Senior Hikers Challenged In Pennine Way, England

I recently read information on the seven epic walking trails in the world. Senior hikers, where you are headed with your best pair of hiking boots, is called Pennine Way . So grab your coffee, your boots and let’s be on our way.

Often called the most physically challenging trek in the United Kingdom, the 268-mile Pennine Way walking trail follows the mountainous backbone of England through the moors of Bronte Country, over limestone cliffs and glacial valleys, past Hadrian’s Wall and across the wildest stretch of land in the nation before concluding at the Scottish border.

The traditional starting point of the trail is The Old Nags Head, Edale in the beautiful Peak District. This charming 16th-century property features its own, well-known pub.

I’d want to check in here prior to hiking the trail as the cozy pub is listed as one of England’s top 100. With a log fire, it also offers a selection of local beers, ciders, lagers and its own ale, The Nag’s 1577. Let’s meet there and take the trail together, okay?

Seniors Check Out High Cup Nick

It takes about 18 days to complete, but many walkers prefer to break it up into smaller sections. Some forgo the southern and northern extremities altogether and focus on the more accessible middle section of the trail, the highlight of which is a breathtaking glacial valley called High Cup Nick.

Bronte Country is an area which straddles the West Yorkshire and East Lancashire Pennines in the North of England. A windswept land of heather and wild moors, it is hardly surprising that this region became the inspiration for the classic works of the Bronte sisters, Charlotte, Emily and Anne.

Seniors Find Hadrian’s Wall

Seniors, wouldn’t it be neat to hike across the famed Hadrian’s Wall. Know anything about that Wall? Well, Hadrian’s Wall, also called the Roman Wall, Picts’ Wall, or Vallum Hadriani in Latin, was a defensive fortification in the Roman province of Britannia, begun in 122 AD in the reign of the emperor Hadrian.

If you would prefer a shorter trail, walk 84 miles from coast to coast following the World Heritage Site of Hadrian’s Wall, past Roman settlements and forts. There’s history every step of the way, and cosy pubs, bustling market towns and great views too.

Small wonder then, that this landscape fueled the imagination of the Bronte sisters in writing their classic novels – including “Wuthering Heights”, which was reputedly inspired by the isolated moorland farmstead of Top Withens and “Jane Eyre”.

Seniors, enjoy your visit to the area and walk part if not all the Pennine Way. You will certainly enjoy the legendary landscape. -jeb

Seniors Find Where Kool-Aid Was Created

Seniors learn of Hastings , Nebraska, known as the city where Kool-Aid was invented by Edwin Perkins in 1927 and celebrates that event with the Kool-Aid Days every August.

Hastings is also known for Fisher Fountain, a “sign of hope” for local and area citizens during the Depression and dust bowl days of the 1930′s. During World War II, Hastings was the location of the largest Naval Ammunition Depot in the United States.

Hastings, the seat of Adams County, with a population of around 25,000, is 136 miles west of Omaha. The community was founded in 1872 at the intersection of the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad and the St. Joseph and Denver City Railroad.   The city was named after Colonel Thomas D. Hastings , who was instrumental in building the railroad through Adams County.

Seniors Enjoy Hearing Hastings History

The area was previously open plain: the Donner party passed through on its way to California in 1846 and a pioneer cemetery marker in Hastings bears an inscription taken from Tamsen Donner’s journal: “The country between the Blue and the Platte is beautiful beyond compare. Never have I seen so varied a country so suitable to cultivation.”

In the 1870s, railroads lured European immigrants to the new state of Nebraska with advertisements. Hastings’ first settlers were English, from Liverpool, and were quickly joined by other English, Irish, Germans, Danes, and Germans from Russia. Today their descendants are the residents of Hastings.

Senior music lovers will appreciate the Hastings Symphony, greater Nebraska’s premiere symphony orchestra, the Listening Room at the Lark, a nationally-known venue showcasing both local talent and the country’s best musicians and songwriters, and rich, cultural offerings available at Hastings College that was established in 1882 and Central Community College.

Seniors Find A Great Museum

I’d want to visit the Hastings Museum, the largest municipal museum between Chicago and Denver that chronicles the history of the early inhabitants of the Nebraska plains, from paleo-Indians to euro-Americans.

Senior visitors can experience life up close in the Hastings Museum’s three floors of natural and cultural history as well as full dome astronomy shows in the Planetarium.

In addition visitors enjoy the Museum of Nebraska Art, the Windmill State Recreation Area, the Trails and Rails Museum, the Plainsman Agricultural Museum and the Crystal Lake State Recreation Area.

Lake Hastings features four miles of paved and gravel trails that wind through open fields, woodlands of stately trees, and wetlands. The trails are open to bicycling, hiking, cross-country skiing, and in-line skating on the paved trail.

