What About Bristol?

[djwoodward]

I didn't answer your other question...

Above, I mentioned that Bristol is the commercial hub for seven towns. Although it's the center of activity it's the smallest in acerage I believe. Any visit to Bristol will actually have to be a visit to some of those surrounding towns too.

Of course you need to check-out the lake. If you drive north from the center of town about 2 miles you can turn left on West Shore Road (yellow blinking light at church). In about another 1.5 miles West Shore Road turns to the right. After that turn, if you generally continue to bear right at the major intersections you can circle the lake in an 18 mile loop. You'll pass through parts of Hebron and Bridgewater too on this route.

If you don't make the 2nd West Shore Road turn you'll head into the small village of Alexandria. Both Hebron and Alexandria are classic New England villages with white clapboard houses and churches in the center of town. As you head out to Alexandria you'll see Mount Cardigan too.

If you turn left at the traffic light in downtown Bristol (Route 104 west) you'll see the only industry in town about a mile outside of the village (Freudenberg-NOK). Across from that is the local food store a small Shop&Save. It's fine for picking up the daily necessities but as I said before we usually head to Tilton (south on 93) for major shopping. Continuing past this store will lead you to Danbury where Ragged Mountian ski area is located (<10 miles from Bristol).

A little later in the spring I would reccomend an excursion to the southern end of Bristol to Profile Falls or "Old Hill Village" which are great places to hike along the Pemigewasset River but this time of year is not the best for that.

If you have any other questions, let me know.