I have this antique railroad lantern and was wondering if you could give me an idea on what it would be worth. The lantern says New York Central and the globe says B & A RR, so they don’t match but it seems in pretty good shape. Not sure how much to clean it up.
— Judy
Dear Judy,
It’s not uncommon to find railroad or other antique lanterns around today.
Railroad lanterns in general are not too hard to find, particularly common ones that were used all the time. I think the globes were replaced often during the period of time used. Your globe is either Boston Albany or Baltimore Annapolis. There are some that are uncommon and rare to find with all the original parts and for specific railways. They can hold a very high value.
The value of yours in the condition it’s in would be in the $50 range. I would leave it as found with maybe a quick Windex wash.
I recently visited the Nasami Farm in Whately, Mass. This is the plant production facility for the Native Plants Trust, formerly the New England Wildflower Society. I met with Alexis Doshas, their nursery manager. The 75–acre farm produces perennials, grasses and some woody plants — mainly from seed. The plants are sold at their headquarters in Framingham, Mass., and at the Nasami Farm on weekends.
If you’re interested in growing wildflowers, the least expensive way to get plenty is to start them from seed. This takes some effort, but it accomplishes a number of things: if you collect seed from the wild, you’re getting plants in your garden without diminishing the wild population — the way you would if you dug plants (which is prohibited anyway in most places).
Starting plants from seed also encourages genetic diversity. Many purchased plants are propagated from cuttings or by division, which means they’re all clones with the exact same genes. Seeds from any given plant produce seedlings with a wide range of characteristics, making some less susceptible to environmental challenges such as global warming.
Starting wildflowers from seed can take patience. While some seeds will germinate and grow the same summer you collect them (campanulas, for example), other things like lilies might take four or five years to bloom. Many require a cold period of three months, which is called cold stratification. Some planted now will grow underground next spring, but not send up any green growth until the following spring.
The Nasami Farm grows seedlings in big plastic hoop houses. These aren’t heated except in spring, or if temperatures go below zero in winter. The greenhouses allow the seedlings to be monitored and tended easily on long tables. You could set up a table in your barn, shed or garage for a few flats of seedlings. Some wildflowers do fine in flats with good drainage in the outdoors — preferably in a shady place that won’t see too much of the hot, drying sun.
Lastly, you can plant seeds directly in the ground in a site where they’ll thrive as mature plants. The disadvantage to this is you never know what percentage of seeds will germinate. If you plant 100 seeds in a flat indoors it’ll be easier to thin or transplant the seedlings than if you must do so on your hands and knees. And there shouldn’t be weed competition if you’re using a germination mix in a flat. On the other hand, I plant things like goldenseal directly in the ground as it takes two years to sprout, and I don’t want to have to water and tend them so long.
Alexis Doshas gave me some tips for starting wildflowers from seed. First, she said, collect seed when it’s easy to pull off the plant, and remove any fluffy stuff attached to it. Generally seeds start light colored, and darken when fully ripe. If you want to store seed, make sure it doesn’t dry out. Store in a cool, dark place.
Buy a very fine seed germination mix, something made of finely ground peat and perlite. A coarse mix can let seeds wash down deeper than they should be. For small seeds (the size of a grain of sand or less) just sow seeds, pat them into the soil mix and water them in. No need to cover them. Alexis suggests germinating seeds at 60 to 80 degrees, but cautioned that many wildflowers need a 90-day cold period before they’ll grow.
Alexis said you may need to provide rodent protection: metal hardware cloth over the flats to keep mice from eating the seeds. Rodents can be a problem as easily in your cold basement as in a barn or outdoors.
I asked Alexis to recommend some plants that are easy to start from seed right now. She suggested blueberries, huckleberries and plums for fruits. Of the flowers, she listed these: milkweed, mountain mint, black-eyed susans, wild bee balm, wild iris, asters, Joe Pye weed and all the goldenrods, which are great for pollinators.
