New England’s glorious beauty

Feb 16 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

Adam Aspinall enjoys a tour of America’s north-easterly states

AS WE drove across New England through the beautiful countryside, something I couldn’t quite pin down niggled me.

Was it something do with the endless rolling landscape of lush Autumnal forest?

Was there something about the elegant and effortlessly tidy towns with their clapboard houses and gorgeous gardens?

Or was it the unceasingly warm welcome offered by the well-heeled, well-educated locals?

Try as I might, I couldn’t work out what was bothering me. But then it hit me like a football fan at closing time.

New England is almost perfect.

The never-ending beauty of the unspoiled mountains, rivers, woodland and towns left me yearning for a bit of disastrous post-war urban planning. I longed to see hoodies hanging around a godforsaken shopping precinct.

But try as I might, all I saw was a rural idyll populated by people who don’t lock their doors at night and have no use for the word “hospitality” because it comes so naturally to them.

And as we drove westward from Maine, through New Hampshire and on to Vermont, I caught a glimpse of smalltown life long since lost in our own ancient land.

But to understand New England, you first have to understand that it doesn’t actually exist. Contrary to popular belief in Britain, it is not a state in its own right but simply the most north easterly region of the United States.

Made up of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut it is best to think of it like you would the West Midlands, Yorkshire or Lancashire.

Populated by Pilgrim Fathers fleeing religious persecution in Europe, the New England community became the first of the North American British colonies to demonstrate ambitions of independence.

It is perhaps because of this that the English have been somewhat airbrushed from the history books in the area. Only placenames such as Warwick, Gloucester and Worcester give the game away.

We flew into the unofficial capital of New England, Boston, and from there made our way by hire car up to the picture-postcard coastal town of Camden in Maine.

Camden itself deserves its reputation as the jewel of the Maine coast. It looks like the New England town that exists in your imagination before you even step on the plane.

Nestled in the gentle hills of an abundant pine forest, overlooking a perfect natural harbour with a fleet of graceful schooners, it offered a photo opportunity in every direction you looked.

Originally the source of most of the stone which built the skyscrapers of Boston and New York, Camden’s other traditional mainstay has always been the lobster.

While the stone trade has died, the fishing goes from strength to strength, passed down from father to son.

Maine has become a committed enclave of the organic food movement that, wherever you go, shopkeepers, farmers and restaurateurs are dedicated to bringing you locally-grown ingredients.

Back on the road, we headed west on the wagon trail to the neighbouring state of New Hampshire and a rendezvous with the White Mountains and the magical Notchland Inn.

The best aspect of the 1860s granite mansion is that it is located within 100 acres of the Mount Washington Valley, resting atop a knoll at the base of Mount Bemis and looking out upon Mounts Hope and Crawford.

A haven for hikers and nature lovers alike, the activities on offer vary widely from season to season. If hiking doesn’t thrill you then, depending on the time of year, mountain biking, skiing, fishing, swimming, or even skating are all readily available.

From the Notchland, we headed south-east to Vermont, making a fascinating pit-stop at the historic Mount Washington hotel.

Reminiscent of the hotel in Stephen King’s horror novel The Shining – even though the author adamantly denies it – this is the place in which America’s domination of the 20th century was secured in the chaotic aftermath of World War Two.

It was here that the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference – also known as the Bretton Woods summit – established both the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in 1946.

Virtually surrounded by the White Mountain National Forest, and with a stunning vista toward Mount Washington itself, the place is steeped in history and well worth a visit.

Adam Aspinall flew in Icelandair’s Saga Class Cabin. Flights from Manchester are available with stopovers in Reykjavik. Call Icelandair on 0870 787 4020 or visit www.icelandair.co.uk. Budget has car rental offices throughout the six New England States hire from £21 a day fully inclusive for a Group C vehicle (Chrysler Sebring or similar), www.budget.co.uk. For more information on visiting New England visit www.discovernewengland.co.uk. For a free brochure and map pack, call 01271 336195.