjacent to Millers Café & Bakery. The far side connects to trails paralleling the river in both directions, and is a very pleasant walk.
When enjoying a bite to each for lunch the owners told us about the locally famous World's longest candy counter!!! Chutters.... So we just had to check it out for ourselves!! Can you believe it we walked away without even buying anything!!! Were not really candy eaters!
On the road again... This time to visit the Simon Pearce glass blowing shop and workshop in Quechee in Vermont.
Wow this place is amazing... restaurant, bar, glassware shop, glass blowing workshop and another covered bridge!! Plus its located in a stunningly beautiful area.
The Quechee Bridge is a one span 70 foot long steel stringer bridge. It carries Waterman Hill Road, in Quechee, over Ottaquechee River. This bridge was built in 1970.
Now its a long drive down to Rhode Island and our next stop Newport for two nights at the Admiral Fitzroy Inn.
See you again soon!
After a wonderful three days of discovering the lighthouses of Maine, New England, now its time to discover the bridges of New Hampshire.
We easily located our accommodation, Squam Lake Inn and we were very pleased to see it when we arrived after driving through heavy rain. The first rain in fact we have seen for months on end!!! As where we live in Australia we are in a bit of a drought!! Our hosts made us very welcome on arrival, showing us to our room, which was really beautifully decorated and presented, however a tad on the small size in terms of where to put our suitcases!
Once we sorted ourselves out we drove five minutes up the road for dinner in a quaint, very American pub called The Common Man in Ashland. Great food! The toilets were pretty cool too with lots of verses and sayings. Also in their entrance way they were selling lots of old magazines.
After a very restful night and great shower to freshen up we located ourselves in the breakfast area. I was very excited to read the breakfast menu!! Which was scrumptious by the way!!! Loved the idea of the glass window pane too with the weather forecast... quite funky!
The morning was quite dreary as you can see from our view at breakfast...
Now for a day of covered bridges.... the first one is just up the road called the Squam River Covered Bridge.
 |
| See if you can spot Dave! |
The style is a town lattice truss.
I loved this bridge because of its petite size and character, plus its location, which is also the same area that On Golden Pond was filmed.
Right on to the Smith Bridge
On the way slamming on the breaks to stop and take photos of pumpkins and this beautifully quirky road side collective...
Read the veggie sign thoroughly.... :-)
Oooops I nearly got run over as I forgot to look the correct way for the traffic!!! Thankfully the ute slowed up for me!! Didn't fancy being returned home in a box!!
Its a pretty wet miserable day... but still having loads of fun in the discovery of covered bridges...
 |
| here comes Davey! |
The bridge is 149'2" long with a clear span of 140'6", has an overall width of 20'7" with a roadway width of 13'9" and a maximum vertical clearance of 12'0". The bridge was closed to traffic in May of 1991 but obviously has since re-opened as we drove over it!
 |
| Notice the rain drip line from the roof top in the water. |
 |
| Happy Suzie! |
After leaving Smith Bridge we came across the huge home being built...
On to the next, which is Blair Bridge
The style is long trusses with arches and constructed in 1869.
The bridge is 292'10" consisting of two clear spans of 139'3" and 131'0". It has an overall width of 20'2", and a maximum vertical clearance of 13'3". The bridge is posted for three tons.
 |
| the view up the river |
Next up is the Flume Gorge Walk which includes the Sentinel Pine and Flume Bridge
Looking down to the Flume BridgeThis picturesque covered bridge is one of the oldest in the state. It was built in the 1886 and has been restored several times. Such bridges were often called “kissing bridges” because of the darkness and privacy they provided. This bridge was built across the scenic Pemigewasset River. Pemigewasset means “swift or rapid current” in the Abenaki Indian language.
Table Rock : Over time, the rushing waters of the Flume Brook exposed this large outcropping of rock. Table Rock is a section of Conway granite that is 500 feet (150m) long and 75 feet (20m) wide. Caution: The rocks are slippery - please stay on the trail.
Avalanche Falls : At the top of the Flume is a close view of Avalanche Falls. The 45-foot (13.6m) waterfall creates a roaring sound as the Flume Brook enters the gorge. The falls were formed during the great storm of 1883, which washed away the hanging boulder.
Sentinel Pine Bridge and Pool : The Pool is a deep basin in the Pemigewasset River. It was formed at the end of the Ice Age, 14,000 years ago, by a silt-laden stream flowing from the glacier. The Pool is 40 feet (12m) deep and 150 feet (45m) in diameter, and is surrounded by cliffs 130 feet (39m) high. A cascade rushes into it over fragments of granite that have fallen from the cliffs above.
On the high cliff above the Pool, the Sentinel Pine stood for centuries. It was one of the largest in the state, nearly 175 feet (53m) high, with a circumference of 16 feet (4.8m). The hurricane of September, 1938 uprooted the giant pine whose trunk bridges the river above the Pool and forms the base for the covered bridge. The bridge offers a fine view of the Pool.
Glacial Boulders
As you walk through this area, you will notice many boulders. Some are quite large, weighing over 300 tons. During the glacial period over 25,000 years ago, a great ice sheet more than a mile thick moved over this area. The mass of ice was so powerful, it moved both large and small boulders. As the ice sheet retreated, these boulders were left behind. They are called glacial erratics.
If your in the Franconia area the Flume Gorge is a must to visit!!! So so beautiful underneath the canopies of the trees and the rushing sound of the water through the gorge. Absolutely Magical!!!! Even though it was drizzling you didn't notice much because of the canopy's overhead acting like an umbrella.
Next on the list is the Riverwalk Covered Bridge at Littleton. Great little township.
This bridge is 352 foot. The Warren Truss bridge was completed in September 2004. Partly developed as a tourist attraction, it allows easy access to the Riverglen House, a senior center. The main street side is adjacent to Millers Café & Bakery. The far side connects to trails paralleling the river in both directions, and is a very pleasant walk.
When enjoying a bite to each for lunch the owners told us about the locally famous World's longest candy counter!!! Chutters.... So we just had to check it out for ourselves!! Can you believe it we walked away without even buying anything!!! Were not really candy eaters!
On the road again... This time to visit the Simon Pearce glass blowing shop and workshop in Quechee in Vermont.
Wow this place is amazing... restaurant, bar, glassware shop, glass blowing workshop and another covered bridge!! Plus its located in a stunningly beautiful area.
The Quechee Bridge is a one span 70 foot long steel stringer bridge. It carries Waterman Hill Road, in Quechee, over Ottaquechee River. This bridge was built in 1970.
Now its a long drive down to Rhode Island and our next stop Newport for two nights at the Admiral Fitzroy Inn.
See you again soon!
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