Ben & Jerry and The Trapps

Day 11 - August 7th

We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast at the hotel and a short walk around Montpelier to make sure we hadn't missed anything (we found a fountain and a soccer pitch) and then said goodbye to Montpelier and home to the Ben & Jerry's factory where we had a short guided tour, tasted a free sample and checked out the flavour graveyard where all the discontinued ice cream flavours go to die.

From there we drove to Stowe, a thriving ski resort in winter and also a popular summer holiday location. We took a walk along the recreation path (a scenic spot that you can't drive round? this isn't the American way!) then drove a couple of miles further up the mountain to the most expensive hotel of our holiday, the Trapp Family Lodge.

It's an alpine style lodge built by the Trapp family after they fled from nazi Germany in 1942 and has dramatic views of the mountains, Maria Von Trapp (whose life The Sound Of Music is based on) lived here for many years and is buried in the grounds. We spent the afternoon making the most of the swimming pool and spa, and just sitting on our balcony taking in the scenery - a relaxing change of pace after some of the hectic sightseeing we've been doing. We also had dinner in the lodge, where they served typically Austrian fare (wienerschnitzel, sachertorte, etc.) in typically American sized portions, and locally brewed Trapp Beer and Trapp Wine which were both very tasty.