The Inn at Clamber Hill Blog

Try a St. Patrick's Day of a different more sophisticated flavor!

2012-03-06T15:32:34Z

St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and St. Patrick's Day is a National Holiday in the Republic of Ireland, but the celebration of St. Patrick's Day actually started in the US. It was the Irish-Americans who wanted to celebrate, starting with the first St. Patrick's Day Parade in Boston way back in 1737. St. Patrick's Day did not become a holiday in Ireland until 1903 and even then it was mostly a religious holiday. It was only in the 1990's that it became a celebration similar to those carried out in all the US cities with significant Irish-American populations.

This innkeeper has celebrated St. Patrick's Day in New York City--the largest St. Patrick's Day Parade in the World--, Washington, DC, Charleston, SC, in Savannah, Georgia on River St., at the Worcester, Massachusetts parade, on the ski slopes of Mt. Wachusett, and enjoying live music at The Old Timer in Clinton, MA.

Being of Irish heritage (my grandfather was born in Kilmacrennon, Ireland), St. Patrick's Day has always been a special day to honor my Irish heritage. In my youth it was also a day for attending parades and drinking too much green beer! This year, St. Patrick's Day will be celebrated in a quieter, more sophisticated manner with a Gourmet Irish Dinner and Whiskey Pairing at Clamber Hill in Petersham, MA.

In the US, it's become traditional for everyone to be Irish on St. Patrick's Day. Parades, pubs and music across the country celebrate with the help of Murphy's, Smithwick's, Harp, and Guiness-- the famous Irish Beers. But the Irish love their whiskey just as much as, if not a tad more! Irish Whiskey is not well known in the US, lagging behind the better marketed Scotch Whisky and the homegrown bourbons in popularity. But 'tis some of the finest whiskey to be had. So Clamber Hill, which may be as close to an Irish castle as you'll find in Central Massachusetts, is celebrating St. Patrick's Day and all things Irish with real Irish food--recipes collected on our travels through Ireland and Irish Whiskey, also discovered on our travels through the Emerald Isle. We're offering a four-course gourmet dinner, so much better than corned beef and cabbage, which we're pairing with Bushmills, Jameson, John Powers and Redbreast; the best of Ireland right here in Petersham, MA!

Because we don't want you to drink and drive, we are offering a very special deal of $310 for one night's stay and two dinners, taxes and gratuity included. All the rooms are the same price for the St. Patrick's Day Special, even our European Suite. But it's only with the special dinner package and it's first come-first served, so book now for Saturday, March 17, 2012!

Of course if you live locally, you can come for just the dinner. That's $75 per person tax, gratuity and four ounces of Irish included. The feast will be held fireside in the Clamber Hill library. With just a wee bit of imagination or a sprinkle of fairy dust, you can fancy yourselves the laird and lady of the manor.

So if you love good food and whiskey, celebrating St. Patrick's Day at Clamber Hill may be just the thing for you.

Be sure to wear your green. Erin go bragh!

Celebrate Valentine's Day in a Special Way

2012-01-28T18:37:33Z

Valentine's Day is fast approaching, but just what should you do to celebrate? Have you ever wondered why Valentine's Day is celebrated?

Valentine's Day Roses at Clamber Hill Inn

History can be a little sketchy; it seems that there were three St. Valentines in the early Roman Catholic Church. Most historians agree that the important one lived in the 3^rd Century AD when Claudius was the Roman Emperor, and the Roman Empire was suffering a decline. Claudius observed that single men made better soldiers than married men, and banned marriage in an effort to improve his army. Of course that did not go over well with the general population. One lowly priest named Valentine proved to be both heroic and romantic by continuing to perform marriages in secret. Eventually he was discovered and thrown in jail. From this point on there are different versions of what happened next, but it seems that the jailer, Asterius, had a blind daughter that would visit Valentine. It is reputed that he cured her with his tremendous Christian faith. His final note to her said....you guessed it...."From your Valentine". He was put to death, supposedly on February 14^th, 270 AD. His farewell letter was the first Valentine's Day Card!

In reality though, it is thought that Valentine's love for the jailer's daughter was simple Christian love (Agape) not romantic love (Eros). Historian, Henry Ansgar Kelly, credits the British author, Chaucer, with creating the romantic angle to Valentine's Day in the middle ages. While there were many different customs and traditions such as the Welsh tradition of exchanging wooden love spoons that were carved with images of hearts, keys and keyholes which meant "You unlock my heart!"

Roses, the modern way to unlock the heart!

It is not known when the tradition of exchanging cards started, but it is certain that Valentine's Day Cards were being used as early as 1415 AD as Charles, Duke of Orleans sent one to his wife while she was imprisoned in the Tower of London. This card is now on display at the British Museum. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes in England.

