Sweater Weather

September days are perfect for picking apples, admiring the first fall colors and traveling historic roads.Leave I-93 in Concord via exit 16 at Rte. 132 and follow Oak Hill Road around the side of Oak Hill until it joins School Street in Loudon. Turn right into the village and cross Rte. 106 to follow Rte. 129. Stop at Meadow Ledge Farm, on the right, to pick apples from the more than 20 varieties they grow. Don’t miss the hot cider doughnuts, made in the Roberts family’s country store, accompanied by a glass of cool, tangy fresh cider.About a mile farther on, turn right onto Pleasant Street to visit the bees and buy honey at Milk and Honey Farm and maybe choose a pumpkin at their farmstand, too. Return to Rte. 129 and continue past several beautiful hilltop farms to Kelly’s Corner. Turn left onto Rte. 107 and climb to the ridge, where a state historical marker explains that this is the Province Road, one of N.H.’s most historic, built in the 1700s as a supply route from the port at Durham to the remote northern settlements. Continue a few yards farther to see the view down on Loon Lake before turning around and returning to the picturesque signpost on the left and following Stage Road to Gilmanton Iron Works.At the country store go right on Rte. 140 to Alton. Turn left on Rte. 11 to the southern tip of Lake Winnipesaukee, at Alton Bay. Before turning right onto Rte. 28A, make a short detour, continuing on Rte. 11 for ice cream at Shibley’s. Return to the intersection and follow Rte. 28A along the bay before it joins Rte. 28. Go left, weaving through South Wolfeboro before dropping into Wolfeboro, on the eastern shore of Lake Winnipesaukee. If you’re hungry and in the mood for something more exotic than the seafood platters at Dockside Grille, look for El Centenario, on Union Street, where you will find authentic Mexican dishes. Or go straight for the goodies at Winnipesaukee Chocolates, a Best of NH winner, whose distinctive handcrafted chocolate bars are named with a local twist.Follow Rte. 28/109 on to Wolfeboro Falls, where you can’t miss the Wright Museum — it has a tank bursting through its front wall. Stop here to explore World War II in the air, on the sea and on the home front. On the shore of Lake Wentworth, the New Hampshire Boat Museum recalls the era of wooden boats on the lake, with models and historic craft. Sept. 17 through 19, the museum is hosting the Wolfeboro Vintage Raceboat Regatta.Almost opposite the museum, 1810 House B&B has a historic barn that’s now a group antique shop. Shortly beyond, turn right to follow Rte. 109 along Lake Wentworth. Stop at the granite marker on the left to explore the level paths through Ryefield Marsh. Ellie’s Woodland Walk is signposted to explain the important environmental features of the marsh. Past the state park, look for the lane on the right that leads to the excavated foundations of N.H. Royal Governor John Wentworth’s summer estate. This stretch of Rte. 109 is part of the Governor’s Road, which was completed in 1769 so the governor could travel the 50 miles from the capital at Portsmouth to his summer home on the lake. Today the trip is easier and the way much smoother: in nearby Sanbornville, Rte. 109 meets Rte. 16, which becomes the Spaulding Turnpike and leads directly to Portsmouth.