Visit to Andres Institute of Art

A dozen of us ventured into the forested hills of Brookline in search of an appreciation for art and nature.  Okay, so we mostly just got lost in the woods, were confronted by rocks with pustules, a granite naked pregnant lady (gay kryptonite!), and even stung by angry hornets.  But we had fun in the process.  Guided by our fearless leader, a collie named Maple, we searched the trails of the Andres Institute for 100 art sculptures scattered throughout the hillside.  Some of the more memorable works included a bank vault door which may or may not have come from Gringott’s Wizarding Bank, a rock bench apparently made for the Flintstones, a very scrotal looking seed pod, and what appeared to be a bunch of 1950s TVs stacked way too high even for the most redneck of our relatives.  But whatever our tastes in art, we all seemed to have a good time walking the trails until we reached the summit view where we had a break and enjoyed refreshments.  The conversations were as relaxed as the hike itself.  There was no rush, the weather was perfect, and there were only a handful of other visitors.  We meandered the park trying to find the correct trail multiple times, but we eventually figured it all out.  Finally, we made a visit to the gift shop and snack bar at the base of the hill.  All in all, it was an enjoyable outing.

Join us for an easy to moderate hike on a former ski hill turned into an outdoor sculpture park! 

Andres Art Institute https://andresinstitute.org/ is located along Route 13 in Brookline, NH.  It should be easy access to those in Southern NH or Central MA.  There are numerous small trails, and we will try to see as many of the over 100 works of art as possible along the way, starting from the bottom and working our way up to the summit lookout near the cellphone tower.  There are printable and virtual maps on their official website, or you can use the Trailforks app.  The total trail distance can vary with all the different smaller trails but is roughly 2.5 to 3 miles to see everything and should take at least two hours.  The trail itself is easy in most places but can be moderate in a few places that are steeper.  The trail rises over 400 feet from the parking lot to the 600ft summit.  But there is a central paved access road for anyone needing to get up or down quickly.  There is no charge to enter the park, but donations are accepted.  Dogs are welcome.  Remember to bring water, bug spray, and sensible hiking shoes.  There are no trash receptacles, so all items brought in will need to be carried out.