Woodland wildflowers, she said, often have very specific needs and aren’t as easy to grow as the field flowers mentioned above. Soil pH and type are important. When I plant spring wildflowers I try to mimic the forest type of their native habitat: if they grow in a maple-beech-ash forest in the wild, I try to plant them in a similar environment.
Plants with large, fleshy fruits such as jack-in-the pulpit or goldenseal probably will require you to remove the fruit portion before planting. Gloves are suggested, as some have strong chemicals that may irritate your skin. You can soak seeds like that to allow fermentation to remove the skin and flesh.
A good reference text for starting wildflower seeds is by William Cullina, Growing and Propagating Wildflowers of the United States and Canada. Unfortunately, it’s out of print, though I’ve heard it’s in the process of being reprinted. It’s worth its weight in gold as it gives specifics for hundreds of wildflowers.
Featured photo:Goldenseal fruits are ready for picking in my woods right now. Courtesy photo.
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities
• Last chance for these exhibits: Don’t miss the first group art exhibition at Concord artist and gallery owner Jess Barnett’s gallery (located in the Patriot Investment building at 4 Park St., Suite 216, Concord), open now through Friday, Sept. 3. Barnett, who does primarily abstract art, opened the gallery in December 2019 to provide a venue for herself and other local and regional abstract artists to show their work. The exhibition, titled “Summer Haze,” invited regional artists to submit work in a variety of media, including paintings, drawings, collage, encaustic, fiber art, digital art, book and paper art, textiles, mixed media, photography, printmaking and 3D art. Five artists will be featured: Kathy Bouchard of Nashua, Karen Mehos of Boscawen, Jason Michael Rielly of Auburn, New York, Lorna Ritz of Northampton, Mass., and Barnett herself. Call 393-1340 or visit jessbarnett.com.
Catch the Surface Design Association’s (SDA) New Hampshire Group’s exhibition, “Tension: Process in the Making,” before it’s gone on Saturday, Sept. 4, at Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen). It features contemporary fiber art by 15 artists juried by textile artist Jenine Shereos. “Reflecting on the past year, there has been a collective stretching; a pulling and tightening, beyond what we ever imagined was possible,” Shereos said in a press release. “The works in this exhibition feature New Hampshire textile artists as they examine the theme of tension in both form and concept.” Current gallery hours are Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com or call 975-0015.
• Call for singers: The Rockingham Choral Society is holding open rehearsals for its upcoming winter concert. The rehearsals are open to new and returning singers ages 16 and up and will take place on Tuesdays, Sept. 7 and Sept. 14, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Exeter High School (1 Blue Hawk Drive, Exeter). The auditions do not require any kind of preparation in advance. There will also be opportunities for soloists. This year’s winter concert, scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 18, and Sunday, Dec. 19, will feature Vivaldi’s Magnificat; the premiere of Venite, an original work written for the Choral Society by its artistic director, Alex Favazza; and other seasonal selections. The Choral Society accepts 40 to 90 members and typically presents two concerts a year in the Seacoast region, according to a press release. “The Rockingham Choral Society has a long tradition of welcoming a diverse membership from the Seacoast community,” Favazza said in the release. “Our fall open rehearsals are an easy way for choral singers with new or renewed interest in joining a group to try it out and decide if this group is right for them.” Visit rockinghamchoral.org.
ART
Call for Art
• JOAN L. DUNFEY EXHIBITION On display at the New Hampshire Art Association’s Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery, 136 State St., Portsmouth, beginning in November. The NHAA is accepting online submissions of artwork now. Works in all media will be considered and should be related to this year’s theme, “Portals.” Artists can submit up to two pieces. The submission deadline is Mon., Sept. 20, by 5 p.m. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.
Exhibits
• “TENSION: PROCESS IN THE MAKING” The Surface Design Association’s (SDA) New Hampshire Group presents an exhibit featuring fiber art and textiles by New Hampshire artists. On view now through Sept. 4. Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen). Visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com or call 975-0015.
• “CRITICAL CARTOGRAPHY” Exhibit features immersive large-scale drawings by Larissa Fassler that reflect the Berlin-based artist’s observations of downtown Manchester while she was an artist-in-residence at the Currier Museum in 2019. On view now through Sept. 6. Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester. Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.