While England played a major role in establishing Valentine's Day as a holiday, so did Worcester, Massachusetts. Modern Day Valentine's Day Cards were pioneered by Esther Allen Howland, of Summer St, Worcester. Shortly after graduation from Mount Holyoke College in 1847, she received a Valentine's Day Card from England. Intrigued by the idea, she started making them for friends. The idea was so popular that she placed the first advertisement for them in a newspaper on February 5, 1850. She grew the card making into a $100,000 annual business that thrived until her retirement in 1881.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries & Champagne

Valentine's day is now the second largest card giving holiday in the world with over 1 billion cards being exchanged. But other traditions have developed since 1800's also. It is now customary to announce your love by giving flowers (especially roses), chocolates, champagne, jewelry and other nice presents to your Valentine. Couples also celebrate romantically by going out to eat in a nice restaurant or going away together for the night or the weekend.

Romantic Dining at Clamber Hill

If you're looking for something special this year, try celebrating at Clamber Hill where we offer romantic overnight accommodations and a special 5-course menu with wine pairing options. However, there is no right or wrong way to celebrate, just find some way to let your Valentine know how special they are. And if you can't do something special on February 14^th, just pick another day and celebrate!

New Years Eve.....Inn-style

2011-12-20T17:51:42Z

The Innkeepers of Clamber Hill have celebrated New Year's Eve in many different places, everywhere from a tent in the isolated dunes of the State Park at Edisto Island in South Carolina, to a crowded noisy restaurant of the Left Bank of Paris, France. From Aunt Betty's House overlooking the St Lawrence River in Ogdensburg, NY to Times Square in New York City, to skiing at Ischgl in the Austrian Alps. We have celebrated alone, with friends and with family and have enjoyed every New Years. Each style of celbration has it's own charm, but what we enjoy most is a quiet romantic New Year's Eve together, so that is what we offer for you here at Clamber Hill in the quaint, beautiful town of Petersham, MA.

This year's New Year's Eve Package includes either a two or three night stay at the Inn, your choice of rooms. Included in the package is a bottle of wine or California Champagne (or even 2 large bottles of beer) complete with souvenir glasses and a romantic candlelit New Year's Eve dinner for two, right here at the Inn.

Our New Year's Eve Menu is special. Five wonderfully tasty courses of freshly prepared food with several choices for each course. And we have a wine pairing option available (not included in the package price). After dinner retreat to the Library and enjoy your bottle of wine or champagne by the fire with other inn guests or retreat to your room and enjoy a fire in privacy. (Only our Equestrian Room is without a working fireplace.)

And on New Year's Day, enjoy a wonderful gourmet breakfast. There's no better way to start the New Year!

Come experience Clamber Hill and let us make New Year's Eve special for you this year!

Holiday Decorating Inn-Style at Clamber Hill

2011-12-04T16:18:19Z

How do you decorate a 9,600 sq. ft. country inn for Christmas? Well one way is to hire it out but that's expensive. The other way is to do it yourself.

If you choose the later option, it helps if you happen to be the daughter of a florist who grew up helping her Daddy out each Christmas season. It also helps if your are a hoarder who loves Christmas. For example, when people know that you love Nutcrackers, they start giving you Nutcrackers as Christmas presents. Or if you set out a couple of snowmen that you just happen to have, people start giving you snowmen and then before you know it you have a collection to work with!

But you also have to be smart about it. Once you have the start of a collection, you can add to it and mix in less expensive items with the more expensive ones. Many of the Clamber Hill Nutcrackers come from Seiffen Germany where the Nutcracker tradition originated, but other smaller ones come from the local dollar store and my father found me two really great large ones at a church fair in South Athol MA!

I used to decorate the Christmas Tree with personal ornaments that special people had given me, but to my dismay I found that guests at Holiday Parties rearranged things ....so continuing on the lines of smart decorating I decided to do themes for the trees with inexpensive ornaments. Cruise the after Christmas sales and plan ahead for the next year! Sometimes I do the same theme two years in a row, but often I mix things up. Reindeer on the trees, stars in the Wintergarden......or perhaps Reindeer and stars together in the Living Room!

And you cannot decorate without ribbon! That's just a simple fact. But you have to be smart about ribbon purchases. I purchase only double wired ribbon because it is easy to work with. And I buy ribbon in quantities of 50 or 100 yds at a time. A) because it is less expensive in quantity and B) because I need that much to do a room. Many stores sell small rolls of ribbon at extravagant prices. But you can often buy 50 yds for $7 or $8, which is a deal! Pick a color theme and go with it! There is so much you can do with ribbon. Lay it on a mantel, weave it through a garland or make a holiday bow!

And save your ribbon. Take your bows and garlands apart and re-roll the ribbon and you will have it again for the next year!

Speaking of bows and garlands....don't forget to use wreathes and garlands in your holiday decorating. You can use a mix or fresh and artificial. The fresh are not hard to make...just time consuming. And I have gotten away from fresh since we've had the Inn as the decorations need to last for five or six weeks now. But I do work fresh greens into some of my garlands and make fresh arrangements for each of the rooms using a mixture of evergreens and holly picked right off the Clamber Hill trees.

