Monday, October 16, 2017

The Peaks of Otter

Some of you may know that my daughter Shirley and I just returned from a short trip to the mountains. It was incredible. I will share some of our fun with you this week and, who knows, maybe next week, too. 

The Peaks of Otter in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia was my favorite. We stayed at the lodge overnight, settling into our surroundings at dusk. 
The view from our balcony.

The next morning we ate breakfast in the lakeside restaurant with this view from our window.

Then we boarded a shuttle bus to drive to near the top of Sharp Top Mountain (one of the three peaks of Otter). That ride had us all squealing as the bus climbed up a very steep, narrow road with one hair-pin curve right after another. It was a far piece down the side of that mountain if we slipped off that road!! 

                     Finally we arrived at the end of the road. 

Some of our group elected to hike to the peak... some 1,500 more feet over very steep and slippery terrain. My daughter was one of them! I was not! Those that did not wish to hike hopped back on the bus and returned to the lodge. I remained behind, enjoying that mountain air, taking pictures, relaxing all by myself. 
Here some of the hikers are waiting to start the trek to the top


A fence at the bus turn around spot.

Rocks, trees, fall leaves, moss.  

Our view as we head down the mountain.

Oh, and by the way, I had wondered where the name 'Peaks of Otter' came from. It seems that there was a family by the name of Ewing who settled there back in the early days and Ewing is pronounced 'Clan Ewing of Otter' in Scottish. 



10 comments:

  1. Ah, wonderful! Your photos are incredible and I feel like I have just been there with you! All I neeeded was the fragrance of fall to complete my visit so I’m sitting at my little secretary in the den with Harvest Yankee candle right beside me!
    You and your daughter have the best times together! Do I remember right in that you’ve written a book? I would love to buy a copy.

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    1. Linda, the name of it is 'Springtime In Magnolia' and can be purchased through Amazon Books. Thanks for your interest in it and your kind remarks about my post.

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  2. Sounds like a great adventures coming down the mountain, one hair pin curve after the other. Lovely spending quality time with your daughter.

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  3. I think I would have opted to stay alone on the mountain too (waiting for the hikers to return). The view is amazing.

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  4. I do like your header ... fantastic for this time of year.

    So nice to see all of your photographs in your post, what a wonderful view that last photo shows.

    All the best Jan

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  5. What exquisite scenery! That you had it all to yourself for a while is amazing!

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  6. Absolutely gorgeous photos, Mom! What a wonderful trip! I love the views from your balcony! The mountains have always called to me...know this really gave you a special feeling, to be there.

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  7. Like you did, Latane, I would most likely also have opted to remain behind and enjoy the lovely and colorful views. What a great time of year for this trip and I agree that you and your daughter share some fun times.

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  8. Oh, that sounds like a really fun thing to do! Beautiful scenery!

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  9. Beautiful photos of one of my favorite places of the past. We used to go up for Thanksgiving dinner and stay overnight. Across the road from the lodge there was a trail that led to a farmhouse. We did hike up to the top of some peak there and I remember it was pretty rugged where a couple of places had the path eroded. I don't know if we ever got to the top of the peaks of otter or some other peak. BTW, the TG meal is truly a feast, or it was 35 years ago.

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