• “TWILIGHT OF AMERICAN IMPRESSIONISM” Exhibit showcases New England painters and masters of impressionism Alice Ruggles Sohier and Frederick A. Bosley. On view now through Sept. 12. Portsmouth Historical Society (10 Middle St., Portsmouth). Gallery hours are daily, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission costs $7.50 for adults and is free for kids under age 18, seniors age 70 and older and active and retired military. Admission is free for all on the first Friday of every month. Visit portsmouthhistory.org.
•“KICK-START!” Also known as “the show show,” this themed art exhibition from the Women’s Caucus for Art’s New Hampshire Chapter will open with a reception on Saturday, Sept. 11, from 1 to 3 p.m., at Twiggs Gallery, 254 King St., Boscawen. The exhibit runs through Oct. 31. The shoe theme is expressed in a wide variety of works that include paintings, sculptures, artist books, drawings and mixed media pieces. Gallery hours are Thursday and Friday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday, from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com.
• AROUND NEW HAMPSHIRE On exhibit at the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce’s Visitor Center, 49 S. Main St., Concord, from Sept. 21 through Dec. 16. Featuring the work of New Hampshire Art Association member Elaine Farmer, the exhibit features her oil paintings embodying New Hampshire’s iconic views and ideals, ranging from mountain lakes and birch tree woods to historic landmarks. Visit concordnhchamber.com or nhartassociation.org.
• 1,000 CRANES FOR NASHUA Featuring more than 1,000 origami paper cranes created by hundreds of Nashua-area kids, adults and families since April. On display now at The Atrium at St. Joseph Hospital, 172 Kinsley St., Nashua. Visit nashuasculpturesymposium.org.
• GALLERY ART A new collection of art by more than 20 area artists on display now in-person and online. Creative Ventures Gallery (411 Nashua St., Milford). Call 672-2500 or visit creativeventuresfineart.com.
• ART ON MAIN A year-round outdoor public art exhibit in Concord’s downtown featuring works by professional sculptors. All sculptures for sale. Visit concordnhchamber.com or call 224-2508.
Fairs and Markets
• CONCORD ARTS MARKET Outdoor artisan and fine art market. Every third Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Now through October. Rollins Park (33 Bow St., Concord). Visit concordartsmarket.net.
Tours
• NASHUA PUBLIC ART AUDIO TOUR Self-guided audio tours of the sculptures and murals in downtown Nashua, offered via the Distrx app, which uses Bluetooth iBeacon technology to automatically display photos and text and provides audio descriptions at each stop on the tour as tourists approach the works of art. Each tour has 10 to 15 stops. Free and accessible on Android and iOS on demand. Available in English and Spanish. Visit downtownnashua.org/nashua-art-tour.
Theater
Shows
• HOOLIGANS AND CONVICTS The Winnipesaukee Playhouse presents. 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith. Now through Sept. 4, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20 to $39. Visit winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org.
• CABARET at Seacoast Repertory Theatre. 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. Now through Sept. 5. Visit seacoastrep.org or call 433-4472.
• IT HAD TO BE YOU The Winnipesaukee Playhouse presents. 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith. Sept. 1 through Sept. 18, with showtimes Tuesday through Saturday at 4 p.m., plus matinees on Saturdays, Sept. 11 and Sept. 18, at 11 a.m. Tickets cost $20 to $37. Visit winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org.
• WHITE RABBIT RED RABBIT Produced by the Community Players of Concord. Hatbox Theatre, 270 Loudon Road, Concord. Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m., and Sundays, 2 p.m., Sept. 10 through Sept. 26. Visit communityplayersofconcord.org.
Currier exhibition features street-inspired ceramics
An artist who calls himself the “ghetto potter,” Roberto Lugo has brought a new vibe to the Currier Museum of Art with his street-inspired ceramics, which look like traditional pieces from afar but actually explore Lugo’s Afro-Latino heritage and hip-hop culture.
