Turtleback Farm Inn

So-named for the turtle-shaped land mass rising above West Sound that overlooks this restored 1800's farmhouse, the Turtleback Farm Inn sits on 80 private acres of pastoral fields where sheep graze, ducks dot the ponds and elm-shaded gardens add to the tranquility of this romantic hideaway.

Lovingly restored and meticulously maintained, this two-story green clapboard farmhouse with ivory trim, run by innkeepers Susan and Bill Fletcher, offers intimate accommodations, award winning breakfasts and gracious hosts who truly love being attentive to their guests.

Homegrown Wool Comforters

Inside the farmhouse, the living room boasts a Rumford fireplace, comfortable seating, and a corner game table. Spotless fir floors throughout the inn are softened by Persian rugs. The sunny dining room has a convenient wet bar which is always stocked with special teas, coffees and cocoa.

Each of Turtleback's seven guestrooms has a private bath and is furnished with fine antiques and Early American furniture. All rooms are unique, from the Meadow Room with its expansive view, to the Nook, which is reminiscent of a ship's cabin. Floral print cottons cover the wooly comforters-and the wool is from the backs of the sheep you see grazing outside.

During our visits, we enjoy the nearby cedar Orchard House, which was designed to resemble a barn. The two-story building offers four spacious king-bedded rooms complete with gas fireplaces, sitting/dining areas, full bath with claw-footed soaking tubs, separate large showers, and private decks.

Music with Your Breakfast

Dining room tables are set with fresh white linens, fine china and silver, and a turtle-shaped trivet with a pot of freshly ground coffee or brewed tea. During the summer, there are fresh berries from the island, and the fall brings apples from the trees right on the farm.

While Susan's famed granola offers a fresh start to your morning, the next course of ricotta pancakes with fresh berry sauce puts you in an "island state of mind," especially when enjoyed on the cedar deck overlooking Crow Valley as Celtic harp music drifts out to you from the kitchen. Other equally delicious choices are eggs Benedict, or smoked salmon buckwheat crepe gateau.

Views to Canada

Before setting out for the day, be sure pick up the Fletchers' personal map and ask their advice on what to see and do on Orcas Island. Bicycling, sailing, canoeing, kayaking and golfing on the public course are popular activities. As is strolling through the many shops and galleries in Eastsound Village. If you're looking for Orca whales, try walking along the beach at Obstruction Pass.

Across the road from Turtleback Farm Inn, the new Turtleback Mountain Preserve includes 1,576 acres crisscrossed with hiking trails. Its high meadows and rocky ledges offer breathtaking views of the San Juan and Canadian Gulf Islands.

But the best views are had from atop 2,409 foot Mt. Constitution in nearby Moran State Park. While you can hike it, Mardi and I prefer to take the scenic drive up to this peak, which is the highest point in the San Juan archipelago. The 360 degree views of the surrounding waterways and islands from the stone tower on top of the mountain offer perhaps the most romantic backdrop in all the San Juan Islands. Be sure to bring along your camera!

The first time we stayed at Turtleback, Bill & Susan's son Ian was helping out around the inn. The next time we visited he was at Annapolis. On this last visit we learned he was a Captain in the Marine Corp serving in Iraq. We are hoping that by our next stay, Ian will be back to working at the inn. Bless you Ian!