Hiking Sticks vs Trekking Poles: What Type and What Length Should I Get?

Hiking Trail Sign

I've used both hiking sticks and trekking poles. One hiking stick that I've used off and on for 20+ years is just a 50 inch "jo staff", although jo staff might be a glorified term and one that I've only learned recently. This hiking stick I've been using is basically just a solid wood dowel 1 1/8" in diameter that may have originally been intended for use as a broom handle or some other tool. It had gotten pretty scuffed up and dried out and was starting to crack at one end so I gave it a new coat of finish oil and added some rubber can tips to each end. It may just end up being re-purposed as a Chinese Wand.

I like a wooden hiking stick mainly because it feels harmonious with the natural environment of the outdoors. A wooden stick was made from a tree and you're usually surrounded by trees - the stick's kinfolk - when walking on a trail. A wooden staff also has an old school vibe, and it can be used as protection against dogs or other animals or persons you might encounter. On the downside, a wooden hiking stick can be heavy and clunky.

I don't think that a wooden hiking stick needs to be gnarled or crooked like the stereotypical ones, and I don't even think it needs that leather string/strap that you often see on artisan hiking poles. A straight staff like a jo staff allows the user to put their left or right hand wherever they need to - usually lower down for uphill walking and higher up the stick for downhill descents.

Trekking poles made of carbon fiber or aluminum are cool because they are much lighter weight, with a tip that arguably gives better bite and a grip that is more ergonomic, and are usually collapsible or length adjustable so more travel friendly. A drawback is trekking poles may not be as durable as a hiking stick made from a strong wood like hickory. I've had them collapse on me. For this reason I don't even consider the adjustable length or collapsibility to be an advantage. They can also snap in half. For self-defense a lightweight trekking pole might not offer the peace of mind that a longer, heavier staff would. And lastly, the non-sustainable high tech materials are at odds with the natural environment.

Kingfisher WoodWorks

For the wooden straight staff or jo staff type hiking stick, the best might be the hickory ones made by Kingfisher WoodWorks in Vermont. These come in either 15/16 or one-inch diameters, in various custom lengths and (increasingly expensive) quality grades. More info here: https://kingfisherwoodworks.com/products/hiking-stick

Another option is Scrapwood Martial Arts from North Carolina (?). They make jo staffs ranging from 48" to 54" which would be perfect for use as minimalist hiking sticks. Diameters larger than one-inch are an option and you have more wood choices than just hickory. Details here: https://www.scrapwoodmartialarts.com/collections/frontpage?page=4

A third maker of wooden hiking/walking sticks is Brazos Walking Sticks out of Texas. Brazos is probably the type of wooden hiking stick that most people think of. Their Fitness Walker models looks especially cool, although the length options are more limited. Check out their sticks here: https://www.brazos-walking-sticks.com/categories/Walking-Sticks/Traditional-Walking-Sticks/

For trekking poles I'm only going to go over fixed-length poles since if I opened it up to collapsible or adjustable length poles it would be too much. I prefer fixed-length anyway.  First off we have the FK Trekking Poles by Ultimate Direction. These are described as being super lightweight (and strong) so if that's your primary concern check these out. https://ultimatedirection.com/fk-trekking-poles/

Black Diamond makes a similar product called the Distance Carbon Running Poles. These are designed for long distance running so they may or may not be tough enough for hiking. I don't think I've seen any negative reviews though so that's a good sign.  https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/trekking-poles/distance-carbon-running-poles-BD112221_cfg.html#start=4

Grass Sticks

I suppose you could also just use ski poles as trekking poles. If you go that route you're on your own. I don't know enough about ski poles to offer any recommendations, with a couple exceptions! Remember what I said about wood hiking sticks (advantage: made of natural materials, disadvantage: heavy and clunky) vs. trekking poles (advantage: lightweight and ergonomic, disadvantage: synthetic material).  What if you combined the best of both?  I think I've found the solution!