“I don’t just think about ceramic objects for their specific function but I also think about what connotations they have within culture and society,” Lugo said in an audio response to emailed questions. “I try to add to that conversation by complicating it and including figures, ideas and textiles that haven’t historically been included in that conversation.”
His exhibition, called “Te traigo mi le lo lai – I bring you my joy,” has been up since spring and runs through Sept. 26.
“I remember the first time I saw [Lugo’s work] I was surprised by it. … Instead of having cherubs and aristocrats on it, it had [things like] a hip-hop boombox,” said Samantha Cataldo, the museum’s curator of contemporary art. “You get drawn in by something you think you know and get brought to a place you weren’t expecting.”
Lugo, who lives in Philadelphia, worked closely with Cataldo to create the exhibition, which includes some of his older pieces plus work that he created specifically for the Currier show, like one of musician Bob Marley.
“Marley really embodies … creativity and peace and harmony and he has been used by people of all races to sort of symbolize peace,” Lugo said. “His music is just something that makes you feel good and it’s a celebration, which I really feel is at the forefront of this exhibition.”
That celebration is what’s behind the exhibition’s name — “I bring you my joy” represents all of the pieces of Lugo’s history, including his Puerto Rican agricultural heritage and his upbringing in urban Philly. According to Cataldo, Lugo saw a similar juxtaposition in Manchester, with the city being the biggest, most post-industrial city in a pretty rural state.
The Currier’s hope is that Lugo’s work has been able to reach a part of the population that isn’t often represented in local art.
“We do have a growing Hispanic and Latinx population so we’re really hoping people who don’t see their culture in art as much can see that in Roberto’s exhibition,” Cataldo said. “Taking the culture of ’90s hip-hop and graffiti and putting it in this completely unexpected form … it brings in a whole group of people who don’t usually see themselves in art.”
Much of Lugo’s work pays homage to people of color who have made significant impacts on culture and society.
“These are abolitionists, civil rights leaders, and yes even contemporary musicians like Tupac and Missy [Elliot],” Lugo said. “I think Tupac in particular complicated the narrative of what a hip-hop artist is supposed to be; he’s more poetic but also had a really sensitive side to what he was talking about and really focused primarily on painting a picture of life in the ghetto.”
These unexpected messages are even more pronounced because of how Lugo’s pieces are displayed.
“From the beginning we really wanted to figure out how to make my work interact with pieces from the museum’s collection,” Lugo said.
“It’s literally sitting on our works,” Cataldo said. “Historic furniture from our collection is being used to show his ceramics, like a dinner table display, [which] I think poses a lot of interesting juxtapositions for people … like a plate with Missy Elliot sitting on a 19th-century carved piece.”
Cataldo said that one of the things Lugo really wanted to do was make the work accessible to people and create the feeling that you’re in someone’s home.
“The idea is domestic,” Cataldo said. “Ceramic work rides that line — you can have a beautiful set of bowls that someone hand made but you can use them every day, but that same beautiful bowl could be in a museum.”
The exhibition also includes a “cup wall” that has transformed since the start of the show; then, it only had cups that Lugo made, and now it includes about a dozen other cups created by local ceramics artists who were invited to participate.
“Artists often trade work,” Cataldo said, “like a mug or cup — it’s small and portable but you can get a lot of expression on it.”
Cataldo said she’s heard positive feedback about the exhibition from visitors, and she herself has been enjoying its presence in the museum.
“Roberto is just so open — every time I walk through it always just feels happy and it really is just a true expression of him,” she said.
“Te traigo mi le lo lai – I bring you my joy”
Where: Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester When: On view through Sept. 26 Cost: Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. More info: 669-6144, currier.org
Featured photo: Roberto Lugo at work on a ceramics piece. Photos courtesy of the Currier Museum of Art.
Heading into fall is the perfect time to go for a hike, with less heat and humidity, fewer bugs, and views that turn even more picturesque as the leaves start to change. All of this, along with the physical and mental health benefits, is a recipe for hiking happy. Find out how to do it safely, plus check out four southern New Hampshire hikes that prove you don’t have to hit the White Mountains to get in a challenging — but doable — climb.