You can also, not decorate without lights. But again be smart about it. Christmas lights go on sale, after Christmas. Stock up while they are inexpensive and store them away for next year. And you have so many choices....white, red, green, blue or multi-colored. And don't forget about candles or tea lights. Like ribbon, tea lights are often sold in small packs that are expensive, but you can purchase bags of 150 or 200 for $3 or $4. Stock up since the tea lights tend to disappear after Valentine's Day and don't reappear until Thanksgiving time. Work those in too...just be safe and smart about it. I don't light any candles unless they are in goblets to keep them safe. The Dollar Store is a great place for finding small goblets for tea lights and anything with etching or carving helps throw the light.

And then there are the behind the scenes necessities for Holiday Decorating. My two main tools are pipe cleaners and fishing line! Pipe cleaners are great for everything from making wreathes, hanging garlands, attaching lights to wreathes and garlands, making bows and even attaching bows to candlesticks! Fishing line is great for hanging things in windows.

So by now, Clamber Hill has a Nutcracker Collection, a Snowman Collection, a Reindeer Collection, a Star Collection, a Snowflake Collections, a Santa Collection, a Christmas Tree Collection and probably a few more. Each year I use the collections in different ways to decorate different rooms. I do it in the week between Thanksgiving and our Open House or between Thanksgiving and our first Holiday Party. Our December guests, to the Inn and to the Restaurant, always enjoy coming in the month of December to see how Clamber Hill is decked out! Each year I say I am going to cheat and just decorate the same as last year, but each year once I get started I do everything differently from the year before. Don't get me wrong, I do recycle....the ribbon, the collections, the lights, the garlands, the wreathes...I just use them in different ways in different places....and add a few new things each year.

If you're are intrigued and want to see the results of the 2011 Holiday Decorating, you are invited to the Clamber Hill Holiday Open House on December 11th from 1 to 4 pm. Please note: All photos are from past years! This year's photos will not be published until after our Holiday Open House! Clamber Hill is centrally located in Petersham, Massachusetts which makes it easily accessible from all parts of New England.

And if you can't make our Open House, Clamber Hill is running three different Special Packages during the month of December.... maybe one of them will be just perfect for you! Choose between our Romantic Getaway Package, our Shop & Wrap Package or this year's new package "I'll Bring a Cheesecake Home for Christmas".

And the last chance to see the inn decked out for the Holidays will be New Year's Eve. And of course Clamber Hill is running a special for that also. If you enjoy the holiday season, you will enjoy Clamber Hill. We hope to see you soon!

Black Friday or a Beautiful Sunday in Petersham MA-you decide!

2011-11-12T16:47:19Z

The Holiday Shopping season traditionally starts with Black Friday, the Friday after Thanksgiving. A lot of friends love Black Friday, but I think you have to be crazy to shop on such a crowded, frenzied day. The savings just aren't worth the aggravation. That's the one day of the year that this innkeeper refuses to shop.

As an alternative to Black Friday, Clamber Hill decided to take advantage of the slow time before Thanksgiving and turned the Inn into a mini shopping mall for the first time in November of 2008. The event was so popular that it now involves all three Petersham Inns and is called the Petersham Holiday Shopping Extravaganza.

Colonial Hill Alpaca Farm and B&B, Clamber Hill Inn & Restaurant and Winterwood at Petersham are all located within a two mile stretch of Rt 32 in Petersham, MA. The addresses for those who travel by GPS are 19, 111 and 235 North Main St in Petersham MA 01366. Each of the inns has a very different character but all three are lovely. This relaxed shopping extravaganza allows shoppers to tour the inns as well as giving them the opportunity to buy some unique, high quality gifts, many of which are hand made or local, in a fun, relaxed atmosphere.

The Inns will host 16 different vendors with a wide range of products. Jewelry will be featured at all three inns this year. Paul Nugent at Colonial Hill, Pearson's Pagoda at Clamber Hill and Tina White with Silpada Jewelry at Winterwood.

There will be some food and beverage offerings. Ann Lewis will be selling Rose 32 bread and pastries and Donna Byron of Grace Note Farm will be on hand with honey and spices at Colonial Hill. Patrick Draper will be selling high quality 100% pure cacao from Guatemala, perfect for baking and Ross Condit will be representing Green River Ambrosia with some unique beverages such at Ginger Libation, Liquid Sunshine Traditional Mead, Winter Warmer Spiced Mead and Bourban Barrel Cyzer award winning Mead, both at Clamber Hill. And last but not at all least, Natalie Reynolds will be selling Co-Co-A-Nu fine Belgian Chocolates at Winterwood.

Artisans will also be well represented. Sylvia Brown of Petersham Leather will have hand made leather items, jewelry pouches, handbags and more at Colonial Hill. Jane Hein, also a local Petersham artist will be selling her Early American Decorative one of a kind pieces at Winterwood along with Jean Day's Fredeez Flip Flops, totally fun and totally unique. At Clamber Hill, Kirby Lecy of North Quabbin Woods will have a wide selection of hand crafted pieces from a variety of different local artists.

