Winston Wanderers Walking Club
Enjoy walking with a group that enjoys walking
To learn more about our club or join us, look at our club brochure here.
NEWS and UPDATES
RESCHEDULED REGULAR EVENTS
Due to the snow storm, our three walks on the February 15 -17 weekend were postponed. They have been rescheduled for March 15 and 16. This weekend was chosen since we had group walks in Greensboro scheduled. The group walks will be held as announced for those who do not wish to travel to the regular events. There are a few changes.
We plan to do a group walk at Edenton (Chowan County) on Friday, March 14th, starting at 2:30. The start point will be the Historic Edenton Visitors Center. The Center is closed on Sunday, so if you plan to do the YRE on Sunday, register beforehand. Information about the YRE is at the end of this article.
Also, a dinner for all those interested will be held in Hertford on Saturday evening. An estimate of walkers planning to attend is needed, so let us know at the registration point on Saturday. The proposed restaurant is the Beautiful Moon Café. The menu is available at http://www.beautiful-moon-cafe.com/#!dinner/c20ak.
The registration point for all regular event walks is in Missing Mill Park in Hertford. . The start point will be open on Saturday from 9am to 4pm and Sunday from 9am to 2pm. The walks will be in four counties. The guided walk in Merchants Millpond State Park gets Gates County. The walk in Hertford is in Perquimans County. The walk at Pettigrew State Park goes through Tyrell and Washington Counties.
Hertford: The start point is in Missing Mill Park, 300 Grubb St. From Edenton take US 17 north to Business 17/Edenton Road Street in Hertford. Turn left and follow Edenton Road Street to Grubb Street. Right on Grubb Street to Missing Mill Park on the left. The trails are rated 1A You will also register here for Merchants Millpond, and Pettigrew State Parks walks. This is an easy 5 km route on city streets and sidewalks. Double the route for 10 km distance. It features many historic homes and buildings dating from the mid-1800s. Hertford is the home of baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Catfish Hunter whose burial site is on the route. Perquimans County was first settled by the Quakers in the middle part of the 17th century. For many years, it was the religious center of the neighboring colonies and it held the only church for hundreds of miles. The Church of the Holy Trinity was built in 1849 and stands today, looking much the same as it did then. Hertford was originally incorporated in 1758 as the county seat for Perquimans county, which was first inhabited by the Yeopim Indians. Stretching from the Albermarle Sound to the Great Dismal Swamp, its name means "Land of Beautiful Women." The area was first settled in the late 1600s. from hertford.netfirms.com/history.htm)
Merchants Millpond State Park: The guided walk will start at 2 pm on February 15th. The trail for both distances is rated 2C. This is a moderate walk on mostly natural woodland paths and fire/service roads. Very difficult for large-wheeled strollers. NOT suitable for other wheeled conveyances. An enchanted forest, primitive species of fish relatively unchanged over millions of years, towering bald cypress trees with massive trunks, luxuriant growths of Spanish moss; this is Merchants Millpond State Park. Here, coastal pond and southern swamp forest mingle, creating one of North Carolina's rarest ecological communities. Together with upland forests, these environments create a haven for wildlife and humanity alike. (from the Merchants Millpond State Park web site) Since this walk is at a State Park, monies cannot be collected here. Registration will take place at the registration/start point in Hertford.
From Hertford take SR 37 north for 26 miles to County Rd 1400/Mill Pond Rd. (watch for brown sign for Merchants Millpond) Turn right on Mill Pond Rd for 3.7 miles to entrance to park. Take first right into picnic area/start point.
Pettigrew State Park: The start point is at Picnic Area in Pettigrew State Park, 2252 Lake Shore Road. The Picnic Area is at the end of parking lot just past park offices at the main park entrance.
From Edenton take SR 32 across the Albermarle Sound to US-64 and turn left to Creswell exit. Skip to Paragraph A for rest of directions.
