Dot's Way Cruising Cat: Safe Harbour Shelburne Shipyard back to Shelburne Bay, Shelburne, Vermont

After coffee and breakfast and signing off on storage contract with the marina, we rinsed the decks, filled the water tank, and went around to fuel dock for a pump out and then headed back to the anchorage near the city mooring field for the night. We headed to the dinghy dock to walk into the town of Shelburne. The bike trail was a shady walk through the woods and then intersected the road by the schools and government buildings and to the intersection with a wine and coffee shop across from the country store. We wandered through both shops and ended up with a bottle of wine and headed back to the boat before the bugs at dusk. A horrendous thunderstorm blew through with lots of rain that was unexpected.

Safe Harbour Shelburne Shipyard Marina

Classic sailboat across from us

Classic picnic boat in the mooring field

Happy hour spot

Shelburne City mooring field dinghy dock

Hiking trails from Shelburne City Park

Beautifully decorated front porch in Shelburne

Placemats in the Country Store

Shelburne Mooring field

On Thursday morning we left the dinghy at the mooring dinghy dock and walked to Shelburne Farms and took the farm path to the Shelburne Inn. We had a delicious breakfast in the National Historic Site on Lake Champlain. We toured the formal flower gardens before taking the circular farm trail along the fields and back by the farm barn where we bought fresh baked ciabatta bread and a loaf of raisin bread. We stopped by the farm store at the welcome center for their farm fresh goat cheese, cheddar cheese and grape tomatoes. We ended up walking 9 miles so it felt good to relax back on the boat.

Baby Indigo Bunting on the path

Herd of cows going for milking

Curious cows

Shelburne Inn

Farm Trail

Sheep being headed across the trail

Lake Champlain near the Inn

Yummy breakfast in historic settying

Formal gardens at the Inn

The bar at the Inn

The parlour at the Inn

On Friday after breakfast on the boat and leaving the dinghy at the dock we started the Allen Hill Trail from the parking lot of the Shelburne City Park. It was a gravel path that headed through the woods and ending up at the other mooring of the Lake Champlain Yacht Club. We then took the path and followed the water and then climbed to the top of Allen Hill for a panoramic view of the Shelburne Mooring Field. After that near five mile hike we headed towards the boat launch and then across the bridge on Bayshore Drive walking along the small shoulder headed to Archies for a burger. Google Maps was wrong in that our shortcut road was now blocked off so we put in some extra miles to get there. It was a great diner and the best cold cider and burger and we enjoyed sitting inside in the AC instead of at the crowded patio tables. Once we got back to the boat, Glenn jumped in the bay water to cool off as it was too cold to stay in.

Adding to the Cairns by the dinghy docks

Wildflowers galore

The view of the mooring field from Allen Hill

Mossy trees

Lawn art

On Saturday, we left the dinghy at the dock and walked back to Shelburne Farms for breakfast. We thought we were taking the shortest route to the Inn but when we came across the breeding barn and another farm we realized we were several miles in the wrong direction and the Inn was listed incorrectly on Google Maps as the welcome center. We had to backtrack to the Farm Barn where we made the wrong turn but we did find a new shady trail to the Sheep Knoll and past the maple tree taps so it was an interesting walk. We had to wait to be seated but ended up with the best view of the lake and a scrumptious bell pepper, kale and cheddar cheese omelet all from their garden. We stopped back by the Farm Barn for a baguette and a ginger molasses cookie and the Farm Store for wine, cheese and more grape tomatoes., By the time we got back to the boat we were hot and tired and ready for happy hour. It rained during the night. The wind picked up yesterday afternoon so it was a much more pleasant walk. On Monday, we will move the boat to Burlington Harbour Marina for two nights as strong winds and rain are predicted.