From building muscle strength to lowering stress levels, hiking can have all kinds of benefits for your physical and mental wellness.
“Whether it’s daily, every other day or even just once a week, it’s really worth it for your health to go hiking regularly and spend some time out in nature,” said Lucie Villeneuve, outdoor guide and owner of outdoor guide service Outdoor ESCAPES New Hampshire.
Traversing a mixed terrain of rocks and boulders, tree roots, hills, streams and other natural landscape elements requires a variety of movements, Villeneuve said, giving you a unique full-body workout that you can’t get on an exercise machine or uniform walking surface.
“You’re using pretty much all of your muscles,” she said. “With every step, you’re twisting your ankles in different directions, and you’re putting the brakes on and off with your legs when you’re going uphill and downhill.”
For the same reason, hiking can lead to better balance, stability and coordination, particularly if you’re hiking a mountain where you may need to do some climbing.
“When you’re going up from one piece of rock to the next on your hands and feet, you’re essentially using your whole body, which really improves your balance,” said Conor Benoit, New Hampshire outdoor guide and owner of CMB Guide Service.
Hiking can also be a great workout for cardio and weight loss, depending on your pace and how rigorous the trail is. You could burn as much as 3,000 calories in a day of hiking, Villeneuve said, not only from the physical exertion but also from your body’s work to regulate your body temperature.
“If it’s hot or cold out, your body is going to burn more calories,” she said.
If you wear a backpack to carry some extra water, snacks and emergency supplies — which you should — that will also enhance your workout, Benoit said.
“A few pounds on your back may not sound like much, but by the time you [finish the hike] you’re definitely going to feel it,” he said.
Unlike working out on an exercise machine that you can turn off at any point, “you can’t just quit halfway” during a hike, Benoit said, which can help you push yourself to new physical limits. Setting a goal with a tangible reward, like reaching an interesting landmark or a place with beautiful scenery, can also motivate you to keep going.
“I’ve seen people consistently impressed with how far they are able to make it,” Benoit said. “When you make that commitment to yourself and have the mindset of ‘I’m so close; just a little farther,’ you see that you can accomplish more than you originally thought was possible.”
Hiking is good not just for the body but also for the mind, Villeneuve said. To get the most out of your hike, she recommends making a conscious effort to “be in the present moment,” push away thoughts about what you’ve got going on back home, and home in on your natural surroundings.
“You need to practice having awareness,” she said. “Use all of your senses to take it in: smell the fresh air; feel the temperature of the air; see the views that are right in front of you.”
Conversely, you could use hiking as an opportunity to “reflect [on] and process” things that have been on your mind, away from technology and other distractions, Benoit said, so that you can return to your home and work life with renewed energy and focus.
“That physical and mental exhaustion really sets you up to be more clear-headed throughout the week,” he said. “You leave [the hike] with less than what you carried in, feeling mentally lighter.”
Photo courtesy of Jake King of Thrive Outdoors in Manchester.
Crisp weather and colorful foliage are great reasons to hit the hiking trails this fall — as long as you’re prepared for a change in the seasons that will bring shorter days and cooler temperatures.
“Fall is my favorite season to hike in behind winter. You don’t have to worry quite as much about sweating and losing all of your moisture,” said Jake King of Thrive Outdoors, a team-building and leadership assessment organization based in Manchester. “At the same time, fall nights get much cooler. … So if you’re stuck, any perspiration or moisture you have is now going to be used against you, whereas in the summer it really does help you cool off.”
One of the most important things to keep in mind when hiking in the fall is that the later in the season, the quicker it will get dark out. With however many hours of daylight you have, King said a good rule of thumb is to give yourself a third of it to get in and two thirds to get out.
“Always give yourself that extra time on the way out,” he said. “A lot of people will like to split it 50/50, thinking they’re going to get out just as quickly as they went in, but then if something goes south, you have no time to play with. … Remember that it’s going to get darker sooner, and then as soon as it does it’s going to get cooler.”
