Tag: spring

Biltmore Estate – My Secret Walk Part 4

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America’s foremost landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted created America’s first managed forests that surround the Biltmore Estate. Good old “Freddie” was quite the Renaissance man. When he was not designing landscapes, he was an American journalist, social critic, and public administrator. He is also well known for designing Central Park in New York City. From what I understand, the land that surrounded the Biltmore Estate was barren. Rolling hills but very few trees. All that changed when thousands of trees were brought onsite and planted, under the direction of Olmsted. Over the years the trees and foliage have settled in, creating the beauty and elegance surrounding the Estate. If you visit in the spring, it will be even more enchanting. It’s hard to stand anywhere without getting a cherry blossom in your photo.

You’ll see this scenery from the balcony of the Estate and from the bus window as it takes you up to the Estate. But the best way to see this view is on the Photo Girl Secret Walk. In my last blog highlighting this walk, we were following the path along the river which bends and curves, protected by huge trees that extend their branches out over the water’s edge. After a bit you’ll see a large pond with plump ducks resting on the water’s edge. Most could do with a little cardio via a strenuous paddle around the pond, but instead they seemed to be content, dozing the day away. (I even ran at a few of them and couldn’t get them to move.)

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Once you pass the pond, the trail becomes a narrow path that takes you through ancient gates held up by sturdy vines loaded with flowers. Then everything opens up and you can see the Estate in front of you! I’ll include these images in my next blog. Yet again, work beacons.

To the right is the official Photo Girl FOLLOW button. Click to Follow and you’ll receive my next blog by email!

Would you like to purchase a print? Please click on “Contact”. My photography is printed on aluminum. Utilizing an advanced process which infuses dyes directly into the metal, the colors and saturation are really amazing. In addition, your print will be displayed using mount blocks which float the image ½ inch off the wall.

©2013 Shelley D Spray – No content on this site (including all photography) may be reused in any fashion without written permission from the author.

Biltmore Estate My Secret Walk Part 3

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If you’re just joining me on this walk, I’ll take a moment and step back. We are currently visiting one of my favorite places: The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. The estate sits on 8000 acres of the most beautiful countryside in America. Most people take the bus from the Historic Inn over to the Estate (which I what I did the first time). Don’t get me wrong. The bus is great. I actually met a lot of very nice people huddled into our seats, which I later saw that day. It’s as if you’re in a small town when you stay at the Historic Inn. You meet people on the bus and then there they are at the creamery in Antler Village. Then you’ll see them wine tasting later that evening…Yet I digress, back to the walk. After asking around, I discovered that I could walk over to the Estate. There were no clear directions but the overall consensus was that it was possible. And that was all that it took. I was a woman ready to set out on an adventure.

Not quite sure how to proceed, I turned my back on the bus and headed out the back door of the hotel – toward the vineyards. Passing Antler Village (and the winery) I found myself in a huge open field. It had rained the night before so I dodged puddles and breathed in the clean spring air. Tiny flowers shyly popped their heads up and seemed to be looking around. I imagine they must be thinking “we survived!” pleased to come into the land of the living. After I followed the path through the large field I found myself walking by a river, tree branches bending gracefully along the water’s edge. It was a bit overcast on the day I shot this photo but still beautiful. I was in heaven. Every turn seemed to bring a new discovery… To the right you’ll see the official Photo Girl FOLLOW button. If you click on it, you’ll receive an email link to my next discovery as we get closer to one of the most impressive castles in America.

Would you like to purchase a print? Please click on “Contact”. My photography is printed on aluminum. Utilizing an advanced process which infuses dyes directly into the metal, the colors and saturation are really amazing. In addition, your print will be displayed using mount blocks which float the image ½ inch off the wall.

©2013 Shelley D Spray – No content on this site (including all photography) may be reused in any fashion without written permission from the author.

Biltmore Estate…Solitude

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By the lake, such beauty, grace and solitude…

Biltmore Estate, Asheville NC “My Secret Walk” Part 2

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The walk from the Historic Inn to the Biltmore Estate is one of my favorites. In the previous blog we had grabbed our coffee at the Inn and set off toward the Estate on a 7 mile hike. In the above photo, you can see the winding path located at the back of the hotel. The path takes you by Adirondack chairs where guests lounge and read during the day, and then settle back in with a glass of wine in the evening. As you follow the path away from the hotel, you’ll see that it bends and curves over to the vineyards. The two photos below show the same path early in the morning and then at mid day. I love walking this path at anytime, but the mornings are spectacular when the countryside is shrouded in fog.

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Follow the path until you arrive at the Biltmore Winery which is at the entrance of Antler Village. I was there in spring and the photo below is looking back toward the path. In the spring, you can see the most spectacular cherry blossoms. When there is a breeze, not only will you smell the blooming flowers, you’ll see tiny peddles fall which I call “spring snow”.

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As you walk past Antler Village (more on the village later) and through the parking lot, you’ll see the path again. It winds through a huge open field, by a river and then over to a charming pond surrounded by ducks. I wish I could take you there now, but alas, I need to return to work. Click “Follow” and you’ll recieve the next part of this hike via email. Thanks again for following along!

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If you’d like to purchase a print to remind you of this beautiful area, please click on “Contact”. My photography is printed on aluminum. Utilizing an advanced process which infuses dyes directly into the metal, the colors and saturation are really amazing. In addition, your print will be displayed using mount blocks which float the image ½ inch off the wall.

©2013 Shelley D Spray – No content on this site (including all photography) may be reused in any fashion without written permission from the author.

Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC – Getting There

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Getting there is actually quite easy. I flew from SFO and and took the red-eye. I’m a huge fan of these flights because you have the entire day when you land. You may be a bit tired but suck it up, get a XXL coffee and head over to the rent-a-car agency.

The next piece of advice I’ll give is take your time. The countryside is gorgeous so my recommendation is to get off the main roads as quickly as possible. Once you get your rent-a-car I would recommend the following route (note map below). Take I-85 south to I-74 West; then I-64 north/west. There will be a smaller road you’ll want to look for called the I 64/74 north/west (toward Lake Lure and Fairview). This will get you off the main highway and will take you through some beautiful countryside. Lake Lure is gorgeous and if you have time you should stop for lunch. You may want to try the Historic Lake Lure Inn and Spa or get a picnic lunch and relax down by the water. (It was actually pouring down rain when I got to the hotel so I shot a photo of the hotel through my car window.)

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After lunch, follow the road up to Asheville and you’ll see signs for the Biltmore. Along the way you’ll see cattle grazing in the hills. It was raining the day I arrived which gave the countryside a beautiful, ghosted beauty.

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A few travel tips:

GPS location for the Inn on Biltmore Estate: 1 Antler Hill Road, Asheville, NC 28803

Closest large airport to Asheville is the Charlotte / Douglas International Airport (CLT) in Charlotte, NC (Asheville has a smaller one too)

Here’s a map showing the scenic route: The next post will include information on the Biltmore Estate! Have you made your flight reservations yet? 🙂

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Last Rose

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This is the last rose in my garden – Photo taken this morning after my stroll down to the coffee shop – The rain has finally stopped in Northern California. Yes, I believe I actually see the sun! 😉

Would you like a print? Please click on “Contact”. My photography is printed on aluminum. Utilizing an advanced process which infuses dyes directly into the metal, the colors and saturation are really amazing. In addition, your print will be displayed using mount blocks which float the image ½ inch off the wall.

©2013 Shelley D Spray – No content on this site (including all photography) may be reused in any fashion without written permission from the author.