42mi from Lake Placid · 2 sites · Lodging · Shoreham, VTA low-key place to enjoy nature, rest, and reflect. The twin cottages at Hand’s Cove Orchard perch on the edge of Lake Champlain in Shoreham, Vermont. The property has hosted guests in seasonal cottages since the 1960s. The organically certified orchard was last operated around 2007.
Since that time, a good portion of the apple trees has succumbed to disease and crowding by native and invasive species, though many continue to thrive and produce fruit—supporting a healthy and diverse wildlife population.
Close by is Champlain Orchards, offering a farm market, cider garden, and PYO fruit. There are several other farm stands in the area offering locally produced vegetables, meat, eggs, maple products, and ice cream, as well as general stores and a hardware store within 20 minutes.
We are located along one of the Heart of Vermont Bikeways, part of a network of bicycle routes known as Lake Champlain Bikeways, spanning the Lake Champlain Valley of Vermont, New York, and Québec. Not far away are Middlebury (home of Middlebury College) and Vergennes—both offering shopping, dining, and Amtrak service.
Our land steward, Melita, is a retired landscape gardener who enjoys ecological landscaping and trail-making. A short walking loop takes you from the cottages to our lake access and up around the far meadow, which is in the process of being reforested. Resting benches are placed seasonally at the lakeshore and along the far meadow path.
Swimming is not recommended, but access for experienced kayak and canoe users is available. Our shale beach is a picturesque, relaxing, and history-rich spot to while away the hours in your camp chair. Birders will enjoy an abundant variety of shore and inland species.
Our land management objectives include conservation, forest restoration, and agriculture—fostering refuge and recovery for the land and its inhabitants: plants, pollinators, wildlife, and humans alike.
A portion of our 100+ acre farm is leased to a neighboring farmer for hay production. Our non-commercial orchard is a thread of history connecting us to the nearby vibrant, commercially productive orchards that are part of Shoreham’s rich agricultural heritage.
Potable water
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Showers