TripAdvisor notes eleven things to see and do that senior visitors will not want to overlook. So point your route to Hastings and enjoy all it has to offer. -jeb

Seniors Check Out Henrico County

Henrico County , officially the County of Henrico, senior travelers will find in the Commonwealth of Virginia with a population of around 307,000. If you, like me, love history, then Henrico County is the place for you. Henrico County Virginia, like all of Virginia, is rich in history.

In 1611, when Henrico became one of the eight original shires of Virginia, Henrico residents and events began to help shape America’s story and its heritage. In 2011, thousands of visitors helped celebrate its 400th anniversary.

Present-day Henrico County curves around the City of Richmond, surrounding it to the west, the north, and the east. The county is bounded by the Chickahominy River to the north and the James River and Richmond to the south.

Senior Visitors Walk In History

In Henrico County senior visitors can discover what it was like to work a 19th-century farm or walk the same battlefields as General Robert E. Lee or Ulysses S. Grant. If you prefer a museum, then plan a visit to the Virginia Randolph Museum, a National and State Historic Landmark that pays tribute to one of the greatest educators in America.

If you have a full day to explore, immerse yourself in a few Civil War battle sites in the Richmond National Battlefield Park (Malvern Hill Park and Fort Harrison). During the Civil War, in 1862 Henrico County was the site of seven  battles during the Peninsula Campaign.

Senior hikers, the nearby Virginia Capital Trail is a dedicated, paved pedestrian and bicycle trail that connects the Commonwealth’s past and present capitals of Jamestown and Richmond along the Scenic Route 5 corridor.

Seniors Hike The Virginia Capital Trail

The Trail traverses approximately 52 miles, four jurisdictions, and more than 400 years of history along one of the first inland routes in North America. Ranging between eight and ten feet wide, the Capital Trail accommodates all modes of non-motorized transportation so you won’t have any trouble walking the Capital Trail.

East End Cemetery, a historic African American burial site, is a great place for a little historical research. East End is the final resting place of an estimated 13,000 people, among them some of the most prominent black Richmonders of the turn of the 20th century.

For you sports fans, Henrico hosts more than 140 tournaments annually from lacrosse to Quidditch to flag football. Then there is Three Lakes Park, called by many…a “hidden gem.” This favorite stop for many senior visitors features woods, fishing lakes, wetlands and wildlife along with a nature center.

Old Henrico County Courthouse dates back to 1898 in Richmond. Senior oenophiles, the 41st Annual Virginia Wine Festival, the oldest wine festival in the state, takes places in September in Run Regional Park in Fairfax. Senior travelers, plan to explore the County of Henrico. It will be such a pleasure.  -jeb

Seniors Like the Village of La Farge

This senior came across the La Farge , Wisconsin on a Half&Half milk carton. La Farge is the home of Organic Valley, an organic farmer-owned cooperative. My organic family and I enjoy their products very much.

Organic Valley’s headquarters are a shining example of a true “green building.” Organic Valley hosts the Kickapoo Country Fair the Kickapoo Country Fair on its grounds on the last weekend in July, a celebration that includes live music, sustainability workshops, and rural heritage exhibits.

La Farge is located along the Kickapoo River in Vernon County, Wisconsin. The residential community of Dreamtime Village is located near La Farge.

Seniors Drawn To Wisconsin’s Secret Paradise

La Farge has a long and interesting history and a population today that runs just under 800 residents. This small picturesque farming community sits about 20 miles from the Elroy-Sparta State Bike Trail.

La Farge is a year-round recreational destination, renowned for canoeing, trout fishing, hiking, biking, snowmobiling, horseback riding, and hunting. A canoe landing and camping area are available to senior visitors in the village park.

La Farge  has been called “A Secret Paradise In southwest Wisconsin” where farmers enjoy life in the Driftless Region, known as “ An Enchanted Land .”

Seniors Discover the Kickapoo Valley Reserve

I’d be interested in visiting the Kickapoo Valley Reserve where seniors will find a high diversity of plant communities, and significant archeological and geological features, as well as an extensive system of rustic trails for equestrians, bikers, and hikers.

Meandering through the site is the scenic Kickapoo River bordered by numerous sheer cliffs and forested bluffs. The Center is huge with an 8569 acre tract of land jointly owned by the State of Wisconsin and the Ho- Chunk Nation and set aside for recreational and educational purposes.

Rising some 350 feet above the river are the Ocooch Mountains, a region of forested hills, lush valleys, and sandstone cliffs that stretch beyond the Kickapoo River watershed roughly from Spring Green on the east to Viroqua on the west.

