We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. Did anyone find a new Fiat under the tree? I’m still looking for the elusive low mileage, AWD, Orange 500X with sunroof and heated seats.
I Can’t believe, 2023 is just around the corner, and we all know what happens in 2023. FREAKOUT in NH! The planning continues. We will have turn by turn directions and maps, printed in the guide. Kevin is working on the high-resolution maps and they look great. Luis is cleaning up the turn-by-turn directions and creating GPX files as well. Kathy and Jim have been working on a fun project for the Welcome bags. Jim is also working on slideshows for the banquets. I’m holding him up looking for past FreakOut photos, 2003-2010. If you have any you would like to share, email them to fiatclubnne@gmail.com. I’m working on logistics for the Conway Scenic Railroad. More on that coming soon. We have secured food Trucks for Club Motorsports, and the Concorso. That, was a learning curve, that worked out well. Thank you, Candy for your knowledge. I’ll post more information on the trucks closer to FreakOut when we have final menus. There’s lots more but my thought today was to mention the Cathedral Ledge drive.
Cathedral Ledge is a great self-guided drive. The drive is just under 40 miles, about 1 hour 20 minutes round trip, and packed with fun. You’ll head left from the hotel and pickup Bear notch road. Bear Notch has many ups and downs, twists and turns. You’ll be zipping through the woods and all of a sudden there’s an overlook with a great view
Bear Notch Road ends at the Eastern end of the Kancamagus. Shortly after getting on the Kancamagus, you’ll cross over the Swift River via the Albany Covered Bridge, built in 1858.
After the bridge you’ll follow Passaconaway Road to West Side Road. West Side Road runs parallel to route 16 that runs through the center of Conway and North Conway. Locals use West Side Road to avoid traffic on Route 16 but in early June we shouldn’t have any problems getting through Conway or North Conway.
West Side Road has some picturesque views of farm lands and the Swift River on your way to Diana’s Baths and Cathedral Ledge. You’ll also pass the Lobster Trap Restaurant on the left. The Lobster Trap is open for dinner. If it’s a dinner on your own evening you may want to circle back after visiting Diana’s Baths and Cathedral Ledge. It’s not fancy, but the staff is friendly and the food is fresh and tasty with reasonable prices. They also don’t mind large parties if you’ve brought some friends with you.
Jim and Kathy love Diana’s Baths. If you are ready to stretch your legs, Diana’s Baths are a 1.3-mile roundtrip leisurely walk taking about 30 minutes to complete. Diana’s baths lie along Lucy Brook in Bartlett which is fed from Big Attitash Mountain. The baths are a great place to enjoy the tranquility of nature and explore the many rocks, ledges, cascading falls, and pools in the brook. The cascading falls measure approximately 75 feet in total height.
My favorite, is Cathedral Ledge for the 1-mile auto road that twists and turns its way to the top. And, once you get to the top it’s just a few steps to a panoramic view of, Echo Lake in North Conway, the Saco River Valley and the White Mountains. There’s also a short hiking trail to explore but I find it hard to pull myself away from the view. Don’t be tempted to toss any pebbles over the edge. It’s also a popular rock-climbing area. Cathedral Ledge is visible from West Side Road and most days you can see climbers working their way up the ledge.
I took this photo from the fenced area of the overlook looking North. A beautiful section of the ledge is visible. You can step out there but I prefer the security of the fenced area. In the background you can see the Saco River snaking through and beyond that the presidential range.
As you’ll see when you return to the hotel, there is a more direct route between the hotel and Cathedral Ledge, in case you want to go again. From the Hotel to Cathedral ledge is 8.3 miles and 16 minutes. Cathedral ledge is also close to North Conway if you’d like to do some shopping or you’re looking for something to eat. Cathedral Ledge to North Conway, Settlers Green Outlet Village is 5.8 miles, 15 minutes.
Happy New Year! Best Wishes, Northern New England Chapter