A Colorado company called Grass Sticks makes bamboo ski poles that can also be used for hiking. In a chat with the owner Andrew he assured me that Grass Sticks make excellent hiking/walking/trekking poles, for much the same reasons that they make great ski poles too: light and strong. Grass Sticks can also provide rubber tip covers for covering up the metal tip when walking on rocks or pavement. For most hikers the Original Custom Grass Sticks will be fine. For those who hike on steep hills and ascents Grass Sticks' Touring Sticks might be better as they have an extra grip on the shaft that allows you to choke down when ascending steep terrain. Purchase here: https://www.grasssticks.com/shop#!/Grass-Sticks-Ski-Poles/c/23444012/offset=0&sort=normal

In my research I also came across a Utah based maker of bamboo ski poles called Soul Poles. Their SoulLite Walking Stick might be the one to get. Take a look at that here: https://www.soulpoles.com/collections/trekking-poles/products/walking-stick


What Length?
The length you want is different for a hiking sticks versus a trekking pole. For its wooden hiking sticks Kingfisher Woodworks says on its website When choosing the length of the hiking stick, it's usually good to have an amount of counter-balance above the hand grip. Some extra length is also good for downhill pitches. As a general guideline, we recommend using the measurement from the neck (jugular notch area) to the ground as shown below.

If I was to follow this advice I would end up with a stick longer than my 50" stick which comes up to about my armpit. So that way of measuring may not work for everyone. Another way of measuring is to just add 6 to 9 inches above the elbow, or two hand-widths above where you naturally hold the stick (90 degree angle).


For a trekking pole the length is shorter simply because you hold the pole closer to the end. There isn't that 6 to 9 inches of counter-balance above the hand grip. Ultimate Direction has this pole size chart which I think is spot on:

***

Pacific Coast Highway Vacation Highlights - Best Food, Lodging, Towns, and more

Having recently completed a thousand-mile coastal road trip from Lincoln City, OR to South Pasadena, CA, I thought I'd post about some of the highlights.  The Pacific Coast Highway, as it's sometimes called, is basically a combination of US-101 in Oregon and CA-1 in California.  (The two meet in Leggett, CA).  You're not constantly in view of the Pacific, but significant portions of it are the idyllic, winding, ocean-kissed wonderland that have given this roadway such a poetic place in American culture.  

Best Stretch of Highway
There are many contenders for this, but the best I saw has to be the 140 mile stretch from Port Orford, OR to Trinidad, CA.  It is quintessential West Coast.  In the Oregon portion you've got Battle Rock in Port Orford and the unbelievable Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor farther south.  Into California there's Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park and Patrick's Point State Park, to name a few attractions.  (I'm leaving out a bunch in between).  It seems like this entire section is either impressive ocean vistas or redwood groves.  The 75 miles from Lincoln City to Florence was pretty striking as well.

Samuel H. Boarman State Scenic Corridor

Best Food
Small town West Coast dining is a notch or two above what you might expect.  Many communities have at least one exceptional restaurant ready to meet the needs of the foodie.  The most surprisingly stellar consumption happened at the Trinidad Bay Eatery and Gallery in the town of Trinidad, CA - a diner-like experience until the sumptuous food comes out!  Also great were Redfish in Port Orford (what a view), the North Coast Brewing Taproom in Fort Bragg (excellent beer too), River's End in Jenner, CA (out of the way gem) and The Raymond in Pasadena (world-class cocktails).

Conde B. McCullough bridge near Depoe Bay, OR

Best Lodging
The Inn at Arch Rock in Depoe Bay was the first place we stayed on this journey, and it was perfect!  Our cozy and comfortable room featured a panoramic view of the cove below - where whales could be seen out in the water.  The decanter of cherry waiting as we arrived at the room was a nice touch.  It's walking distance to town.  Equally deserving of the title of best lodging was Castaway By the Sea in Port Orford, OR, which has to be one of the better values on the whole Oregon coast.  Our room featured a kitchen, bedroom, living room and porch with a dramatic, unobstructed ocean-side view.  Our final spot, The Bissell House in South Pasadena, CA, was easily the best bed and breakfast I have ever stayed at.  This beautiful Victorian house wasn't too much of a splurge when you factor in the quality of the breakfast, the pool, and the overall ambiance.

View from inside room at Inn at Arch Rock

Best Town
My favorite place is still Trinidad, CA.  We stayed there 15 years ago, and again 13 years ago, so it was nice to return and see that it hadn't changed that much.  Of the places I've seen in California (and elsewhere in the world), nothing tops Trinidad in terms of visual charm.  I should also mention Yachats, OR.  We didn't stay overnight there, but it did look like a place to spend more time on a future visit.