Rick Silverberg, chairman and leadership training coordinator of the Appalachian Mountain Club’s New Hampshire chapter, said the differences in elevation also play a role, as you’re more likely to encounter exposed areas above the trees.
“As soon as you get into those higher elevations, the temperatures get colder … [and] you have a lot more wind,” he said. “In the fall it’s much more dramatic.”
You don’t always have to start your hike dressed in layers. In fact, King said it’s much easier to control your body temperature level by layering up rather than down.
“You should always have a base layer … that sits up against the skin but isn’t too tight, and then a mid-layer and top layer that is wind- and water-resistant,” he said. “Don’t start with all of them on, though. Even if it’s a bit chilly, don’t start warm, because you may find that you’re overheating and once you start sweating, it’s too late. … You’ve broken that seal, so to speak.”
Early on in the fall, you won’t typically encounter a lot of frost. But as the season gets deeper into October and November, morning frost on certain surfaces has the potential to be hazardous.
“A frosty rock can be slippery,” King said. “The other thing to remember is if it starts to warm up during the day, then frost is going to turn into moisture, which is what you want to avoid.”
It’s good to remain mindful too of when specific trails or parks close for the season, which can be any time from mid-September to November depending on where you go.
If you’re heading out for views of the foliage, Silverberg said peak times of the year will differ in the state — far northern areas will usually see their peak a few weeks earlier than those in the south. It will also get colder at night much faster after all the leaves fall from the trees.
If you’re not ready to tackle the state’s 4,000-footers but want to take a real hike — as opposed to a walk on a rail trail that you could do wearing flip-flops — here are a few peaks in southern New Hampshire.
Mt. Monadnock. Photo courtesy of Matt Ingersoll.
Mount Monadnock, Jaffrey
There are a few ways to get to the top of Mount Monadnock, which stands at 3,165 feet — and none of them is a walk in the park. According to nhstateparks.com, “all routes to the top are steep and rocky.” There are three main access points. Monadnock HQ (169 Poole Road), which provides access to the main trails and is the most direct route to the top, and Old Toll Road (9 Halfway House Road), which provides access to many side trails and alternative destinations, are both 4-mile hikes that take approximately four hours to complete. Gilson Pond (585 Dublin Road) is a longer, less populated trail for hikers who are looking for solitude; it’s 6 miles and takes about six hours.
What it’s really like: “I was probably 12 or 13 years old the first time I climbed Mt. Monadnock, but I’ve seen kids and adults young and old successfully scale it. It’s a perfect moderately challenging day hike that will take you no more than a few hours each way up and down. What’s great about it is that, unlike having just one route to the top and one back down to the bottom, there are multiple inter-connecting trails of varying difficulty that you can take, all of which are very clearly marked and easy to follow. The shortest and simplest ones are probably either the White Dot Trail or the White Cross Trail. The White Dot has a very gradual level of steepness that starts to get a bit rockier near the top, but once you reach past the treelines, the views on a clear day are breathtaking. Personally, I like to go up via the White Dot and down via the White Cross, because the latter trail is a little bit steeper and will make for a quicker descent.” — Matt Ingersoll
If you go: Reservations are strongly recommended in order to secure a parking spot at any of the three trailheads. Visitors who do not make a reservation will be admitted on a first come, first served basis. Reservations can be made prior to arrival and no later than 3 p.m. that day at nhstateparks.org. The parking pass costs $15 and includes admission for six people in one vehicle.
Mount Kearsarge, Wilmot & Warner
To get to the summit of Mount Kearsarge, which stands at 2,937 feet and features a fire tower and bald face that offers 360-degree views, there are a few options. From Winslow State Park in Wilmot, there are two trails: the 1.1-mile Winslow Trail and the 1.7-mile Barlow Trail. The former is the more challenging option, while the latter is a more gradual climb and offers vistas of the Andover area, Ragged Mountain and Mount Cardigan. The trailhead has a good-sized picnic area and a playground for kids. The Rollins Trail begins at the picnic area in Rollins State Park in Warner and follows the route of the old carriage road for a half mile to the summit. You could also start at the Lincoln Trail at Kearsarge Valley Road, a 5-mile trail that climbs to the Rollins picnic area.
