The Homestead – Day 5

Today, our 5th full day at The Homestead, included a 7.5 mile hike, shopping at Lizzy’s favorite shops here, tea on the hotel porch, an afternoon nap, corn hole with friends, and homemade pizza for dinner in our cottage. I am going to take you on a virtual hike by sharing photos from our sojourn. I will also share a poem I wrote after doing this same hike with friends, The Harpers, last year. Enjoy the poem and the hike.

Orogeny 6.20.19

While hiking an Appalachian Trail
We marvel at the verdant landscape
And delight in the abundance of life
My companion mentions Orogeny 
The process of mountain formation


When young mountains are bold and majestic
Offering little sustenance to life 
When old, they are worn but serene
Welcoming and sustaining all life
With folds of abundance 


People imitate mountains 
Bold and magnificent when young
Worn and serene when old
The Old offering much to those
Who choose the worn paths

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We started out on the South Trail near our cottage and then switched over to the North Trail. We crossed a beautiful stream several times over simple wood bridges and arrived at an open meadow with beautiful houses along the ridge. We then arrived at another group of houses that were mostly build of stone. We arrived the green of hole 7 on the old course. You can see the golf course halfway house in the background in the above photo.

Starting with the photo below, you can see the 8th fairway and 7th green while standing next to the golf halfway house. We then left the North Trail and started climbing the Deerlick Trail. At this point we had hiked 4 miles. Because we were going reverse on the Deerlick Trail the first 3/4 of a mile was almost straight up hill. You can see the switchback in one of the photos below. After 3/4 of a mile, the trial flattens because you are now hiking along the top of the ridge. You follow the ridge until you get to a vantage point that has a wonderful view of the valley below.

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After our third water break we started down Deerlick towards the hotel.

This spot has always been a favorite. Imagine a ridge with rocks jutting out from the top along the entire ridge. This large rock behind us is there that rock gets exposed before the ridge plummets. The following photos are mostly where the Deerlick reconnects with the North Trail and meanders along the Old Course hole number 13. There is also a wonderful spur you can take that gives you a wonderful view of the Hotel. It also happens to be near the tee of the 14th hole on the old course.

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The remaining photos are from our shopping excursion and tea. A highlight was seeing Kristen Daylor and her new baby on the front porch of the hotel. YOU never know who you might see on the Homestead Porch!

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A Wonderful Day indeed!