Late evening view in Trinidad, CA

Best Hike
We tried to do some kind of hike every day but by no means even began to scratch the surface of the hiking opportunities along coastal Oregon and California. That said, the best walk we did was the St. Perpetua Trail at Cape Perpetua Scenic Area, just south of Yachats, OR. From the visitors’ center, it’s a winding and somewhat difficult 1.5 miles to the lookout shelter at the top. The views are spectacular and the walk back down was a piece of cake. That was one of many hikes in the area. Another very enjoyable hike was the Prairie Creek Trail through the redwood forest at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park near Orick, CA. Options abound there was well.

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

Can't wait to go back!

Fortune's Cove: One of the Best Undiscovered Hikes in Virginia

This past weekend Laura and I returned to our favorite Virginia hiking spot: Fortune's Cove, a 755 acre preserve in Nelson County near the town of Lovingston.  Fortune's Cove is owned by the Nature Conservancy and is situated within 29,000 acres of relatively intact forest habitat and rocky glades that is home to many rare plant species.

one of the views from Fortune's Cove trail

This demanding loop hike is my favorite for a variety of reasons:
-Solitude.  There never seems to be anyone else there!
-It offers two options: a steep, challenging 5.5 mile workout (allow 3+ hours - brisk pace) or a shorter, more moderate 4 mile trek (allow 2+ hours - semi-casual pace).  Just enough to feel like you've done something, but not enough to really wear you out.
-There are some decent mountain vista vantage points and lookouts along the trail, especially on the longer loop.
-It's 90 minutes from Richmond, which is about the distance you have to drive anyway to start getting to the good Blue Ridge hikes. So, it's no farther than anything else, really.  And it's pretty easy to get to...you don't have to traverse any poorly maintained roads.
-Most importantly, it's directly adjacent to Mountain Cove Vineyards (VA's oldest active winery) and not far from more than a half dozen other Virginia wineries as well as three cool breweries (Devil's Backbone, Wild Wolf and Blue Mountain), so we always combine this hike with stops at Mountain Cove or another winery for bottles and/or a brewery to have growlers filled.

This section of Nelson county between Lovingston and Wintergreen is one of the most pleasant and beautiful parts of Virginia.  Visiting there is a joy and if you're looking for a challenging hike in that area you can't go wrong with Fortune's Cove!

Fortune's Cove Trail Map

Download the trail map here.

Directions

From US 29 near Lovingston travel north for 0.5 miles to Rt. 718/Mountain Cove Road. Turn left and follow Rt. 718 west 1.5 miles to Rt. 651. Go right (north) for 1.6 miles to Fortune's Cove Preserve.

Birdwatching and Trail-Running at First Landing State Park - VA Beach

Whenever I’m in Virginia Beach I try and work in a hike or run at First Landing State Park.  Located off Shore Drive within the city limits, the 2,888 acre state park is just a few miles from the busy VA Beach boardwalk, but offers visitors an escape from an otherwise bustling environment.

The park’s nine trails total 20 miles and ramble past swamps, Cypress trees, beaches, sand dunes, bays and maritime forests with Spanish moss hanging from the trees – the northernmost point on the East Coast to witness these subtropical plants.  The park is also the northernmost habitat for Live oaks and Blue Jack oaks. 

In addition to attracting trail runners, boaters, bicyclists and beach-side campers, the park is also a haven to shoreline bird and animal watchers hoping to spot egrets, herons, raccoons, possums, and the occasional fox.  Also watch out for water snakes, green snakes and cottonmouths.  I do not think they have alligators this far north, but they would not be out of place here!

My favorite trail at First Landing is Long Creek Trail, a five-mile one-way path that is perfect for the runner looking for a moderately challenging run or the bird-watcher looking for a nice hike.  The trail starts along Long Creek, follows the edge of the bay and passes through a salt marsh.  There is a boardwalk in the salt marsh with a platform for observing shorebirds.  At the top of a tall sand dune there is an amazing view of Broad Bay.  You also pass White Hill Lake with its pure, majestic views of the lake and the open wetlands that surround it.  

At the end of the 5 miles, re-trace your steps or veer off onto one of the adjacent trails to see more of the park.  The flat terrain and unique habitat throughout ensures that you’ll have a pleasant experience wherever the path takes you in First Landing State Park!

St. John's, NL - A Walker's Paradise

I fell in love with St. John's, Newfoundland after spending 8 days and nights there in late summer 2011.  It's North America's oldest and most Easterly city. In the 2nd installment of an ongoing series of articles about this rocky wonderland, here's a fond look back at the hiking and walking opportunities.