Clamber Hill will also have Michelle Simmington representing Scentsy -- a wonderful way to make your home smell lovely for the holidays.

And for those of you who want to stay warm this winter (yes it is predicted to be a cold one), Terry Emmerich has a wide selection of lovely Alpaca products including hats that she felts herself and Deb Bachrach Jones will be at Winterwood with her special wool active wear from Jonesware.

And not to leave out Clamber Hill, we will be offering cheesecake samples and taking orders for Holiday Cheesecakes. We will also have Gift Certificates to our Restaurant (or Inn) on sale as well as a limited selection of Holiday Wreaths hand crafted by Deni Ellis who does the Inn's fabulous holiday decorations each year.

And it that's not enough to bring you to the area, there is also a Harvest Festival going on both Saturday and Sunday at the Red Apple Farm in neighboring Phillipston MA and an Art Ride both days in Holden MA so all in all it's the perfect weekend to escape to Central MA!

And if Clamber Hill is full, don't forget there are two other inns in Petersham! Hope to see you next Sunday for a "relaxing" day of Holiday Shopping!

I'll Bring a Cheesecake Home for Christmas, You can count on me!

2011-11-08T15:38:53Z

With the holidays fast approaching we reminisce over our favorite holiday songs, but here is a brand new version of an old favorite!

I'll bring a Cheesecake home for Christmas,

You can count on me,

Please just let me know,

Which flavor tickles your fan-cy!

Two cold December nights- will find me,

At Clamber Hill -where the firelight gleams,

And I'll leave there with a Cheesecake,

And it won't be just in my dreams!

* to the tune of "I'll Be Home for Christmas"

Clamber Hill Inn is featuring a new special package this holiday season. Anyone staying two nights at the Inn between December 5th and December 25th gets to take an 8 inch diamter gourmet cheesecake baked by Innkeeper Mark Ellis home with them for the holidays!

Life doesn't get any better than that.

The Clamber Hill innkeepers in Petersham, MA have a long history with Cheesecake, and it goes all the way back to the first Christmas after we married.

When giving the gift of clothes at Christmas time, one always gambles that they will fit, and often they do not. So when my family made the annual pilgrimage to the local shopping mall to exchange sizes, my husband Mark, not interested in woman's apparel disappeared. After shopping was complete, a search of the mall turned up the missing newlywed in a bookstore where he was purchasing "The Joy of Cheesecake". All things considered, not a bad place to find a missing husband.

Why the interest in cheesecakes? Mark's mother baked fabulous cheesecakes, but she refused to share her recipe with her daughters or her sons, even as a Christmas or Wedding presents. So one upsmanship being what it is, my husband Mark set out to develop his own cheesecake recipe that would be better than his Mom's and the book, the "Joy of Cheesecake" by Dana Bovbjerg & Jeremy Iggers was a perfect place to start.

The authors claim that cheesecakes are the most sensuous of all desserts. And OK all you chocoholics out there, maybe it takes a Chocolate Cheesecake to stake the claim to the most sensuous of all desserts, but not to worry that recipe is in this book too!

They even claim that the struggle to make the perfect cheesecake is the most noble struggle in the human race. Well, Ok, maybe they are exaggerating but then again maybe not. My husband certainly bought in.

That January, he baked 10 cheesecakes. Yes 10 cheesecakes in one month, experimenting with different recipes to get it "perfect". Heavy, light, New York style, with cream cheese versus Neufchatel, Ricotta or cottage cheese (yuck!), different crusts, different toppings....in typical USMC fashion (did I mention he was an active duty Marine Lieutenant at the time) he marched through the various recipes and succeeded in creating a better cheesecake than his Mom's by the end of the month. What a delicious month that was but I gained at least 20 lbs and needed to go shopping again!

When Clamber Hill started our small restaurant in Central Massachusetts, Cheesecakes became a favorite dessert, especially for holiday parties. We now have ten different flavors of cheesecakes. And this year, as a holiday special, we are offering a free cheesecake to anyone that books two nights at the inn between December 5th and December 25th. Let us know, which flavor tickles your fancy when you check in and you will leave taking a fresh 8 inch diameter Clamber Hill Cheesecake, which serves between 8 to 10 people, home for the Christmas holidays!

Merry Christmas from Innkeepers Mark & Deni Ellis!

Find an intimate inn and spend the weekend with long walks and personal talks

2011-10-23T18:51:27Z

The title of this blog was found on another blog "SHEKNOWS/ loving you" by Vicki Clinebell. This innkeeper happened across her blog "Weekend Getaways on a Budget" when searching for the definition of a romantic getaway. One of her three suggestions was to "find an intimate inn and spend the weekend with long walks and personal talks".

: Chocolate covered strawberries and champagne, elements of romance

So let's explore the concept. First intimate inn. A small inn or at least an inn that feels small like Clamber Hill. Even though Clamber Hill was build as an historic summer mansion with 9600 sq ft, the inn operates with only five spacious guestrooms. That means that even when the inn is full, guests often feel like they are the only ones there. Intimate.

