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Frequently Asked Questions about the Upper Access Cottages on Metcalf Pond

Because most people reserve the cottages without an opportunity to see them first, we have compiled answers to the most common questions. Needless to say, if you have questions or concerns not covered here, please call or e-mail

Q. Are the cottages in a private, isolated area?

A. The location is pleasantly rural, but with other cottages and residences nearby. There is plenty of room on our owned lake frontage for your use of the lake but you may well see other swimmers or boaters while you are enjoying the water on hot summer days. The area is generally very quiet during the winter and, to some extent, the cooler periods of spring and fall.

Q. Do the cottages have clean running water and full kitchens and bathrooms?

A. The running water for Fletcher cottages 1 and 3 comes from deep wells, not the lake. Fletcher cottage #4 has tap water that comes from the lake, but pure bottled drinking water is provided. All of the cottages have full kitchens and bathrooms.

Q. What are the swimming areas like?

A. The private lake frontage shared by cottages # 1 and 3 is next to a small public swimming access. The bottom is clay with sand and stones. It gets a little mushy in places, but most people find it comfortable. Some people may prefer to use swimming shoes. The water stays shallow far from shore, so it’s a safe place for young children to swim as long as they have reasonable adult supervision. The Fletcher 4 cottage opens up right on the lake, but the water is also shallow for a long distance from shore. If you’re a good swimmer, you might enjoy taking one of the boats out to deep water and jumping in there.

Because the lake is small (about a mile long and a third of a mile wide) and shalllow, it is calmer and warmer than larger lakes.

Q. What is the fishing like?

A. Metcalf Pond has an excellent reputation for fishing. Smallmouth bass are the most sought-after fish and quite common. For those looking to catch larger fish, the best bet would be northerm pike (or pickerel). There are numerous panfish, such as pumpkinseeds. But as with the vast majority of other lakes, the most common fish you will catch will be perch.

Q. Where do I get a Vermont fishing license?

A. Licenses are sold from the Town Clerk’s offices, or a number of area stores. However, you can save vacation time by purchasing a license ahead of time on line, at the Vermont Fish and Game Department site. The link for this is .

Q. Is the lake water clear?

A. The water is clean, but, like most other lakes in Vermont, it has a form of seaweed known as Eurasian Milfoil. We’d rather not have it, and we have meetings on how to reduce it. But overall, it’s a relatively minor nuisance on a very nice lake.

Q. How hard is it to get back and forth between the cottages and the lake frontage?

A. For Cottages 1 and 3, our owned frontage is directly across a quiet country road. We have separate docks for each cottage, and the frontage includes amenities such as a picnic table and fire pit. (This is in addition to such amenities in the yards of the cottages themselves.) In Fletcher, the frontage and dock are very close, and easily visible from both cottages # 1 and 3, but across a quiet country road. Cottage #4 is directly on the lake.

Q. Is the heating system sufficient in each cottage if it gets chilly?

A. Fletcher cottage #1 is cozy in even the coldest winter weather, so it is popular with skiers and other winter guests. Fletcher cottages #3 and 4 are comfortable for three seasons, but closed down in winter.

Q. Are laundry facilities included?

A. A washer and dryer are provided in Fletcher #1 and Fletcher #3, but not in Fletcher #4. There is a laundromat in Jeffersonville. Ample quantities of clean sheets and towels are provided in each location.

Q. Is there a private telephone?

A. Yes, in each cottage. We do not post the phone numbers on the Web, out of respect for the privacy of guests, but of course we’ll give you the numbers once you have made reservations so that you can inform friends and family how to reach you. If you make long-distance calls that will be charged to the cottage phone, please provide a credit-card number so that we can charge them when the bill comes in. In that case, we will mail the receipt, with a copy of the phone bill to verify the charges, to your home address.

Q. Will my cell phone work from the areas where these cottages are located?

A. Cell phone reception is generally less than ideal in the immediate vicinity of any of the cottages. It varies depending on what carrier you use, of course. (Verizon phones, for example, may get reasonable reception, while AT&T phones probably willl not.) Therefore, be sure to give the cottage phone numbers to anybody who might need to reach you in an emergency. You can also give them our phone number (802/482-2988) so that we can pass along any emergency messages if they can’t reach you.

Q. What is the TV reception like?

A. Satellite reception allows viewing of quite a few channels in all three Fletcher cottages. The service is equivalent to basic cable, without extra premium channels. Each cottage has a DVD player.

Q. Is there computer access?

A. Yes. Each cottage now has DSL WiFi.

Q. Are there restaurants nearby?

A. There are several nice restaurants in nearby Jeffersonville and Fairfax. If you’re looking for a great dining experience, you may wish to drive a little farther to the greater Burlington area, which has a huge variety of good places to eat.

Q. Is there good shopping nearby?

A. Guests in Fletcher will find good shopping in the nearby towns of Jeffersonville and Cambridge (each about a six-mile drive). The closest grocery store with supermarket-type selections and prices (albeit smaller than a typical supermarket) is Cambridge Village Store.

For a more varied shopping experience, you may wish to drive to Burlington and spend a day at its Church-Street Marketplace. You may find other shopping ideas on our Vermont Links page.