Shenandoah Getaway
Country Fox recently took a weekend getaway to a cabin near the Shenandoah National Park. We enjoyed great views, history, wine and a beautiful hike.
Sometimes it is just nice to get out of town for a few days. So, after getting the advice of some friends, we visited Lydia Mountain Lodge. They have a variety of cabins and rentals available. We settled on the delightful Blue Ridge Rustic Modern. The cabin was light and airy. The view was great.
There are so many things to do in the area. Charlottesville and Monticello are not far away. The area is surrounded by wineries, antique stores and history. Too many things to do in just one weekend.
Friday
We left early on Friday morning. The journey was long. On our way down we stopped at a distillery for a drink. The Copper Fox in Sperryville, VA opened in 2005. It is the first and only distillery to age their whisky with toasted applewood. It was the first U.S. distillery malt floor and kiln since Prohibition had been repealed. All grains are locally grown. Copper Fox floor malt the barley in the traditional style. As soon as visitors walk in they are hit by an amazing aroma. The air smells the way the drink tastes.
Visitors can do a Flight to taste the different whisky and gin that they have available. Interested in a cocktail? they have those too. During this visit I had a ‘Dark & Foxy’. This is their version of a Dark and Stormy. Inside their shop, you can purchase a variety of their whisky, gin, clothes, barrel kits and glass ware. We left with a bottle of their Original Single Malt Whisky and a hat.
After a refreshing drink we were back on the road. Eventually we made it to the cabin. The road up to the cabin is a little scary in places. The road is rather narrow as it winds up the mountain side. We spent the rest of the night enjoying the view of the mountains, and a nice drink with our dinner.
Saturday
After breakfast and some time lounging on the deck taking in the view, we headed off for Skyline Drive. We purchased a $30 pass that allowed us to enter as often as we wanted for up to seven days. We headed along the southern rout of the 105 miles. Skyline Drive stretches along the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Shenandoah National Park. There are several overlooks along the way. We stopped off at a few on our ride.
After while we headed off for lunch. We drove to Barboursville Vineyards. The ruins are found on the grounds of the winery. A grand house was designed by Thomas Jefferson for his friend James Barbour. The house was completed by 1822. Sadly, the house was destroyed by a fire on Christmas Day 1884. The remains have stood since. The Zonin family began conservation efforts. The ruins are available during the hours when the winery is open.
At the site we had a nice picnic style lunch. A rough version of a charcuterie board. Crackers, cheeses, meats and fruits. The weather was perfect and it was an amazing time.
After our lunch, we headed off for some antiquing. We visited various stores and found a few items we just had to have. Interested in antiquing locally? Visit Founders Crossing, Sun-Kissed Country, or Frye’s Antiques.
When the antiquing was over we headed back to the cabin and enjoyed a dinner on the deck. As the night wore on, we laid on the Adirondack chairs and spent a couple hours gazing at the milky-way.
Sunday’s Shenandoah Hike
After breakfast, we enjoyed some time on the deck and packed up our belongings. We headed out to the Shenandoah National Park again. We traveled to some new overlooks then headed to one of the many trails.
In total we hiked about five miles. The path was kept clean and was easy to traverse. As we moved our way down the path to the bottom of the valley we moved from views of trees to a splendid stretch by a stream. We even had a peak at a little waterfall.
After our hike we had a picnic lunch of chicken wraps and chips. We stopped by a few more overlooks and then began our long journey home.
Weekend Wrap-up
There were so many things to do, so many wineries to visit and so many trails to hike. We will definitely be back. If you enjoy the out doors I would suggest a trip like this.