Sugarloaf Path

St. John's is the place to go if you love walking but also want an artsy, cultural home base to return to each evening.  The East Coast Trail, a 335 mile coastal walking trail in Newfoundland, passes right through this harbor city.  St. John's is also home to The Grand Concourse, a system of trails, sidewalks and foot paths connecting over 70 miles of walking routes within the metropolitan area and surrounding communities...offering everything from a stroll along colorful row houses to fairly substantial hikes. Thanks to Hurricane Irene we had near perfect weather during our stay, so we got out and explored a bit.  Here are some walks and hikes I would recommend to the adventurous.

Sugarloaf section of the East Coast Trail from Logy Bay to Quidi Vidi

We had Jiffy Cabs (709-722-2222 - easy to remember and they were there in a jiffy!) pick us up at our BandB and drop us off at the ECT trail head at the Ocean Sciences Center at Logy Bay.  A $17 taxi ride with a friendly driver, of course.  From there it was a pleasantly difficult 9 kilometer hike to the village of Quidi Vidi on the Sugarloaf Path. You pass lots of coastal vistas, magical woodlands, rock formations, and, ahem, a landfill.  But don't let that stop you. This was one of the best hikes I've ever done and it's a favorite stretch of the ECT for many a St. John's local. There were a few steep climbs and some slippery rocks to traverse, but it was fairly moderate overall, I'd say. Still, not one that a lot of tourists do so you'll mostly have it to yourself.  Allow 3-4 hours to stop for pictures and to take in the views.

Harbourside Walk North to North Head Trail to Signal Hill

North Head Trail

This has got to be one of the coolest and most challenging - potentially life threatening! - hikes in any city of this size.  Start on Duckworth Street in the downtown area and head towards Signal Hill (can't miss it!). Bear right onto Battery Road, which will take you through the quirky Battery community. Check out the houses that look like they're about to fall into the harbor.  The road turns into a trail that turns into a cliffside path.  Do not attempt if it's foggy out, if you're drunk, or if you're scared of heights.  If none of those apply to you, then proceed on a hike that will take your breath away, and not just for the hundreds of steps you'll have to go up! The views of The Narrows here are some of the best you'll encounter.  Eventually, after lots of careful climbing, lots of hydrating, and lots of breaths, you'll reach the peak of Signal Hill at Cabot Tower and feel so much cooler than the oodles of tourists who take the easy way out and just drive their car up there.  From here you can skip on back to town on Signal Hill Road - an easy descent - or continue your hike on some of the other nearby paths, all of which will be more moderate than the one you just finished.  While you're in the vicinity why not climb up Gibbet Hill for yet another scenic view and interesting story?

Quidi Vidi Lake Trail
Looking for a nice, easy trail run?  Looking for some nice looking people out on a trail run?  Look no further! A loop around the whole lake is just under 2.5 miles, and it's flat the whole time - no ups for downs.  Great for a brisk exercise walk or run. There are lots of ducks and other seabirds in the lake just waiting for you to give them bread, and lots of wildflowers to be seen and smelled.  As is often the case in St. John's you can easily extend this walk if you like.  Other walkways that spin off of Quidi Vidi Lake include Rennie's River Trail, the Virginia River Trail, Cuckold Cove Path, Lake to Lookout Trail, and also the Sugarloaf section of the East Coast Trail mentioned above.

Rennie's River Trail

Rennie's River Trail

This 1.8 mile trail leads from Quidi Vidi Lake all the way up to Pippy Park and on into Memorial University.  It's a really pleasant trek that parallels Rennie's River (more like a stream) most of the time, where you'll encounter some mild rapids and falls and some nicely placed benches to sit for a spell.  The best thing about this trail, I think, are the backyards of the houses that you'll walk past.  You can tell that these are some upscale homes and most folks have their back yards landscaped in a way that takes advantage of the proximity to the river.  Stop and enjoy some of the wild berries that grow along this and many other trails in the area.

