Winter Wonderland – Gill Fisher takes the plunge on her first US ski trip.

I'm not a skier - never got over the initial ‘ falling over and making a fool of myself ‘ stage - but there's something quite magical about a holiday in the snow. A few years ago my family and I went for the challenge and decided to take a break from European ski holidays and opted to see what New England had to offer.

The white clapper-board buildings of STOWE, VERMONT, together with the spires of the town church, the country stores and covered wooden bridges created an idyllic setting.

We stayed in THE STOWEFLAKE INN, situated on the main road that runs from Stowe to the ski slopes, which offers rooms within the main building, or townhouses for larger parties. Since our stay, a major extension has been added and made the accommodation available even better. Breakfast was hearty, with everything on offer - locally produced Maple syrup on pancakes with crispy bacon was to die for. Charlie B ' s Pub & Restaurant provided an informal bar-style setting - their New England Creamy Corn & Clam Chowder is a must - or Winfield's Restaurant for more formal dining. The hotel also has first-class spa facilities. See www.Stoweflake.com .

There are plenty of other good restaurants along the Mountain Road, including typical Mexican dining at The Cactus, where you can expect the usual Mexican fare and plenty of it, but with a great ‘ western ' feel. On our last evening we dined The Von Trappe Family Lodge, which is part-owned by surviving members of the Von Trappe family (as in The Sound of Music). Don ' t be put off by the idea it might be themed and tacky – it isn ' t at all. There was a pianist twinkling the ivories as we dined in the delightful restaurant, and he rounded off the evening with ‘ Moonlight in Vermont ' – truly memorable! Advance dinner reservations are recommended.

Oh, and of course, the skiing … Ski school is well organised and moderately priced, but one of the pluses over skiing in Europe is that ski schools and children take priority on ski lifts, and all queues for chair lifts are orderly, and of course, safety is top priority. There are plenty of runs for all levels of ability for skiing and snowboarding.

Other activities on offer in the area include hiring snow bikes, snow-shoeing (enormously enjoyable), and hot-air balloon rides. The town of Waterbury , a short drive away, is home to the Ben & Jerry ' s Ice Cream Factory, offering conducted tours and samplings.

New England perhaps lacks the glitz and sheer magnificence of Colorado, but it is delightfully quaint, and non-skiers need not feel left out. It would be a more rewarding break if you had a little longer than just a week. A 10- or 14-night stay, with perhaps a 3-night stopover in Boston , would be ideal. Flying time to Boston is approx. 7 hours and Stowe is approx. 200 miles.

As with all good things, the time came to travel home, but rest assured I absolutely will return one day …

Snowboarding Thrills

Triple-Chair Ski Lifts