Get up some courage and boat down the river from Rockton to LaFarge for some Wisconsin fun. Anyway you slice it, this part of Wisconsin is the “real thing” where senior visitors will find quaint and picturesque villages, dairy farms and beautiful scenic countryside. -jeb

Seniors Hone In On Burke

Burke is a town in Vermont with a population of around 1,800. Senior visitors will find that the town contains the villages of East Burke, West Burke and Burke Hollow.

The Town of Burke was chartered in 1782; the first settlers arrived in 1792. The town was organized in 1796 in the home of Lemuel Walter who cleared land and built a cabin on land that was later Darling’s Mountain View Farm.

The first surveyors divided the town into lots of approximately 160 acres. Burke is surrounded by other Northeast Kingdom towns and villages, both large and small. Burke was named after Sir Edmund Burke, a member of the British Parliament who tried to promote conciliation of the American colonies and avert a war for independence.

The proprietors of the Northeast Vermont grant took his name for their yet unsettled town of Burke. Sir Edmond Burke had so well expressed their hopes for freedom and independence. Deeds today still refer to the original proprietors, who were given the land as payment for their efforts in the Revolutionary War.

Seniors Find Hiking And Biking Trails

The Chamber of Commerce invites seniors to enjoy Burke Mountain Ski Area on Burke Mountain. A volunteer group maintains the mountain biking trails. Portions of these trails are open to cross-country skiers in the winter.

East Burke is home to the Kingdom Trails trail system. Mountain bikers frequent the trails in the summer and autumn, during which there are hundreds of riders at any given time riding the local trails. Burke Mountain is the Gateway To The Adventure in the Northeast.

TripAdvisor suggests that senior visitors not miss Lake Willoughby and the Kingdom Trails. This 110 mile single track mountain bike trail in East Burke,  is open all year long. You can enjoy riding your bike in the Vermont snow with the locals. Downhill mountain biking is fun summer activity, so toss your bike in the trunk and join in with the locals.

Seniors Like Vermont In Autumn

The Burke Farmer’s Market draws in not only the locals but visitors as well. Here one can stock up on locally grown fruits and vegetables, baked goods, farm raised meats and poultry, specialty foods, maple syrup and hand-made goods from local artists and craftspeople.

Note the Maple Syrup. I’d want to stock up on that Vermont specialty myself. Visit Burke in Autumn for the Annual Fall Foliage Festival – always the last Saturday in September.

Seniors, head on up to Vermont and take in Burke, Burke Hollow and East Burke.  There is something fun going on in Burke all year long.  -jeb

Seniors Visit Oldest Town On Cape Cod

Sandwich, a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts with a population of 21,000, just happens to be the oldest town on Cape Cod and one of the most picturesque towns that senior visitors will see on the Cape.

The Town Hall is located right next to the Dexter Grist Mill, in the historic district of town. Sandwich is part of the Barnstable – Yarmouth metro area and is located 50 miles southeast of Boston. So when you are visiting one of America’s most historic cities, swing on down to Sandwich . Many of Sandwich’s prominent families have Quaker ties.

Sandwich was settled by the pilgrims in 1634. They arrived in this area with 10 people and founded a settlement with the mission of worshipping freely and producing cotton.

The name was based on a seaport in Kent, England named Sandwich. Though the town initially depended upon agriculture and fishing, at present it is recognized as a tourist spot.

Seniors Enjoy Old Charm Of Sandwich

The charm of yesteryear has not left this historic village. Its town center boasts beautiful old residences, some of which have been converted to inns, B&Bs, shops and fine restaurants.

The many historic homes in Sandwich include the Benjamin Nye Homestead on Old County Road, formerly known as the original “Old King’s Highway”, and the Benjamin Holway House built in 1789.

TripAdvisor suggests that seniors not miss the Heritage Museums and Gardens and the Sandwich Boardwalk, sometimes called the “Plank Walk”, one of the world’s top ten boardwalks according to National Geographic Magazine.

If you happen to collect glassware, the Sandwich Glass Museum may fill your interests. Glassmaking was started in Sandwich by Deming Jarves in 1825 and today, glassblowers still create magnificent works in studios along Route 6A.

Seniors Find Walking Paths And Awesome Gardens

Seniors will find picturesque scenes all over town. Google these major sites of interest: The Wing Fort House, Thornton Burgess Museum, Hoxie House and the Dexter Grist Mill. In recognition of the 375th birthday of The Town Of Sandwich, the church in the center of town was turned into the canvas for a spectacular animation called Paintscrapping.

Hit the beach on Town Neck, Sandy Neck or Wakeby Pond. Bring along your best hiking boots or bike. The Briar Patch at Green Briar Nature Center features walking paths and awesome gardens.

Shawme-Crowell State Forest offers camping and great hiking. The Cape Cod Canal Bike Path is a stretch designated for biking, walking, jogging and rollerblading.