Pippy Park - Long Pond Walk
Another nice walk, kinda similar to the Quidi Vidi Lake path but with the added benefit of being more remote and forested, is the Long Pond Walk in Pippy Park.  It's about 1.75 miles, mostly level, and goes around Long Pond, another prime gathering place for waterfowl. This walk is worthy of mention simply for the fresh scent of pine in the air.  You can get here by car, but try walking from Rennie's River Trail.  From here it's not too far to the Memorial University Botanical Garden and the adjacent Long Pond to Oxen Pond walk will take you there.  There are some nice views of the city and Signal Hill from up here as well.

East Coast Trail from Fort Amherst to Blackhead, Blackhead to Cape Spear
We wanted to do this hike but didn't make it happen.  If we'd have had one more open, sunny day we would have done it but it'll have to wait until next time.  It was highly recommended and the Freshwater Bay/Deadmans Bay portion was said to have been very appealing.  We probably would have had a cab drop us off at the small community of Blackhead and walk back, or if we were feeling really adventurous we could have started at Cape Spear and walked back, making a whole day of it.  For a better description of the Fort Amherst to Blackhead hike w/ lots of pics see this blog post by Dottie Maggie.  I also heard that Cape Spear to Maddox Cove is perhaps an even nicer hike, but that would have required two cab trips I guess?

Waterford River Walk to Bowring Park
Another path we had hoped to do but didn't is this stroll through an affluent looking old neighborhood that is also the beginning of the Newfoundland T'Railway. At close to 550 miles, the T'Railway is a recreational trail going across Newfoundland that's open to walkers, bikers, horseback riders, snowmobilers and cross country skiers.  For the city dweller's purposes though, it's enough just to ramble along Waterford River to Bowring Park, a lovely, historic park known for its swans and fountains.

We were really impressed by the fitness-driven mentality here and the amount of people out taking advantage of this wonderful network of walking routes.  Yet another thing to love about St. John's!

Click on the following links to read more about my St. John's trip and the pubs, live music and restaurants I experienced.

Hiking Northern Virginia's Prince William Forest Park

The pictures below were taken by my wife Laura during a hike we took last month in Prince William Forest Park.  It was a hot July day, but on the shady trail it stayed fairly comfortable.

Typical path - South Valley Trail

Located in Northern Virginia near the Quantico Marine base, Prince William Forest Park is the largest protected natural area in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region, and features over 15,000 acres of piedmont forest.  A $5 entrance fee grants you access to the park for one week. Since it is right off I-95 exit 150, and in close proximity to densely populated areas, you'd think the park would get a lot of use but we've always found trail traffic to be very light.  In fact, on this last visit we only crossed paths with a couple other walkers during our 8-mile ramble. 

With over 37 miles of hiking trails, options are numerous. Maps are available at the visitor center and the rangers can help you plan your hike.  Soon after you leave your car and hit the trails the park can become surprisingly rustic.  This is no nature trail.  The scenery and conditions could often pass for a more moderate Appalachian Trail.  Of course it's Northern VA so you're never that far from a road or people, but it's easy to think you are somewhere much more remote.

Waterfall in distance

 For our route, we drove in to parking lot A and made a loop from there.  We walked along the South Valley Trail from Parking Lot A all the way to Mawavi Road.  The South Valley trail parallels a creek for much of the way and is probably the best overall trail in the park.  If you keep going past the intersection with High Meadows Trail, as we did, you'll come across a nice waterfall near the Mawavi Cabin Camp.  We stopped near the waterfall for a picnic lunch by the creek.

We continued walking on South Valley Trail, but turned right once we got to Mawavi Road, which is actually a gravel forest road.  Mawavi Road led to the paved "Scenic Drive" road, where we turned right and walked along the road until it met up with the Meadows Trail.  No cars, only bicyclists, were on the road.  Still, we were happy to get off the road and turned left onto Meadows Trail - a nice trail that takes you past the Taylor Farm Site.  We then turned right at Taylor Farm "Road" (it's more like a path).  That led us back to the South Valley Trail where we briefly re-tread some of the way we had been earlier until were back at the car.  About 8 miles altogether I estimate.

Prince William Forest Park also features 8 primitive campsites as part of its Chopawamsic Backcountry Area.  This is a separate part of the park and you have to get a permit from the visitor center to camp there.  You also can't drive in; you have to hike in a couple miles to get to your site.  This type of camping is very rare for Northern VA and I'm looking forward to checking it out.

