Rappahannock News - The Guide to Rappahannock
Activities and Tours
Artisan Trail
The Rappahannock County Artisan Trail, part of Virginia’s Artisan Trail Network, offers more than 100 stops in the county — artisan studios, craft-related venues and agri-artisan farms as well as restaurants, lodging and other points of interest. A map and brochure are available at the county Visitors Center, and there’s more at rappahannockcountyartisantrail.com
Parks and nature
Rappahannock County Park,
7 Park Avenue across from Little Washington, an International Dark Sky designated park, offers tennis, frisbee golf, shuffleboard, cornhole, skateboarding, nature trails, fishing, basketball, children’s playground, and covered pavilion (free sports equipment can be checked out at Visitor’s Center/ County Administrator’s office at 3 Library Road, Washington). Call 540-675-5330 or visit www.rappahannockcountypark.weebly.com for pavilion and Dark Sky reservations.
Shenandoah National Park,
which encompasses the Blue Ridge Mountains along the entire western border of Rappahannock County, offers a wealth of seasonal activities spring through fall at its resorts, campgrounds and visitor centers — and is open year-round (except for occasional winterweather closings) for hiking, birding, nature photography and sightseeing along Skyline Drive. Many trails, including the main route to Old Rag Mountain, start in Rappahannock — and, unlike those same trails accessed via Skyline Drive, the hike back is generally downhill. Call 540-999-3500 or visit nps.org/shen or goshenandoah.com for more information.
Flint Hill’s Caledonia Farm 1812 B&B (see listing under Places to Stay) is stop No. 1 on the Virginia Birding & Wildlife Trail, and the only B&B in the county with a direct link to the trail (and lots of birder-friendly reference books on hand). Visit BNB1812. com or call 540-675-3693.
If combining art and nature appeals, consider outdoor painting lessons in the Rappahannock countryside with Washington plein air painter Nora Harrington, who supplies everything you’ll need to create an oil painting on-site, including a French field easel, oil paints and a 12-by-16-inch canvas. Lessons ($160) are taught in threehour sessions and are timed to start near sunrise or end near sunset. More at nora-harrington.com/ painting-lessons.html
Horseback riding
Within hacking distance of Thornton Hill Fort Valley Hounds and a dozen great trails into and around Shenandoah National Park, Turkey Hill Stables offers private rides, lessons, full board and field board; indoor and outdoor arenas, horse training and local events. At 268 Fletchers Mill Rd. in Woodville, contact Turkey Hill at 540-987-9778 turkeyhillstables.com
Horseback riding is also offered by Conyers House B&B, where proprietor Sandra Cart wright Brown takes guests at the inn (and other paying customers) through a riding session that starts with tacking your own mount before heading through the countryside (see the Conyers House listing under Places to Stay).
At Halfway Farm Summer Riding Camp and Lessons, Sherry Hammill-Huff, a European trained racer, provides riding camps, lessons, full and field horse boarding at her 12-stall facility at 390 Fodderstack Rd., Flint Hill. Call 540-675-3848 for more information.
Golf
Schoolhouse Nine, the county’s first and only golf course, opened in the summer of 2015 next to the Sperryville Schoolhouse complex, where U.S. routes 211 and 522 meet. The gently rolling nine-hole course is deceptively challenging and, especially in wildflower season, quite beautiful. The course is open 9 a.m. till dark daily; rounds start and (especially) end at the adjacent Headmaster’s Pub (see Places to Eat). Weekday play is $15, weekends $25 (ages 16 and younger are $10 anytime); Monthly Unlimited Golf Membership is $39. Call 540-987-5008 or visit schoolhousenine.com
Civil War history
While there were no large-scale military actions in Rappahannock, several dozen skirmishes and many troop movements occurred here, a major thoroughfare and gateway to the Shenandoah Valley for both Union and Confederate forces. The Rappahannock Historical Society’s John Tole, who produced most of the county’s 30-plus Virginia Civil War Trails markers, also produced a map and guide to those markers, and those troop movements and skirmishes, which is available at the Visitors Center (7 Library Rd., Washington; 540-675-3153 Friday-Sunday, 540-675-5330) and through the Rappahannock Historical Society (328 Gay St., Washington; 540-675-1163) or rappahannockhistsoc.org
Fox Hunts
Old Dominion Hounds:
Activities September through March on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, weather permitting. Contact Masters Gus Forbush at 540-636-1507 or Scott Dove at 540-364-7457 for more information, dates, times, meets and special events.
Rappahannock Hunt:
Established in 1926, the hunt offers activities that are open to members and non-members. Events cover everything from trail riding to naming new puppies to dinners, dancing and chili cookoffs. Call 540-987-8957 or visit rappahannockhunt.com