Guests of Brook Farm Inn, Lenox Massachusetts, are invited to attend Open Farm Sunday at a nearby farm, where you can enjoy sleigh rides, a bonfire, and hot cocoa, on a farm with great historical interest.  It’s this Sunday from noon until 3 PM, and it’s only $7.00 per person.  Contact us at Brook Farm Inn for more information!  800-285-7638 (POET)

The recent snowfall has given us perfect conditions for snowshoeing and cross country skiing!  Some of Brook Farm Inn’s guests this weekend had a great time snowshoeing.  We went out ourselves this afternoon to Pleasant Valley, the MassAudubon Wildlife Refuge, and enjoyed a trek on our favorite trail, the Hemlock Trail.  Walking through the evergreens, with snow resting on their boughs, and a partly frozen stream nearby, is as magical as you can get.  We expect the next couple of weekends to have great conditions.

We’ve had a lovely snowfall, and Brook Farm Inn looks like a Currier & Ives winter scene.  There’s just enough snow to rest on tree branches and look beautiful, also to provide perfect cross country skiing and snowshoeing — without jeopardizing travel.  The scene from our dining room is spectacular, especially since the bird feeder is visible there.  This morning there were a red-bellied woodpecker, a hairy woodpecker, and a pair of cardinals all at the same time.  The red, black and white of their plumage against the white snow scene was unforgettable.  Snowshoeing is terrifict at Pleasant Valley and cross country skiing is recommended at Kennedy Park or Canterbury Farm.  Come and enjoy it with us!

Good news!  Despite the warm weather, you can go cross country skiing and snowshoeing  in the Berkshires.  Canterbury Farms, in Becket, has trails open.  Link to them at www.canterbury-farms.com for an up-to-date report on conditions.  Some of our guests at Brook Farm Inn in Lenox have also been enjoying Bousquet Ski area.

We’re having a lovely snowfall today.  It’s beautiful, pristine, and just right for skiing –cross country or downhill — and also for snowshoeing.  At Brook Farm Inn, our favorite place to snowshoe is Pleasant Valley, a Mass Audubon wildlife refuge, with beautiful, well-marked trails.  It’s right here in Lenox, Massachusetts.   After a day outdoors, we serve tea and homemade scones in the firelit library.  Yay!

Guests of Brook Farm Inn are invited to go on a guided hike this Saturday!  We’ll pay for the guide, and even provide some snacks.  It’s a great way to experience the beauty of the Berkshires.  When you phone for your reservation, tell us that you’re interested.

Brook Farm Inn, in Lenox Massachusetts, is glad to join with the other inns of Berkshire Elegant Country Inns to offer our guests a special hike.  We’ve engaged a professional guide for two Saturdays, November 1 and November 15.  On each of those days, you can join other guests for a guided hike through some of the most beautiful Berkshires scenery.  The hikes will be moderate, from 11 AM to 1 PM.  Not only will we provide the guide, but we’ll also make sure you have snacks.  When you phone Brook Farm Inn for your reservation, tell us you’re interested.

Golf in the Berkshires in September is incomparable. Link to the “Packages” page for Brook Farm Inn in Lenox, Massachusetts.  There you’ll find our newest package…

September Midweek  Golf Special! 

When you stay at Brook Farm Inn at least  2  midweek nights in September, you’ll receive 2 gift certificates for 9 holes at nearby Greenock Country Club.   Stay must include 2 weekday nights Monday thru Thursday.  (Tee times are subject to availability, cart fees are extra.)

There are several beautiful golf courses in the Berkshires.  Many of Brook Farm Inn’s guests enjoy a round of golf while they are here.  Below is a list of the courses that welcome visitors:

1. Cranwell Golf Club in Lenox Mass. is 1 1/2miles from Brook Farm Inn.  It is an 18 hole par 70 course that is 6204 yards.  They also have a driving range and a golf school.  Their website is www.cranwell.com and the phone number is 413 637 2563.  Have lunch at the Sloane’s Tavern overlooking the 3rd tee.
2. Greenock Country Club in Lee is one of the best maintained courses in the county.  It is a 9 hole par 35 course that is 3080 yards.  Stay to the left on the par 4 third hole or you will be in the woods (you’ll find some of my balls there).  It only takes a few minutes to get there from Brook Farm Inn.  The restaurant is Pauline’s and the food is good.  The website is www.greenockcc.com and the phone is 413 243 3323.
3. Another 9 hole course is the GE Athletic Association in Pittsfield.  It is a par 36 and 3022 yards.  The phone number is 413 443 5746.
4. Pontoosuc Lake Country Club is one of my favorites.  The 18 hole par 70 course is 6224 yards.  It’s about 20 minutes away but is less crowded in the summer season than the courses that are closer to Lenox.  The 15th hole is a par 5 that is 610 yards long.  I’ve been on in 4 several times but I have yet to do better than a bogie.  The phone number is 413 445 4217.
5. Egremont Country Club is about 30 minutes away.  It is an 18 hole par 71 course that is 5771 yards.  Watch out for the stream that runs the lengthof the eighth hole, that  also runs behind the green.  The website is www.egremontcountryclub.com and the phone is 413 528 4222.

You will find the Berkshire courses challenging, scenic, less crowded and less expensive than the golf clubs in and around New York or Boston.  Bring your clubs and come to the Berkshires!

When guests ask where they should hike, our favorite suggestion is Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, a Mass Audubon property. It’s minutes from Brook Farm Inn, and you can choose from 7 miles of well-marked trails.  Some trails are more challenging than others, but all offer the opportunity to enjoy the  natural beauty and wildlife of the Berkshires.  You can hike to the summit of Lenox Mountain (a young couple staying at Brook Farm Inn recently got engaged there!) or stroll around the ponds and see the beaver lodges.  This is a destination for any season.