Walking in County Clare Ireland, Walking in France

I came across a website recently called Walking In France, which has a wealth of information on...walking in France!  The Australian couple that maintains the site and does the rambling seems to have the same type of philosophy towards backpacking and travel that my wife and I have (i.e. minimalist), so I will be returning to this website frequently for tips and ideas as I plan similar self-guided walks.  I think I recall reading on the site that the couple has walked about 6,600 kilometers and spent close to 300 nights in France while on entirely self-guided walking trips over the last 9 years.  I guess you learn a few things by trial and error when you do that!

A few of the initial pointers I gained from the Walking in France website were tips on deciding what to take (a flimsy plastic poncho instead of a Goretex jacket, for example - brilliant!), how far to walk per day, where to re-fill water, types of accommodation, and the phrase "you are not a tourist".  It has made me want to do a walk in France, and if I decide to go I'm sure I'll contact Jenny and Keith for further advice and suggestions.

Speaking of similar walks...I have mapped out a tentative plan for walking in County Clare, Ireland.  But, seeing as we are leaving in a month for a walking-friendly holiday in St. John's, Newfoundland, the Ireland trip will have to wait until 2012.  At least 4 friends are interested in going with us this time, which will make it fun but put more of an emphasis on advance preparations.

Green Road in the Burren

My tentative Ireland walking plan is to fly into the Shannon airport and arrange for the owner of a B&B in Broadford to pick us up and transport us to and from our hikes for the first 2 or 3 days.  During this time hopefully we will be able to see the villages of Killaloe and Mountshannon from walking the East Clare Way, while spending an evening or two in nearby Ennis to catch a mighty session at Brogan's Pub on a night when my favorite Clare musicians Quentin Cooper, Eoin O'Neill or Yvonne Casey are playing.  I hope we can also fit in a boat ride on Lough Derg or Doon Lake, courtesy of the B&B owners.  I like the idea of staying in one place the first 2 or 3 days to get acclimated before walking from village to village.  I love Clare and the whole Shannon area, but I have never seen the East Clare region near Lough Derg.  Tourists often overlook this portion of the County, but I am looking forward to visiting it!

After basing ourselves in Broadford for the first 3 nights, we will be dropped off in Corofin so that we can walk the entire Burren Way: Corofin to Ballyvaughan, Ballyvaughan to Doolin, and Doolin to Lahinch, backpacking with all our gear during this section.  These should be doable walks of approx. 12 to 15 miles per day.  We will probably stay in B&B's and hostels rather than camp.  We may plan for multiple nights in both Doolin and Lahinch to fully enjoy those lovely villages.  (While in Doolin maybe we'll catch a session with master tenor banjoist Kevin Griffin or fiddler James Cullinan).  Hopefully we can also work out a side trip and/or overnight on the Aran Islands.  (I have not been to the Aran Islands on my 4 previous trips to Ireland).

Virginia Wineries with Hiking Trails

Virginia has awesome hiking and many excellent wineries, so why not combine both!  Here are three wineries offering tasty wines plus fun hikes.

Mountain Cove Vineyards, located in Nelson County near the town of Lovingston, VA, has a challenging 5.5  mile hike adjacent to it called Fortune's Cove Preserve: a demanding loop that steadily reaches an elevation of 1,500 feet.  That effort is ultimately rewarded by mountain views.  Download a trail map here.

View from Fortune's Cove hike

I recommend hiking the circuit trail first and then stopping by the winery for a tasting, not the other way around!  Mountain Cove is Virginia's oldest active winery, founded in 1973.  The atmosphere in the tasting room is very laid back and rustic, and it is surrounded by beautiful scenery and places to picnic.  Mountain Cove's wines are of the high standard now expected from the Monticello region's vineyards.  My favorite varieties are the Tinto and Harvest Apple.


Just north of Mountain Cove, off of Route 29, is DelFosse Vineyards and Winery.  DelFosse offers French-style wine in a serene setting.  It's a somewhat newer winery, being founded in 2000.  DelFosse has wines ranging from $16 to $29 per bottle, perhaps allowing for a compromise between taste buds and wallet.  You may have a hard time finding a favorite though.

DelFosse Winery and Vineyards

The on-site hiking trail at DelFosse winds for about five miles and was built by Nelson County and the DelFosse Winery.  I believe more trails are planned.  There is also a historic log cabin which you can rent for a reasonable cost. Not far from Mountain Cove and DelFosse is Albemarle Cider Works, suppliers of local VA cider and fresh squeezed apple juice.

