 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
foothill towns
Anderson, SC
Chimney
Rock, NC
Clemson, SC
Columbus, NC
Gaffney, SC
Greenville,
SC
Hickory, NC
Lake Lure &
Rutherford County, NC
Morganton, NC
Mount
Airy, NC
Saluda, NC
Seneca, SC
Spartanburg, SC
Tryon, NC
Books About The
Carolinas
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Earthly pleasures
seem richer
in the higher altitudes. In the Saluda/Tryon area of North Carolina,
10 vineyards provide grapes for local and other wineries. At Rockhouse Vineyards,
Chardonnay, Merlot, Viognier and Chambourcin are produced.
Robert Pettit |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
| Tryon, Saluda and Columbus |
|
f you’re feeling a bit adventurous on a long weekend, find your way to Rockhouse Vineyards and elbow your way to the copper-topped bar. It’s all casual and friendly, but the wine you’ll be tasting is absolutely top of the line. Winemaker Lee Griffin and his wife, Marsha Cassedy, produce small quantities of quality wines.
Nearby, Green Creek Winery has created Chardonnay Rosso, the world’s first red Chardonnay.
(But don’t expect to sample it when you arrive for a tasting. It’s in such demand that their first offering sold out quickly and it’s anticipated the next will be equally popular.)
The winery is open for tastings and enjoying views of the vineyard and distant mountain vistas. And those are only two of the many reasons to visit Polk Country.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
f horses are your thing, you’ll be in good company around Tryon, where equestrian pursuits such as steeplechase, dressage, jumping and carriage-driving have close to an 80-year history. The Tryon Riding and Hunt Club, FENCE (Foothills Equestrian Nature Center) and many other equestrian organizations host events from March through early October.
For sports enthusiasts who like to get wet and wild, there are a number of river outfitters who can set you up for a leisurely paddle, a float with the whole family, or a kayaking clinic. If you like the water, but want to keep your feet on the ground, visit Pearson’s Falls and take a leisurely stroll back into a cool, shady forest with its cascading water.
Golf courses are plentiful in the area, offering some of the most scenic courses you’ll find anywhere in the Blue Ridge. Of course, the temperature is ideal for golfing, with the thermal belt that keeps the climate cooler in the summer and warmer in winter. Two new golf course communities are Bright’s Creek and White Oak Plantation, and others are in the planning stages. The Sanctuary at Tryon is a new mountain community with remarkable views that is also close to I-26.
|
|
|
|
|
If your idea of sports is pulling out your credit card, you’ll have plenty of temptations, most notably Heartwood in Saluda, where American crafts are highlighted, including lovely handmade wearables, jewelry, paper, paintings, fine porcelain, stoneware, and much more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
A little way out of town is Sweet Earth Mountain, an eclectic and delightful mixture of woodwork, twig furniture and gifts from the past.
Saluda is a small town that, in its heyday, welcomed summer residents to more than 30 inns. The visitors, like so many others from the midlands and Lowcountry, traveled to Saluda, first by buggy, then by train and now by car, to escape the summer heat. This town has been known for more than a century, but still retains its small mountain town flavor and appeal.
Not too long ago, Saluda’s entire downtown was named a National Historic District, a designation that recognizes its value and guarantees its protection in the future. The town is spread out over seven small hills and started as a crossroads called Pace’s Gap in the 1800s. Now, so many years later, Main Street (Highway 176) has been designated a Scenic Byway. The downtown Purple Onion Café serves a lunch and dinner worthy of much larger venues, with a pear and gorgonzola salad that can’t be beat.
At night, weary frolickers have a number of B&Bs and Inns to choose from in the area, including the historically-significant Orchard Inn with its fine dining and lovely atmosphere, originally built for the Southern Railway folks and now open to the rest of us. Another excellent choice is Tryon’s Pine Crest Inn, built in the early 1900s, and once a favorite haunt of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway.
|
|
|
|
|
Nearby Columbus is the county seat of Polk County and features the historic courthouse that is one of the oldest still in use in North Carolina. The earliest inhabitants of the area can be traced to settlers who had located at the base of the White Oak Mountain range well before the Revolutionary War.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Today, special gatherings include many elegant sporting events and the less stellar, but definitely lively Coon Dog Day, held each summer in downtown Saluda. It adds up to an inviting package, and that’s what attracted Arlene and Jay Adams, who moved to nearby Lake Adger from Maryland. “We knew what we didn’t want,” Arlene Adams said, smiling. “We didn’t want fast-paced, and we didn’t want touristy.” She and her husband explored the area, and became intrigued by the friendly people, beautiful mountains and range of things to do that seemed reminiscent of a much larger community.
“Your neighbors are so willing to help out,” she laughed, telling about the very cantankerous billy goat that came with their property, and had to be enticed to leave with a potential female companion placed in a pen on the grounds. Things ended well for Sir Billy, however. Now, he is the favored male at a goat rescue farm nearby.
The Adams visited as often as they could while they were looking for property. She said they’d get quite depressed on the drive back to Maryland, but were happy on the way back down south. Lake Adger has very limited development, and all home sites are at least an acre, with some as large as ten acres or more. “This is the greatest place,” said Mrs. Adams. “It’s exciting, the climate just perfect, and ideal for gardening.”
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Katherine O. Pettit has worked as a writer, magazine editor, printer and
public relations consultant. The Columbia resident has published
more than 250 articles in magazines and newspapers. Her writing
explores a variety of subjects including travel, lifestyles, business
and management.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Facebook