A couple of readers wrote me with some interesting information about the nature walks featured in Sunday’s paper. I thought them worth sharing.
Celia Thompson said she tried to do the Pipeline Walk but was greeted by a few vagrants at the James River shoreline. What I recommended to her would be a good idea for anyone who wants to go check out the area: Start instead at the metal ladder at the east end of the pipeline catwalk on the south side of the floodwall at 14th Street. Walk west instead of east and slide off the pipeline at any point you feel comfortable to get a closer look at the blue crabs, cormorants, herons and other critters in the area.
Jim Lyons-Hart wrote in with some great background on Wahrani Nature Park. Here’s what he had to say:
I enjoyed your article in the Sunday paper about the Wahrani Nature Park. I lived in New Kent County from 1986 until late 1999 and hiked the Wahrani trails many times. Previously the trails were privately owned by the Chesapeake Corporation but were open to the public for hiking. Although the trails have been incorporated into the New Kent Parks & Recreation System it appears from your article they no longer provide trail guide pamphlets at the parking lot. Obviously the probability of getting lost was minimized by use of the trail guide. I did locate a trail guide on the web at
http://www.co.new-kent.va.us/parks/facilities/WAHRANI06.pdf
The concept of the Chesapeake Corporation for the park was quite nice. Trail guide pamphlets provided directions and noted historical and environmental information about areas along the hike. The trail map clearly exhibited three looping trails each increasing in length and time to hike. The pamphlet described an area of one trail where the banks of the trail rose on either side to be nearly 8 feet higher than foot level. It was explained that this part of the trail was once a portion of a road used during the colonial period to go to and from Williamsburg. Over many years the wear and tear of horse, wagon, and foot traffic dug into the earth to create the banks. The pamphlet stated the area where you saw the accreted seashells was a series of open mine pits. The marl dug out of the pits was used during colonial times for making concrete and other masonry materials. If you step off the trail in this area you can still see some of the open pit grooves left from the mining operations. It’s good to hear the trees are still marked along the trail. The pamphlet guided the hiker through the forest changes by describing the flora at selected sites.
I’m glad the trails are still there and available for hiking. However, it’s sad to hear the educational opportunity has been lost.
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