January 26, 2022
Over the mountains, through the woods, and across a picturesque red covered bridge, lies the quaint New England town of Jackson, New Hampshire. Here you can journey back in time and enjoy an evening of simple pleasures from long ago at the ever- charming, 65-acre Victorian estate, Nestlenook Farm.
I came to learn of Nestlenook while sharing some of our New England adventures with a fellow nurse. In the thickest Boston accent she replied, “If you get the chance, take your kids to Nestlenook Farm. I try and take my grandkids every year; they love it!”
Intrigued by her recommendation, I immediately began to search the web. A few keystrokes later, dreamy images of horse-drawn sleigh rides, lantern-lit trails, and an outdoor skating pond began to scroll across the screen. That’s all it took, we were going to Nestlenook!
Only one problem…in order for the skate pond to be open for business, the ice had to be 8 inches thick. So, I stalked the website week after week…after week…after week, checking their ice report. I swear that ice stayed 6 inches thick for at least two months! Finally the long awaited 8-inch measurement appeared and the ice rink was open for business!
Now being winter in the Northeast, the cold came as no surprise, but this particular evening was -4º F. Just a little chilly! Luckily, Amazon had recently posted a bargain on hand warmers and I had purchased a nice little surplus. Shoving the warmers in our boots and gloves, we layered up and headed out.
Old-Fashioned Sleigh Ride
Our first evening adventure came straight from the lyrics of the Christmas Carol “Jingle Bells.”
Dashing through the snow, in a one (two) horse open sleigh; O’er the fields we go, laughing all the way. Bells on bobtails ring; Making spirits bright…
Settling ourselves into an authentic red-painted Austrian sleigh, pulled by two humongous gentle giants, we enjoyed a moonlit journey gliding across rolling acres. With lanterns casting a warm glow at every turn and the sound of hooves pounding across the powdery snow, the scene was pure winter whimsy.
Ice Skating Across Emerald Lake
After disembarking from the sleigh ride, it was time to warm up with bottomless hot chocolate and strap on our skates! Being such a cold night clearly kept the crowds away as we practically had the 3-acre pond all to ourselves! Taking advantage of a nearly empty rink, we then raced and swirled, glided and fell, to our hearts’ content. Skimming along the glassy reflection, an artwork of designs emerged as our blades etched their way into the ice. When the chilly air nipped at our noses and froze our eyelashes, we would warm ourselves by the nearby wood-burning fireplace and then zip across the ice again.
Finally, with our feet sufficiently sore and scarves dampened from our warm breath contrasting the frosty night air, we unlaced our skates, taking with us only the memories from the evening. Having skated indoors and at temporary outdoor winter rinks, I am now forever ruined after having enjoyed the wonderment of glissading across a frozen pond.
The Cunningham Crew 