From Hertford take US 17 south to SR 37 south Turn left on SR 37 and continue straight as it merges into SR 32 and crosses the Albermarle Sound to US 64. Turn left to merge onto US 64 east and take the next exit right into Creswell. Go to Paragraph A for rest of directions.
From other approaches find your preferred route to US 64 to the Creswell exit and follow directions in Paragraph A.
Paragraph A: Alligood Road becomes 6th Street through Creswell to Main Street. Turn Left on Main Street (becomes Spruill Bridge Road/SR1142). Turn right on Thirty-Foot Canal Road (SR1160). Proceed for about five miles, and turn left on Lake Shore Road (SR 1166) for a very short distance then turn right into the park. through Creswell as above.
Since this walk is at a State Park, monies cannot be collected here. Registration will take place at the registration/start point in Hertford. This is an easy walk, rated 1A, on mostly natural dirt and grassy paths, with one segment along local roads. Suitable for large-wheeled strollers. Difficult for other strollers and wheel chairs due to trail surfaces. With more than 1,200 acres of land and 16,600 acres of water, Pettigrew State Park is an ideal blend of nature, history and recreation. Explore Lake Phelps and examine dugout canoes as ancient as the pyramids. Take a trip back in time at the grave of a great Confederate general. Or hug a tree as wide as an elephant. Pettigrew exhibits its history among picturesque natural surroundings. Majestic cypress trees tower above as the branches of tulip poplar and swamp chestnut oak provide perches for songbirds. Wildflowers decorate the landscape with a splash of color. (from the Pettigrew State Park web site)
Edenton: The start point is the Historic Edenton Visitors Center, located at 108 N Broad St. The telephone number of the Visitors Center is (252) 482-2637. The Visitors Center is open Tuesday – Saturday, 9am - 5 pm. It is closed Sunday and Monday. Both five and 10 kilometer options are available and are rated ‘1A’.
The AVA special programs for which this event qualifies are: Alternative Capitals, Celebrating Golden Cinemas, Civil War Battlefields, and National Register of Historic Places.
Edenton is a waterfront village with Southern Grace and Colonial History Founded on November 6, 1712. Edenton celebrated its 300th anniversary from November 6, 2012 through December 2013. Edenton served as the first Colonial Capital until 1743. Its citizens then helped in our fight for freedom, and became instrumental in establishing the principles and values upon which our nation was founded. Edenton survived the Revolutionary and the Civil Wars largely intact. Visitors today will find historic homes and three National Historic Landmarks preserving our heritage for future generations. The state’s oldest Courthouse, built in 1767 and still in use today, stands above the village green looking toward Edenton Bay.
Directions: Edenton is 2 hours east of Raleigh. Take US 64 East to Williamston, NC, then take US 17 North 30 miles to Edenton. From US-17, take exit 227 (NC-32) towards Edenton. If you are coming from the west, turn right at end of exit ramp. If coming from the east, turn left at end of exit ramp. Continue on NC-32 for .5 mile to N. Broad St. Turn Right on N. Broad St. for mile, start point is on left at corner of E. Gale St (Parking is around back of Visitors Center).
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NEXT MEETING
March 18th Meeting at Golden B Restaurant in High Point
The next club meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 18th, at the Golden B Restaurant in High Point. Dinner, which is optional, will be at 6 PM. The meeting will start at 7 PM and end around 8 PM. The restaurant is located at 1345 N Main St, High Point, NC.
To get there from I-40 eastbound, take US-311 toward High Point and get off onto Bus US-311 (North Main Street). Continue on North Main Street toward the downtown and past Eastchester (NC-68). Just after you pass Lexington Ave,(6 blocks) there is a small whitish/grey strip mall on the right. Turn right at the first driveway at the end of the building, it leads to a parking lot, enter restaurant from the rear. If you pass “FAST SIGNS” you have gone too far.