Intimate can also mean cozy or comfortable. As opposed to hotel rooms, even high priced ones, the guest rooms at Clamber Hill are furnished with original artwork, a blend of comfortable and antique furniture and CD players with light jazz and classical music. Each room was uniquely created with guest comfort in mind.

: The Oriental Room, a popular choice for Romantic Get-aways!

A lot of hotels advertise romantic getaway packages, but when you see pictures of the rooms, there is nothing there to spark the emotions. At Clamber Hill, the working fireplaces in the guest rooms add that emotional spark! There is nothing like falling asleep with the fire glowing comfortably warm at the foot of the bed.

: The Nautical Room, cozy and intimate

Next let's explore "long walks". Along a beach or through the woods, long walks in solitude with your sweetheart enjoying the quiet, beautiful backdrop nature provides, are romantic. At Clamber Hill, the only problem is deciding where to walk. Out the back door into Harvard Forest, through one of the 50 Gates to the Quabbin Reservoir, or even up Mt. Monadnock for a sunrise spectacular! The options for scenic beauty are boundless in the North Quabbin are of Central Massachusetts. And you can walk for hours without running in to anyone else.

: The perfect place for long walks

Then the third component is "personal talks". How often do you really talk with your loved one? You spend time together but usually with the kids or with friends or racing around doing things or watching TV. The list of interferences is endless.

: Relax by the fire with a Clamber Hill cocktail

At Clamber Hill the interferences are reduced to a minimum. There are no phones ( your cell phone may or may not work), there are no TVs. There is space and time and beautiful surroundings to enjoy with your loved one. Enjoy a romantic candlelit dinner or a cocktail in front of the fireplace.

: Enjoy a romantic dinner at Clamber Hill

To make it easy for our guests, Clamber Hill offers a Romantic Getaway Package. It is a two night, one dinner special allowing you to escape for a few days and enjoy a little time alone. And it fits most folks budgets. You don't have to spring for airfare to some exotic foreign country to find a beautiful place to spend the weekend. Clamber Hill has had guests come from as close as 5 miles away yet say they felt like they were in a world apart. A romantic world apart!

: Nights are special at Clamber Hill

As American as Apple Pie-or then again maybe not!

2011-10-22T17:10:12Z

Any time of the year is apple pie time, but October is actually National Apple Month in the US and everyone knows that Apple Pie originated in America right? Wrong.

Both apples and apple pie were introduced to America in the 17th century. History books trace apple pie baking back to at least 14th century England. There is a recipe for apple pie published on Wikipedia dating back to 1381! Then the French also made apple pie famous with the Tarte Tatin, created by accident at l'Hotel Tatin in 1898. And Apple Pie is not limited to the English or the French, there is a Dutch version, a German version, a Swedish version...need I say more? Apple pie is definitely not an American creation!

Apples themselves are ancient, possibly originating in Asia between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea as far back as 6500 BC. The Greeks and Romans brought apples into Europe and Apple Pies were a favorite English food. In fact they were banned by the puritanical Oliver Cromwell because they gave people too much pleasure!

The first apple orchard in America was right here in Massachusetts, established by William Blackstone on Beacon Hill. And Massachusetts also lays claim to Johnny Appleseed, born in Leominster MA in 1774 as John Chapman. He migrated west during his life time and died in Ft. Wayne Indiana, after having established many apple orchards along the way. Although originally only crab apples were native to North America, the colonists propagation by seeds instead of grafting led to the development of native American varieties.

Although apples have a long history in America, and have been important to American history and agriculture, it wasn't actually until the 19th Century that the saying as American as Apple Pie came to prominence.

Fall in New England is a great time for harvesting apples and baking pies!. Clamber Hill Inn & Restaurant is a tourist destination in Petersham MA. When staying at the Inn one can pick apples at the Red Apple Farm in Phillipston MA, or shop for apples with apple expert Bob Pease at Pease Orchards in Templeton MA. Both places sell wonderful apple cider as well as apples. Not quite as close but also worth a visit are New Salem Preserves and Hamilton Orchards just on the other side of the Quabbin Reservoir in New Salem.

And after apple shopping, dine at Clamber Hill and enjoy apples in just about any course...our famous Nipmuck Salad is topped with apple slices, our Pork Medallions comes topped with an Apple-Onion Marmelade....very German and of course at this time of year we offer either Apple Oat Crumble or Apple Pie for dessert. You can even top the evening off with "apfel eis", an Apple Ice Wine from Still River Winery in Harvard MA...a very yummy way to top off a great meal!

Zipping along the Mohawk Trail

2011-10-12T18:28:08Z

An old Indian Trail, used by the Pocumtucks and the Mohawks was modernized to accommodate automobiles at the turn of the century and became the Mohawk Trail, one of the first scenic highways in the US when the Massachusetts legislature designated it as a Scenic Tourist Route on October 22, 1914.

