Lake
Sunapee is ten miles long and is the highest lake of
its size in America, 1100 Ft. above sea level.There
are only
a handful of public access places with swimming and
boat launch ramps on the lake.
As you drive
up from the south on 103 through Bradford into Newbury
you will first see the Lake Sunapee from Newbury
Harbor, A spectacular view that looks out through The
Narrows
on miles of open water with Great Island and Burkehaven
Lighthouse
just barely visible on a clear day. You will certainly
want to pull over in the small parking lot on your
right for a better look. The Newbury Yacht Club and
the Newbury
Harbor Bandstand is to your left. The Bandstand
features free concerts every Thursday at 7pm during
the summer.
Just
around the bend to your left at Bell Cove is the Newbury
information booth. Be sure to stop in and get the latest
goings-on
in the area, and pick up brochures, maps and calendars
for the region.
Mt.
Sunapee State Park
Two
miles farther on Rt. 103 just past Digby's Steakhouse
and Skinner’s Ski Shop is the Sunapee traffic circle,
with the entrance to Mt. Sunapee State Park on
your left and the road to Sunapee State Beach on your
right. The
beach has a store, canoe & kayak rentals, a
playground, and a new bathhouse. Mt. Sunapee is
a 4-season state park
with a resort and a great ski mountain with special
snowboard riding trails and a separate beginner
ski area. In the
summer Mt Sunapee has camping, hiking, crafts fairs,
car shows, and aerial sky rides to the summit.
Sunapee
Harbor
From
the Mt Sunapee traffic circle take 103B a few more miles
to Sunapee Harbor,
the hotspot of Lake
Sunapee, with wonderful shops, restaurants, live
music, kayak & boat
rentals, tour and dinner boat cruises. During
the summer the Ben Mere Bandstand features free
live music every Wednesday
at 7pm and the Flanders Stage concerts are Saturdays
at 5pm. You can see some spectacular views of
the lake by
heading past the boat docks up Lake Ave. and
following it around past Burkehaven Resort and
then to the Inn at Sunapee, with
a fantastic view of Mt. Sunapee on your left,
and back to the harbor.
Head
back through the harbor and take a right at The
Anchorage Restaurant onto Garnet St. which
leads around
Sunapee Harbor,
past Dewey Beach and to Jobs Creek Road. Follow
Jobs Creek road around to the right, past Garnet
Hill
Road, the access
road to the Sunapee Yacht club. There is a
brief but beautiful view of the Lake’s Granliden
Harbor just as you pass the Granliden condominiums.
Georges
Mills Harbor
Turn
right on Rt 11 at the end of Jobs Creek Rd and you will
be at Georges Mills Harbor.
Head down
to
the boat
launching ramp next to Sargent's Marina where
you will have a fantastic view of the harbor,
with
Herrick Cove
Lighthouse
just across the lake and Mt. Kearsarge in
the distance.
Continue
on Rt 11, with Otter Pond on your left for a little more
than a mile. Just
before Rt
89 turn
right onto LakeSide
Rd. There is a park & ride just on
your left just after you turn, where lots
of people park and ride bikes around
the area. After less than a mile you will
see Lake Sunapee again at Herrick Cove.
There is a historical marker next
to a dock on your right that describes
the “Golden
Age” of steamboating on Lake Sunapee.
This is Lakeside Landing, one of the old
landings where steamboat passengers
transferred to stages for the trip to New
London’s
hotels and boarding houses.
Take
a right to stay on Lakeside Rd at the Stoney Brook Rd.
intersection. Another
mile
on your
right is another
historic marker, this one for Soo-ni-pi
park, a planned community built in 1892. All that is
left
now are two old
gateposts to the park, but be sure to
stop and read the amazing
story of Dr. John Quackenbos.
Blodgett
Landing
Another
mile south on Lakeside Rd
is Blodgett Landing. Unlike the stately
mansions and secluded cottages elsewhere
on the lake,
this unique
lakeshore neighborhood
of closely packed houses has a real
sense of community where you can easily socialize
with
your neighbors.
The
Fells Historic Estate and Gardens
Another
mile south on Lakeside Rd. is John Hay National Wildlife
Refuge and The
Fells Historic Estate and Gardens. The
Fells is one of New England's finest examples of an early
20th-century summer estate, with outstanding gardens
and sculpture park. The 164-acre estate's main house
is open for historic tours
Memorial Day through Columbus
Day. The hiking trails that border
Lake Sunapee are open year-round. You should definitely
plan to bring a lunch and camera to spend a day here.
Fishing
Information About Lake Sunapee
SALMON - Fishing early spring to late June, on or near the
surface.
Trolling, fly casting and still fishing. Baits most
productive are live
smelt and flies. During summer, with warmer water
temperatures,
deeper trolling is practiced (about 15-30 feet down).
Spawn in the
fall.
LAKE
TROUT - Fishing early spring through summer
months.
Found on or near the bottom and usually in the
deeper areas of the
lake. Trolling with wire line using laced-on smelt
or suckers.
Artificial spoon lures used also. One method is
to jig lure along the
bottom, by taking line in hand and, with sweeping
motion up and down,
cause the lure to move in erratic action.
BROOK
TROUT - Fishing early spring through summer, usually
found in schools while feeding in brooks and shallow
areas along the
shore. Baits (worms) lures and flies are effective.
Fly casting, spinning,
and still fishing are methods used.
SMALL
MOUTH BASS - Best fishing period during months
of June
and July. Located around and near rocks and old
docks. Live bait used;
night crawlers, helgramite, crayfish and shiners.
Artificial lures,
often referred to as 'bass plugs' and poppers,
also bass flies.
PERCH
and PICKEREL - Usually live in same habitat as bass.
Also
are found in weed areas. Live bait and lures
used. Still fishing and
spin casting best fishing method.
SUNFISH - A youngster's delight, can be caught all
day long.
Worms are best bait.
Check
New Hampshire Fishing Laws for size and quantity
Boathouses
of Lake Sunapee Poster by
JoAnn Pippin
Featuring
24 gorgeous boathouse watercolors on a large
format poster. $24.95 plus
shipping. Click the poster to order.