From Greensboro, take I-40 to US-68 and go south toward High Point on US-68 (Eastchester Road). At North Main Street, turn left and go six blocks to Lexington Ave. Just after you pass Lexington Ave, there is a small whitish/grey strip mall on the right. Turn right at the first driveway at the end of the building, it leads to a parking lot, enter restaurant from the rear
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CLUB NEWS
GUILFORD COURTHOUSE YRE: The primary start point at the Colonial Heritage Center has been closed completely. It may reopen around Memorial Day. Use the alternate start point at the Battlefield Visitors Center from now on.
Ocracoke Island Start Point closed on Sundays and Mondays until further notice. You may still register and stamp at the Buxton/Cape Hatteras start point for this walk.
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UPCOMING GROUP WALKS
GREENSBORO ON 3/15: Both walks will be done with a group lunch in between. The morning walk will start at 9:30 AM at the Bryan Family YMCA Facility, 501 Market Street. The phone is (336) 478-YMCA (9622). The afternoon walk will start at 1:30 PM (or later if the AM walk and lunch run late) at the Colonial Heritage center in what is no longer called Tannenbaum Park.
HOW TO GET TO THE BRYAN FAMILY YMCA:
From the south on I-85 exit 122, US 220 north to Washington St. in downtown. Cross Washington Street and move to the left lane to turn left into the YMCA parking lot (before you get to Market Street).
FROM EAST OR WEST ON I-40/Bus-85, exit 218 Freeman Mill Rd/US 220 (westbound use 218A, eastbound use 218B) to Washington St. in downtown. Cross Washington Street and move to the left lane to turn left into the YMCA parking lot (before you get to Market Street).
With courtesy to the YMCA members please park toward the center or back of the lot to leave the closer parking spots for the members.
HOW TO GET TO THE Guilford Courthouse NMP. From the south on 1-85, exit 122 to US 220 north (or from Business I-85, exit 122, Freeman Mill/US220). Follow as it becomes Edgeworth to Battleground Ave. Left on Battleground to New Garden. Right on New Garden and right into Park. FROM EAST OR WEST ON l-40/Bus-85, exit 218 Freeman Mill Rd/US 220 (westbound use 218A, eastbound use 218B) then follow as above to the Guilford Courthouse NMP
MOUNT AIRY ON 3/29: The Mount Airy walk will start at 10 am at The Mount Airy Visitors Center, 200 N. Main Street. HOW TO GET THERE: From 1-77 exit 101 (1-74) to exit 17, US 52 north toward Mt. Airy. From the south: take US 52 north to Mt. Airy. Follow US 52 Bypass and exit right on NC-89 (Mt. Airy/Galax). At traffic light continue straight on NC-89 East (Independence Blvd), through 5 more traffic lights to Renfro St. Turn right onto Renfro, go to Moore St and turn right, then into parking lot. The Visitors Center will be at the corner of Main and Moore Sts. (At the time clock, 1½ short blocks up Moore).
CONCORD ON 3/30: This Sunday afternoon walk will start at 2 pm at the shelter in Les Myers Park. The box will be brought to the start point so you do not need to stop at the motel to register.
Directions:
From I 85 South Take the Dale Earnhardt Blvd. exit, Exit 60, toward Copperfield Blvd. Turn left onto Dale Earnhardt Blvd. Stay straight to go onto Copperfield Blvd. NE. To Branchview Dr. (1.6 miles) Turn Left onto Branchview Dr. NE/NC-3 Continue to follow Branchview Dr. NE (4.0 mi) Turn Right onto Lawndale Ave. SE (0.3 mi) Les Myers Park is on the left.
From I 85 North take the exit, Exit 60, toward Copperfield Blvd.
Turn Right onto Copperfield Blvd. NE. (1.6 miles) Turn Left onto Branchview Dr. NE/NC-3 Continue to follow Branchview Dr. NE (4.0mi) Turn Right onto Lawndale Ave. SE (0.3 mi) Les Myers Park is on the left.
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This site is maintained for the Winston Wanderers by
Dick Feldmann