The 63 mile stretch of Route 2 from Exit 16, between Petersham MA and Orange MA, all the way to the New York State border, just west of Williamstown MA, has become a popular tourist destination, especially in the fall. There are lots of great towns along this quiet country road that takes visitors over the mountains and through the woods of western Massachusetts.

Among the many things to see and do along the Mohawk Trail, there is a marvelous spot about halfway along in Charlemont MA, which combines the natural beauty of the landscape with a newly popular but actually ancient sport of ziplining. Berkshire East, a wonderful ski resort in its own right, is now home to Berkshire East Canopy Tours.

Ziplining is a great adventure any time of the year, but especially breathtaking in the fall. This innkeeper went on September 28th when the fall foliage was just starting to develop and is sure that this week and next will be even more glorious in the gentle Berkshire Mountains.

The Mountain Top Tour, the medium priced of the three offered, is a great experience and a bargain at $85. There are 7 sip lines varying in length from 250 feet to 800 feet. It is an exhilarating experience. Not recommended if you are afraid of heights but otherwise there are no special skills required. Two guides accompany the group through the whole trip. Children must be at least eight years old and weigh between 70 and 275 lbs for the Base Tour and at least 12 years old and weigh between 100 and 260 lbs for the Mountain Top Tour. On the Mountain Top Tour there is even one spot where 2 people can race!

Three different tours are offered. The Base Tour at $30 pp for four zips is a great place to start, the Mountain Top at $85 pp for seven zips is a great deal and the top of the line Valley Jumping Tour which takes you over the Deerfield River 200 feet in the air and back on 1half mile long zip lines at $110 per person. (That's one of the next things on this innkeeper's Bucket List!)

With the Mountain Top Tour takes a couple of hours to complete, even if your group is small, so make a day of it or better yet a weekend or even a mid-week getaway with a stay at Clamber Hill Inn in Petersham MA. Berkshire East is just an hour and 15 minutes west of the Inn and Clamber Hill is a great place to come back to and unwind with a cold one. Berkshire Brewing Beer is available at the Inn to top off a great day in the Berkshire Mountains!

Petersham, the town that is quintessential New Enlgand

2011-10-06T13:36:45Z

Petersham Massachusetts is a town that time has forgotten. It retains its rural character of 200 years ago. There are inns and churches, a library, a school and even a country store but no gas stations. Yet there is plenty to do and see for nature lovers.

It is located at about one o'clock on the northeast corner of the Quabbin Reservoir, the very heart of Massachusetts and New England. If you're looking for a memorable trip to New England, consider a stay over in Petersham as part of your visit. Especially in the fall, when the glorious fall colors display the town in fancy dress.

The Clamber Hill innkeepers, Mark & Deni Ellis, selected Petersham for it's abundant natural beauty and acres upon acres of conservation land which make it the ideal location for hiking, fishing, swimming, canoeing, birdwatching, bicycling and other outdoor sports.

Exploring the Still Waters of Central Massachusetts from Clamber Hill

2011-09-15T15:57:09Z

Many associate canoes with Native American Indians, but canoes are truly ancient. One found in the Netherlands was determined with Carbon 14 dating to be from approx. 8000 BC. At first canoes were a transportation tool, but in the second half of the 19th century they became a popular from of recreation and in the 20th century they became a sport. Canoeing has been an Olympic Sport since 1936.

Canoes come in different styles and shapes and are build of many different materials. Originally built of wood, they are also built of wood and canvas, birch bark, aluminum, fiberglass, kevlar, polyehtylene and even concrete! Most folks won't believe the concrete but there is actually a concrete canoe race on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia and teams from top universities across the country build and race concrete canoes!

: A concrete canoe in on the Schuylkill River

Here in Athol, Massachusetts there is also an annual canoe race, the River Rat Race on the Millers River. Not as exotic as the one on the Schuylkill River but just as zany. This 5 mile race is run by the Athol Lions Club and now draws people from all over as 250 to 300 canoes compete each year for the greatly coveted title of "River Rat".

: The River Rat Race in Athol MA

But sport is only one aspect of canoeing. Recreation is another major draw. Many nature and outdoor enthusiasts are interested in canoeing as a means of exploring the world around them, gaining access to otherwise inaccessible places. Central Massachusetts is a great place for exploring in a canoe, on the abundant rivers and lakes that abound in this undeveloped area.

The Appalachian Mountain Club has a great book, the "Quiet Water Canoe Guide" talking about the best paddling lakes and ponds in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Clamber Hill Inn keeps a copy of the first edition of this canoe guide in our library, one of the many resources the inn keeps for our guests to use. And of course, the innkeepers Mark & Deni check out many of these places personally so that they can give accurate recommendations to the inn guests.

: An island in Tully Lake

Clamber Hill in Petersham MA is centrally located to seven of the paddling ponds recommended in this canoe guide: Paradise Pond in Princeton MA, Moosehorn Pond in Hubbardston MA, Tully Lake and Long Pond in Royalston MA, Lake Dennison in Winchendon MA, Lake Rohunta in Orange MA, Quaboag Pond in EastBrookfield MA and East Brimfield Lake and Holland Pond in Sturbridge MA.