What it’s really like: “I’ve climbed Kearsarge several times with people of varying levels of fitness. I like that you can go up one main trail and down another so you’re getting different views throughout the hike, and saving your knees from the steeper Winslow Trail if you tackle that first and come down the gentler Barlow Trail. My teenagers both enjoyed this hike, though my daughter kept leaving my son and me in the dust, both on the way up and the way down, and we weren’t exactly taking our time. It definitely feels like a workout on the way up, and I’ve stopped for a few quick breathers no matter who I’ve hiked with. The view at the top is nice, though not quite as spectacular as Mount Major’s, in my opinion.” — Meghan Siegler
If you go: Reservations are strongly recommended and can be made online at nhstateparks.org. Parking is limited, but walk-in spaces are available on a first come, first served basis. Admission is $4 for adults, $2 for children 6 to 11, and free for kids 5 and under and New Hampshire residents who are 65 and older.
Mount Major, Alton
The 1.5-mile Mt. Major Trail begins at a parking area on Route 11 in Alton. The trail ascends a steep, severely eroded section and has some steep scrambles near the top. At 1.3 miles there are two alternate routes, one that forks to the right and climbs up steep ledges (potentially dangerous when wet or icy), and a detour that diverges left. The Brook Trail is 1.7 miles and begins at the junction of Mt. Major Trail and Belknap Range Trail. Aptly named, this trail features two brook crossings in higher water where “some very creative rock hopping is required to keep your feet dry,” according to belknaprangetrails.org. From there on the grade alternates between easy and moderate. The Boulder Loop Trail starts at the trailhead parking area on Route 11 and offers a somewhat gentler climb, with portions of it being part of a snowmobile trail. It features large boulders that you pass by and sometimes go through. At the summit, you’ll find the remnants of the George Phippen hut built in 1925.
What it’s really like: “First, the views at the top are amazing, looking out onto Lake Winnipesaukee, so it’s a well-worth-it reward for a hike that’s particularly tough at the end. I’ve done this one a few times, and my kids have been there more than once for summer camp field trips. There are moments during the climb where I wondered how kids managed to make it to the top; it’s certainly not easy. But it’s also a pretty popular hike — during the summer the parking lot is almost always overflowing, with cars parked along the main road, so if you’re not a fan of crowds, try to save this one for a weekday.” — Meghan Siegler
If you go: There’s no fee to climb Mount Major or to park; just be prepared to walk quite a ways from your car to the trailhead on a nice summer day when cars spill out onto the road.
Mount Sunapee, Newbury
The summit of Mount Sunapee, with an elevation of 2,743 feet, can be reached via ski trails or a number of hiking trails, including Summit, Lake Solitude and Newbury. According to mountsunapee.com, you can also hike any of the ski trails during the summer. Summit is a 2-mile trail at the lodge at Mount Sunapee. The Lake Solitude trail starts east of the summit, and it’s about a mile to White Ledges, which overlooks Lake Solitude. From there, Lake Solitude is a 0.6-mile hike from the overlook. The 2-mile Newbury Trail continues from Solitude Trail and does not return to the ski area base. The trailhead is near the southern end of Lake Sunapee off Route 103 in the village of Newbury, approximately 3 miles from Mount Sunapee Resort.
What it’s really like: “I just hiked Mount Sunapee for the first time a few weeks ago, and I’m not sure what took me so long to get there. Summit Trail is beautiful, although after all the rain we’d had earlier this summer, there were quite a few muddy spots. There were also some steep-ish ascents that had my quads burning, but those were nicely balanced with less intense stretches of trail. When we crested the summit, the view was a little underwhelming, and the ski lodge seemed out of place (I don’t ski and apparently had no idea what happens at the top of a ski mountain). However, a little exploration led to a gorgeous view of Lake Sunapee and the quaint little towns around it. I do wish we’d had enough time to check out Lake Solitude, but it gives me a good reason to go back soon.” — Meghan Siegler
If you go: There are no parking or hiking fees here, and parking at the resort is plentiful for an easy in, easy out day hike.
