SPECIAL EVENT: Sweet Trail & Tasting

ABOUT THE EVENT:
Join us for a fun, unique, and sweet way to celebrate fall and the amazing foliage that begins to show in the Durham, NH area around this time. For this event, we are partnering with Sweetened Memories Bakery for an extra special sweet experience.

SWEET PART 1:
Our adventure starts with a 4.3 mile walk on the Sweet Trail from Durham to Newmarket. This trail was chosen as one of the top 10 great foliage hikes in 2017 by NH Magazine. It is also described as connecting the land and the sea.

The Sweet Trail is a particularly flat path that meanders 4.3 miles from Longmarsh Road in Durham to the Great Bay Estuary in Newmarket. Built by the Great Bay Resources Protection Partnership, it opened in 2010 and is named for two long-time conservationists from New Castle. It begins at a boardwalk that leads to a great view of a beaver dam before meandering its way through the 2,500-acre Crommet Creek watershed. The trail provides a ground-level tour of the freshwater estuary as it wends its way to an overlook of Great Bay. Along the way there are several viewing platforms overlooking the marshes and woodlands, beaver ponds and even a great blue heron rookery.

Bring snacks and ample water for you and your dog. We will stop a few times to rest and replenish.

In order to walk the entire trail, a few cars will be parked at the end (Lubberland Creek) to shuttle participants back to the starting point to pick up their cars. If you will need extra space for a reactive dog to be transported back to the beginning, this is not a problem. If you are coming with someone, please coordinate with Traci if leaving a car at the beginning and end works for you. Email woof@nhdogwalkingclub.com, or call/text (603) 815-2453. You are also welcome to join us at the 1/2 way point of the walk if you prefer a shorter version.

SWEET PART 2:
After a beautiful foliage walk, join us at the Durham Town Landing on Old Landing Road in Durham for a taste testing for dogs and their people with Sweetened Memories Bakery.

Each dog will get to taste test three mini treats, including a mini Woofie Pie, Peanut Butter cookie, and Apple Maple Bacon pupcake. See if you can help us decide which is their favorite.

In addition, each human participant will receive three mini cupcake samples to vote on, including Maple Delight, Pumpkin Latte, and Chocolate Lovers.

There will also be a raffle and fun photo booth opportunity called “Kiss the Cook” where participants can take a memorable photo with their pup!

A potion of ticket sales as well as 20% of all baked items sold by Sweetened Memories will directly benefit Mary’s Dogs Rescue & Adoption.

AGENDA:

• 10:00am: Meet at Trailhead on Longmarsh Rd., Durham, NH
• 10:00am – 12:00/12:30pm: Walk the Sweet Trail from Durham to Newmarket
• 12:15/12:30pm – 12:45pm: Shuttle participants back to their cars
• 1:00 – 2:00pm: Enjoy a sweet treats taste testing at the Durham Town Landing with Sweetened Memories Bakery

In addition, participants will receive an entry towards our October giveaways (must sign in), which will be drawn on November 1st.

TRAIL RATING:
The 4.3 mile Sweet Trail is rated Level 1.5 – 2.5, easy, relatively flat with some boardwalks, mostly wide trails, and some narrow areas with rocky inclines. Highly recommend hiking boots or shoes with good tread (may be slippery rocks depending on amount of rain prior to walk).

COST: You MUST preregister for the walk and tasting, or walk only portion of this event.

• WALK AND TASTE TESTING
  • Non-Members – $15/person + $6/dog
  • Members – $10/person + $5/dog (use special event discount code found in members-only Facebook group when registering)
• WALK ONLY:
  • If you prefer to only participate in the walk the cost is $10/person (non members) and $5/person (members). Each person may have up to 2 dogs per our safety guidelines.
• TASTE TESTING ONLY
  • If you prefer to only participate in the taste testing, join us at 1:00pm at the Durham Town Landing on Old Town Rd. and pay $10/person and $7/dog at the event.

You may cancel for a full refund on or before 5pm on 9/30. To REGISTER, scroll to the bottom of this event to the BOOK EVENT section.

DIRECTIONS/PARKING:

• SWEET PART 1: From the Durham Town Hall at the corner of Mill Pond Road, take route 108 south about 1.4 miles. Turn left (east) on Longmarsh Road, proceed about 1.3 miles to the end (127 Longmarsh Rd.). You will see our table set up for sign ins.
• SWEET PART 2: Use Durham Town Landing, Old Landing Rd. in Durham, NH in your GPS which will take you to a dead-end street where there will be plenty of parking overlooking the water.

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE JOINING AN EVENT:
Please review our Club Guidelines, sign our Liability Waivers & Release Forms, and read our covid guidelines on our Events & Activities page.

CANCELLATIONS:
If weather or covid conditions make gathering and walking unsafe, the event will be cancelled and announced in the Event section of the Facebook Group and on this Calendar page.

QUESTIONS:
If you have questions, text/call (603) 815-2453 or email woof@nhdogwalkingclub.com.