: Tully Lake, a great spot for canoeing or kayaking

These seven ponds are just the tip of the iceberg as there are many other wonderful places to paddle including Connor's Pond right here in Petersham MA, Queen Lake in Phillipston MA, Dunn Pond State Park in GardnerMA, Laurel Lake in the Erving State Forest and Barton's Cove (actually part of the Connecticut River) in Gill, MA.

: Canoing in Barton's Cove on the Connecticut River

So if you like to canoe, as a means of recreation not as a sport, load up your canoe and come to Clamber Hill in Central Massachusetts. We are blessed with acres and acres of conservation land and state parks. In fact, there is so much to explore in this area, you will find that you may never want to leave.

: Lake Dennison on a September Afternoon

Jumping into Adventure in Central Massachusetts

2011-08-13T18:10:31Z

Some people think it is downright crazy to jump out of an airplane but it is something that I have always wanted to do. Crazy or not, some of our Clamber Hill guests come to the North Quabbin Area just to visit Jumptown, the first commercial skydiving center in the US.

Jumptown is located just 12 miles from Clamber Hill at the Orange Municipal Airport. It is a small quiet airport with multiple 5000 ft long runways. Jumptown is operated by the Massachusetts Sport Parachute Club (MSPC), a not-for-profit organization.

It is also a group member of the USPA, the United States Parachute Association, a non-profit individual membership organization dedicated to promoting the safe enjoyment of skydiving. Speaking of safety, skydivers take safety seriously. It is estimated that there is only a 0.0007% chance of a fatal accident, making skydiving a very safe sport, much safer than driving your car!

All levels of student and experienced jumpers welcome at Jumptown. You have to be 18 or older but there is no upper age limit. If you happen to be over 65 and new to skydiving, Jumptown does recommend that you consult with your physician first. There is a weight limit, you have to weigh less than 240 lbs for Tandem jumps and less than 250 lbs for Accelerated Free Fall. Most people start with a Tandem jump.

A Tandem Skydive at Jumptown in Orange MA

Jumptown offers Tandem Skydives where one goes through the training and then makes the tandem skydive all in the same day. The cost is $225 (plus another $90 if you want photographs of the experience) A friend of mine recently did this and gave me permission to use the photos for this article. The report is that it is an absolutely fantastic experience. Jumptown uses a multi-engined Twin Otter aircraft to get you to the 13,500 ft jump altitude quickly.

OMG it's time to jump!

Down on the ground, there is on-site food service and a shaded observation area for spectators and Jumptown does welcome spectators. The Jumptown facility at the Orange airport was specifically designed to support skydiving, and there are classrooms, team rooms, showers, and indoor packing space.

Skydiving has become quite popular since the end of World War II. The USPA now has 33,000 members and it is estimated that they make 3 million dives annually. New England has 11 drop zones with 4 of the 11 right here in Massachusetts, 2 in CT, 2 in RI, 2 in VT and 1 up in Lebanon Maine.

So if you're looking for a little adventure in your life, try a Tandem jump at Jumptown. A Gift Certificate to Jumptown ( or combined Gift Certificates to Jumptown and Clamber Hill) makes a great birthday and/or anniversary present. Adventure is just a short drive and a long jump away.

The end of the ride

Hiking--the best way to discover the "Great Outdoors"

2011-07-26T17:27:27Z

Many of us first encounter the joys of hiking as a Girl Scout or Boy Scout. And hiking can be fun and adventurous for children, adults and families. Not only is hiking fun, it also leads to relaxation and better health. In fact studies have shown that hiking 3 to 4 times a week for 30 to 60 minutes can strengthen you heart, lower your blood pressure, lower your cholesterol, decrease back pain, decrease pain from arthritis, reduce weight and slow the aging process. Can you imagine something that is fun and enjoyable is actually beneficial?!

Central Massachusetts has many great places to hike and many of them are just a short drive (or hike) from Clamber Hill. The closest place to hike is out the back door, through our woods and into Harvard Forest. It takes about 90 minutes to hike down the hill to Havard Pond....and then of course another 90 minutes back to the Inn. There are lots of "loops" in the woods though so you can adjust your hiking time and distance with ease.

Hiking with the dogs at Jacobs Hill

Innkeepers Mark & Deni Ellis love to hike, especially with their dogs, and have many recommendations for the overnight guests interested in hiking. There are twelve Trustees of Reservation Properties in Central Massachusestt and nine of them are very close to the Inn. Three are right in Petersham, the North Common Meadow, James W. Brooks Woodland Preserve and the Swift River Reservation and hiking with dogs is allowed. A fourth property is just down the road in Phillipston, the Elliot Laurel Reservation-beautiful when the mountain laurel are in bloom. The next closest to the inn, all have beautiful waterfalls to be enjoyed along with the hike: Doane's Falls in Athol, Bear's Den in New Salem, Jacobs Hill in Royalston and Royalston Falls (also in Royalston). And the ninth is Rock House Reservation in West Brookfield.

