St Peter's Village

Today I drove out to St. Peter's Village in Chester County to explore the trails there. I can't believe I've lived here as long as I have and didn't know this was here. Yesterday I selected a 30 mile radius using this cool mapping tool. I can't remember where I was introduced to this tool. Probably in someone's blog or on Facebook. It's very useful and it is how I found this village and trails. My camera battery was shot so there are no photos. I need to check into that as it should not have been used up already. Annoying but now I have an excuse to go back so I can show you what I saw.

Not that I need one. Today was a great day. After a week + of daily summer thunderstorms and humidity today started out humid but burned off quickly. I arrived about 10:15 and walked the roughly block and a half that constitutes the town first. There is a bakery, an ice cream parlor and an 'antique' arcade. Antique because it has no electronic games that most kids play today. It's mostly pinball games that I grew up playing. (We had one in the basement of our house for a time too). There is also an Inn and I think we should go back there for dinner sometime. It sits along the creek (as does the whole town). The creek was especially rapid today due to all the rain we've had. It sounded glorious and had I brought dry clothes to change into I would have been sorely tempted to jump boulders and risk getting soaked. I had errands to run on my way home though and didn't want to be in the Acme smelling like a drowned rat. Next time for sure!

Next I wandered over the creek to check out the trails.
There are many and I could have spent hours there. After and hour and 45 though I was back at the main road and decided to quit. I wasn't tired but I was wearing shorts. I had bug spray on but the poison ivy was too close for comfort in some places on the trail. I have to invest in a good pair of lightweight hiking pants. The woods had some smooth fairly level trails and some others more rocky and full of roots. I am looking forward to going back and exploring some more.

I was disappointed at the graffiti and trash. I've seen more in some places (like Smedley Park for example) but just the thought that someone would do that in such a pretty place was annoying. I didn't have an extra bag or I would have picked up some of the water and Gatorade bottles  I passed :(.

I passed an extended family on the trail. They and their dog did stop to play in the creek. They asked me how to get to the village (they had come in from the opposite end of the trails). I was glad I could help. Further along I found a young family with a child about 3 playing in the creek. The little boy had a ducky inner tube and everything. Adorable. They asked me if  knew where the quarry was that someone had told them was there. They said it was supposedly full of water and served as a pool. I did not. But if it exists that would be neat to see.

After leaving the woods I wandered up St. Peter's road some more and climbed a hill to check out what appeared to be a new housing development. I think perhaps the builder abandoned the project though. The unit designated sample was closed which was strange for a Saturday afternoon and none of the units was occupied or finished inside. I climbed over the rocks that marked the edge of the property and ended up on another trail that brought me to an outcropping overlooking the town. I really wished the camera worked then.

Attention - PA Carolyn G, St. Peter's is only about 45 minutes from your house. It would make a neat hiking day trip for the family.

Thanks for reading all. Tomorrow a report on my 30 days of new eating habits and soon some musings on "What's Next" after I pass my stress test :)

Keep smiling and keep moving.