Take your pick: adrenaline packed or slow and contemplative?
Published on Sept 20, 2022
One of the advantages of living in the Eastern Townships, besides the fact that it’s an absolutely amazing region, is that we can access the beautiful mountains in the Northeast U.S.A. and the hilly roads that characterize the region. The area is a perfect playground for cycling enthusiasts as the Berkshire Loop illustrates so well.
By Jessica Bélisle
Leaving from Sutton, my boyfriend and I set off on the Berkshire Loop. The 57 km route will take us to Montgomery, Vermont, a charming village of about 1,200 people with six covered bridges to see on the way.
First of all, to complete this circuit, don’t forget your passport! Then, be careful if you have the unfortunate habit of getting easily lost! Check the route before you leave and pay special attention when you reach the 195. There’s a fork in the road to the right as you cross the South Richford Road; You could be heading towards Jay Peak. It would still be a great ride, but you’d be adding several dozen kilometres to your original 57 km itinerary. Furthermore, the first hill, and the most challenging of the route, can be found just after this bend, at about 25 km from our starting point. Believe me, it’s enough to really destabilize your legs! Sustained and stretching for several kilometres, it offered us quite the warm-up for the rest of the ride, which I recommend for intermediate cyclists. Fortunately, the view from the top was worth the effort!
The autumn colours also added a magical touch to the experience. If you ever do the Berkshire Loop, I challenge you not to stop every kilometre to take pictures! It’s truly the beauty of the landscapes that makes this route so interesting. Except for the town of Sutton, there are no shops or restaurants on the way, except in the pretty little village of Abercorn, near Sutton, where you’ll want to stop at the Abercorn Bakery and buy their delicious products.
Once we were back on Canadian soil, we were able to enjoy the town of Sutton, which welcomes a large number of sports enthusiasts after spending a day outdoors. Several breweries and good restaurants focusing on local products can be found here. We stopped at the Auberge Sutton Broüerie to immerse ourselves in the festive atmosphere created by the live band. It was a great way to look back on all the great memories we made on the road and to dream about the next trip in our beautiful region! Perhaps the Lake Memphremagog Loop … we’re thinking about it!
My personal highlight of the day: the village of Sutton, very friendly and dynamic.
Cycling
Cycling in the Fall
Nature, sports and outdoor activities
Reconnect With Nature on the Sentiers frontaliers