Hiking alongside Doane's Falls in Athol MA

Another great place to hike is the Quabbin (however your canine companions must be left behind). The Quabbin Reservoir, a 39 sq mile body of water, holding 412 billion gallons of water when it is full. The reservoir has 181 miles of shoreline and 55 "Gates" which are basically old roads turned into hiking trails which lead in most cases to the shore line. Most of the "Gates" take you to the shoreline with hikes of 1 to 3 miles. One of the most popular Gates is number 40 which leads to the old Dana Town Common. One can still see the old cellar holes surrounding the Dana Common.

And this is just the beginning of the list. There is also the Federated Women's Club State Forest on the Petersham/New Salem line, the Long Trail at Tully Lake, trails in the Wendell Sate Forest, the Erving State Forest, the Otter River State Forest, the Lake Dennison Recreation Area, the Mt. Grace State Forest, the Rutland State Park etc. etc. etc.

And if you love to climb while you hike, Mt. Monadnock is just a short drive away in Jaffrey, New Hampshire. It is the most climbed mountain in North America and there are many different trails leading to the top.

Mt. Monadnock, one of the most frequently hiked mountains in the world.

So there is an abundance of opportunity for hiking, trekking, rambling, tramping, bushwhacking or whatever term you happen to use for walking in a natural environment here in Central Massachusetts. And not only are the Clamber Hill innkeepers ready and willing to offer advice and maps, but they also have a library of books on hiking opportunities in the area. Come for a day or come for a week-but come to Central Massachusetts because August, September and October (up to the start of hunting season) is the best time of year to get out there and discover the truly "Great Outdoors".

Marvelous Micro-Brews in Mid-State Massachusetts

2011-06-17T16:52:33Z

Living in Germany allows one to sample some of the best beers in the world. Not only the German beers but all of the European Beers. Upon returning to the US it was exciting to discover that Central Massachusetts is also a great place for Beer Lovers.

Image via Wikipedia

Clamber Hill Inn & Restaurant offers a Beer Lovers Package (Gift Certificates are a great Father's Day present hint, hint) and happily shares information about the best places to sample great micro-brews mid-state Massachusetts. There are many micro-breweries and/or brew pubs within a 45 minute drive. Several of the micro-breweries offer tours of their facilities, all offer great beer.

Wachusett Brewing Company is located approx 20 miles east of Clamber Hill in Westminster, MA. This brewery was founded in 1993 by three graduates of Worcester Polytech. It has grown tremendously, but still delivers a wonderful variety of high quality beers. The brewery is open for tours on Wed, Thurs, Fri and Saturday and has a gift shop where you may purchase beer and souvenirs, but alas no food. The Wachusett beers are available in many many Massachusetts restaurants.

The Gardner Ale House, located in Gardner MA of course, is a full service brew pub just 11 miles east of Clamber Hill. They are open seven days a week and have entertainment on Monday nights (yeah!) and the weekends. They rotate their beer list and also carry some guest beers.

About 45 minutes north of Clamber Hill is Elm City Brewing located in the Colony Mill Marketplace in Keene, NH. Brewing fresh beer since 1995, it's also open 7 days a week, a great place for fresh beer and good food.

Back in Massachusetts and 30 minutes west of Clamber Hill in Greenfield MA is The People's Pint. Started in 1997 they have a 15 bbl brewery on Hope St and a restaurant open daily for lunch and dinner on Federal St. A relatively new addition to the business is Gill Tavern located in the very center of Gill MA.

Also in that direction is Berkshire Brewing Company started in 1994 in South Deerfield, MA. These delicious unfiltered, unpasturized ales are what you will find in Clamber Hill's restaurant. Berkshire Brewing does not serve food, but the brewery is open for tours on Saturday at 1pm.

Then there is the Amherst Brewing Company, centrally located in Amherst. Once again good pub food is combined with great beer and being located in a college town there is often high quality entertainment.

A little bit farther away in the same direction one can find the Northhampton Brewery, the oldest operating brewpub in Massachusetts (founded in 1987 a whole decade before the others) complete with a European-style rooftop beer garden.

Not to be missed is Paper City Brewery in Holyoke MA. Sorry no restaurant but they hold an open house every Thursday and Friday night.

And if you're in that direction there is also Opa- Opa Steakhouse and Brewery in Southhampton.

The Clamber Hill innkeepers can highly recommend the beer and food at all of these fabulous places. If you come to Clamber Hill on the Beer Lover's Package you can visit many of these places to sample great beer and dine at one or two. It's a beer destination well worth the trip!

Marvelous Micro-Brews in Mid-State Massachusetts

2011-06-17T16:52:33Z

Image via Wikipedia

Not to be missed is Paper City Brewery in Holyoke MA. Sorry no restaurant but they hold an open house every Thursday and Friday night.

And if you're in that direction there is also Opa- Opa Steakhouse and Brewery in Southhampton.