View from Devil's Backbone patio

While out that way you could also cut through the mountain and stop by Devil's Backbone Brewery, which has great beer amidst incredible Scandinavian-like vistas.  Multiple rugged hiking options are available at nearby Wintergreen.  Also - many other wineries and two other breweries are a short distance away.

Finally, In the Southern portion of Virginia (Halifax County) I have been wanting to visit Molliver Vineyards.  It is situated on 134 acres with primitive on-site camping (tent or RV) and has extensive trails and 12 different varieties of wine.  It's about a 2.5 hour drive from Ashland, so when I visit Molliver I will definitely camp there for the full experience.

Let me know if I've missed any VA winery/hiking combos!

A 6 mile/10K walk around Ashland, VA

Here's a walk I like to do in the town of Ashland, VA.  It's about 6.5 miles or 10.5 kilometers. It mostly uses minor roads, sidewalks and pathways/greenways.

Map of Route

Start at the intersection of Henry Street and Route 54/England Street near the Randolph-Macon College Welcome Center, across from the Ashland post office. Walk north on Henry Street past the RMC library (on your right) and football field (on your left).  Continue walking on Henry Street.  At the end of Henry St. make a left onto Vaughan Road (this is approximately 1 mile from the start of the walk).  Walk along Vaughan Road a short distance until you cross the railroad tracks.  Immediately after crossing the railroad tracks, turn left onto the Railside Trail.

Railside Trail

 The Railside Trail is a 1/3 mile paved path and open space that runs alongside the railroad.  Walk the Railside trail until it ends, then continue straight onto Center Street, which also runs parallel to the railroad.  After walking about a third of a mile on Center Street, look for a winding sidewalk path near RMC's Rhodeen House.  Follow this winding sidewalk toward RMC's new tennis complex.  The parking lot of the tennis complex exits onto Henry Clay Road, where you will make a right to continue your walk. 

Tennis Court Sidewalk

Walk .2 miles on Henry Clay Road, then make a left at James Street.  You'll walk about .7 miles on James Street, crossing Route 54/Thompson Street.  James Street ends at the trailhead for the Stony Run Trail, a walking/jogging trail along an eight-acre tract  following Stony Run Creek.  

Stony Run Trail

The other end of the Stony Run Trail puts you out near the intersection of Ashcake Road and Center Street.  Cross the railroad tracks at this intersection (use caution) and continue along Ashcake Road.  Look for a road called Maple Street,which is near a park.  Make a right onto Maple Street, heading south.  There is no sidewalk here so be careful.  After a short distance Maple Street veers off to the left, but you'll want to continue straight onto Walder Lane.  After you've walked a short distance on Walder Lane you might come across a closed gate.  I always just climb around this gate and keep going. 

Ashland Trolley Line Trail

After climbing around the gate, continue on Walder Lane and soon you'll come upon the Ashland Trolley Line Trail.  This greenway currently extends for about a half-mile along the Old Trolley Line Right of Way from Ashland to Richmond.  There are tentative plans to extend it farther, but currently it is just a half-mile one-way trail (one mile up and back).  Walk along the Ashland Trolley Line Trail until it ends at a small parking lot, passing some swampy areas along the way.  At this point you're going to backtrack some of the way you came...so go back up the Trolley Line Trail to Walder Lane, climb around the gate, and keep going on Maple Street until you get back to Ashcake Road. 

At this point you've walked about 5.5 miles and only have about one mile to go!!!  Once you get back to the Ashcake Road, you have a couple options. 

Option 1 (shown on map): Continue along Maple Street for the entire last mile until reaching the finish at the intersection of Route 54 and Maple Street (this will put you at the post office, across the street from where you started).  If you walk this way there is one section between the cross streets of New Street and Mac Murdo Street that is pedestrian only - no cars could fit through here. 

Option 2: A more scenic and slightly more lengthy detour is to backtrack a few more steps by taking a left at Ashcake, heading back toward Center Street.  When you get to Center Street make a right before crossing the railroad.  By going this way you get to walk past all the beautiful old homes that line Center Street and the historic Ashland town center.  Stay on Center Street until you get to Route 54, just after Cross Bros. grocery store, and make a right.  Walk along 54 a short distance until you get back to the start/finish.

I sometimes like to take a brief break at this point and then do the walk all over again in the opposite direction for a total of about 13 miles altogether!