Even in the thinning haze, the views across to the watery nooks and crannies of New Hampshire’s largest lake were sublime.
The ledges were plentiful on Mount Roberts, as were the blueberry bushes. Those ledges, loaded with odd-shaped cairns, were fine perches to stop and take in the landscape including peaks like Red Hill and the Sandwich Range, and islands on the Big Lake.
Mount Roberts, at 2,582 feet, is located in the crossroads of fine lakes and mountains, the 5,000-plus acres of the Lakes Region Conservation Trust’s Castle in the Clouds Conservation Area. The largest of the organization’s properties, it contains some thirty miles of hiking trails in the Ossipee Mountains in Moultonborough and Tuftonboro. The five major summits on the property are all under 3,000 feet high, yet feature lovely vistas to peaks and waterways such as Lake Winnipesaukee to the White Mountains and beyond.
South of the White Mountains, the hiking network has 19 trails along the range known for being the remains of an ancient volcanic ring dike. The highest mountain is Mount Shaw at 2,990 feet. For those trekkers looking to knock off peaks on a list, both Shaw and Roberts are on “52 With A View” complied by the Over the Hill Hikers of Sandwich, N.H.. That undertaking involves climbing the 52 peaks, all under 4,000 feet in elevation.
Lakes Region Conservation Trust (www.lrct.org) has it own offering, an achievement patch for hikers who complete all 16 trails which includes climbing Shaw, Roberts, 1,801-foot Bald Knob, 2,803-foot Black Snout and 2,203-foot Turtleback Mountain rounding out the list.
The network is loaded with pleasingly colorful trail signs, ample blazes and a pair of trailhead parking areas on Route 171 and another on Ossipee Park Road. The Ossipee Park Road trailhead is the jumping off place for the 5-mile round-trip rample along Mount Roberts’ namesake trail.
A wonderful bonus is that the trailhead also provides access to a portion of the grand Castle property including horses behind white fences, shaded picnic tables, tranquil Shannon Pond —framed by Mount Roberts and the Faraway mountains — interpretive signs and old homestead sites.
During a morning with high humidity and a 50-50 shot of afternoon thunder boomers, my wife, Jan, and I ventured upward to Mount Roberts in a land that felt genteel. Many of the trails are former carriage roads and bridle paths built under the direction of Thomas Plant, the shoe manufacturing magnate who lived at the estate he called Lucknow during a portion of the 1900s.
We began along a paved road that took us near the shores of Shannon Pond and along the fenced pastures where handsome horses were more interested in grazing than watching two hikers enter the woods with its oaks behind a stable on the wide trail and foot prints left behind by both hikers and horses.
Initially, the trail is a switchback on an old bridle path and passes along the hot fencing that keeps the horses in the pasture. Then it follows an old woods road, allowing for hikers to amble side-by-side.
Gentle at the outset, the trail increases in intensity for a generally moderate grade on the way up, with a welcome side trip at about 1.3 miles providing a welcome respite, cool breeze and looks south to Lake Winnipesaukee and west to Red Hill.
As the way ascends, cairns begin to emerge as the trail narrows upon ledgy terrain. But as the pathway narrows, the views open up as the limbs of the trees reach the sky.
On the summit, a grassy loop path leads to the Mt. Roberts summit marked by a sign. There are views to the north at the top.
Now the best part begins: the way down, especially on the ridge with the cairns. Now the Big Lake and horizon are center stage making it essential to look down at your feet at times to make sure you don’t go for an embarrassing stumble.
Before leaving, we made it a point to spend some time by Shannon Pond with its dam, dock and playful fox sculptures. With a couple of pellet dispensers for fish at the docks, it didn’t take long for a trio of ducks to come our way expecting handouts. However, the real show was in the water with monster-sized rainbow trout boxing out the ducks for morsels in the shadow of the Ossifies.
Marty Basch can be reached at mbasch@gmail.com