Treks and Trails
Jake King of Thrive Outdoors in Manchester shares some of his favorite hikes to take during peak fall foliage season.
• Manchester Cedar Swamp Preserve (Country Side Blvd., near Waterford Way, Manchester) • Massabesic Audubon Center Trails (26 Audubon Way, Auburn): “For people who haven’t really gotten out into the wilderness a lot, it’s a good starter experience. It’s flat and easy.” • Nottingcook Forest (Woodhill Hooksett Road and South Bow Road, Bow) • Uncanoonuc Mountains (Mountain Road, Goffstown): “On Uncanoonuc North, you can see bits and pieces of Manchester surrounded by trees, and in the fall, it’s a beautiful sight.” • Welch-Dickey Mountain Trail (Orris Road, Thornton)
Featured photo: Mt. Major in May 2017. Photo courtesy of Matt Ingersoll.
The New Hampshire Fisher Cats continue their run of home games at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium (1 Line Drive in downtown Manchester; nhfishercats.com) against the Portland Sea Dogs with games through Sunday, Sept. 5. Games Thursday and Saturday are at 7:05 p.m.; Sunday’s game starts at 1:35 p.m. Look for post-game fireworks after Thursday’s and Saturday’s games. Friday’s game is a doubleheader (two seven-inning games) starting at 5:35 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 4
Check out classic cars and music from bands such as Speed Trap, Permanent Vacation and Stuck in Time at this year’s Cruising Downtown, when the Manchester Rotary Club celebrates the 20th anniversary of the event. The car show runs today on Elm Street in downtown Manchester from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is a $5 suggested donation for adult attendees, according to the event’s website, cruisingdowntownmanchester.com.
Saturday, Sept. 4
If you’re heading beachward this weekend, there are some events to check out at Hampton Beach. Today at 7 p.m., Cirque du Hampton Beach will feature a performance by Boston Circus Guild musicians, artists, dancers and more, according to hamptonbeach.org. On Sunday, Sept. 5, catch a special Labor Day fireworks show at 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 4
Find big laughs at the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St. in Derry; tupelomusichall.com, 437-5100) tonight during their Night of Comedy featuring Jim Colliton, Jason Merrill and Jeff Koen. The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $22.
Sunday, Sept. 5
Catch some music out in the fresh air at the Canterbury Shaker Village (288 Shaker Road in Canterbury; 783-9511, shakers.org). Peabody’s Coal Train, described on the website as “a six-piece acoustic band playing a wide-ranging mix of folk, Appalachian mountain music, classic country, swinging blues, old-time gospel, and toe-tapping bluegrass tunes [plus] a little rock and roll!” will play today at 4 p.m. as part of the Village’s Music on the Meetinghouse Green series. Seating is first-come first-served and attendees are welcome to bring a chair and a picnic, the website said.
Monday, Sept. 6
Spend your Labor Day doing a little plant shopping. Today is the final day of a Native Plant Sale hosted by Bagley Pond Perennials to support the New Hampshire Audubon’s McLane Center Pollinator Garden, according to nhaudubon.org/event/native-plant-sale, where you can place your orders. Plants will be ready for pickup Sunday, Sept. 12, from noon to 4 p.m. so you can do some fun pre-fall planting next weekend.
Save the Date! Sunday, Sept. 12
The Capitol Center for the Arts has two remaining shows in its Music in the Park series at Fletcher-Murphy Park in Concord. On Sunday, Sept. 12, catch Cold Chocolate in concert at 3 p.m. On Sunday, Sept. 19, Kimayo performs at 3 p.m. Gates open at 2 p.m. in both cases. Tickets to either show cost $12 plus a fee. See ccanh.com.