I love the Town Motto: Post tot Naufracia Portus (Latin for “after so many shipwrecks, a haven”). Sandwich is indeed a haven for senior tourists like yourself, so plan to spend some quality time enjoying this charming Cape Cod town. -jeb

Seniors Discover Monrovia

Monrovia is located in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles County, California with a population of around 36,000. Senior visitors enjoy Monrovia’s Old Town , the heart of the community.

Revitalized from the once dilapidated state it found itself in the 1970s, today it has become a regional attraction and local necessity for those who live, work and play in Monrovia.

Seniors, if you time your visit, every Friday night,  from March to Christmas, thousands of residents and visitors alike mingle at the largest street fair of its kind in California, with craft and food booths, kiddie rides, a farmer’s market, live music and more.

Seniors Find A Beautiful, Historic City

In Monrovia senior visitors will experience all the warmth of Southern California and the advantages of a gorgeous natural environment, a city that is beautiful, historic, cultural, economically diverse and inviting.

Located 20 miles northeast of Los Angeles, Monrovia is only 8 miles east of Pasadena. Monrovia has an ethnically diverse population and its residents gain easy access to the Southern California Freeway system.

The East Huntington Drive technology corridor is one of Monrovia’s prominent high-tech, bio-tech and nanotech research and development centers. Sun Microsystems, Xerox Special Information Systems, Genzyme, Silverlake Research, ITT Deep Space Division, Aeronvironment and Dynametric are a few of the prominent companies located in Monrovia.

Seniors Enjoy Scenic San Gabriel Mountains

As is much of California, Monrovia is loaded with history. The Shoshonean Indians were the first inhabitants. In 1769 Don Gaspar Portola and his party were the first Europeans to arrive and Juan Crespi, a Franciscan Father,  accompanied the expedition.

The region was filled with orange groves but over time became a residential community. The arrival of the Santa Fe and the Southern Pacific railroad significantly increased the population and Monrovia was officially founded in 1887.

Monrovia’s Canyon Park includes a nature center and scenic hiking trails and is a popular location for outdoor enthusiasts. This video, Driving Around  Monrovia , provides a nice overview of this exciting city. Monrovia lies in an awesome setting.

The well known Santa Anita Race Track, Disneyland and Irwindale Speedway are nearby. The Los Angeles Arboretum & Botanic Garden Arboretum Trail located in nearby Arcadia is a great place to visit for nature enthusiasts.

The scenic San Gabriel Mountains offer a variety of recreational opportunities. Cal Tech, Mt. Sierra College and the Claremont Colleges are nearby, providing educational opportunities for local students.

In 2008 Monrovia was a finalist for “Most Business Friendly City.” Seniors, set your GPS for the foothills of San Gabriel Mountains and enjoy Monrovia. -jeb

Seniors Discover The California Riveria

Senior travelers learn that Orange County, California, is sandwiched between the vibrant metropolis of Los Angeles and the relaxed waves of San Diego. “OC,” as it’s called by locals, is made up of a group of cities located along the Pacific coastline and inland.

Orange County whose seat is Santa Ana, has a population of over 3,000,000. Thirty-four incorporated cities are located in the county. With over 42 miles of Pacific coastline and spectacular vistas, many enjoy calling it…the ‘California Riviera’.

When California became a state in 1850, what is now Orange County was a part of Los Angeles County. It took nearly 20 years of struggle for the area to break away and create a county of their own. Many contend that Orange County was named for its most promising crop.

Seniors Visit Disneyland And Knott’s Berry Farm

Orange County is the second most densely populated county in the state, second only to San Francisco County. Due to Orange County’s proximity to Los Angeles, many film and media celebrities have moved or bought second homes in the county.

Actor John Wayne, who lived in Newport Beach, is the namesake for Orange County’s John Wayne Airport. The county is famous as the home of attractions like Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, and several beaches along the  coastline.

The county’s four largest cities, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Irvine, and Huntington Beach each have populations exceeding 200,000. Several of Orange County’s cities are located on the Pacific coast, including Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and San Clemente. Senior visitors will discover lots of beautiful scenery and a host of fun things to see and do all over Orange County.

Seniors Enjoy California’s Gold Coast

Orange County invites senior visitors to check out the spectacular South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, or stroll the famous Huntington Beach Pier and watch the surfers off Huntington Beach, aka Surf City, USA.

Senior golfers can enjoy the region’s excellent golf courses. Then there’s the  Cleveland National Forest and the Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge. The Gold Coast of California with over 40 miles of coastline and spectacular vistas have led many to proclaim it the “California Riviera”.

Orange County is home to some of the world’s most popular attractions: The Disney Resort and California Adventure, Mission San Juan Capistrano, ‘The Jewel of the Missions” and Knott’s Berry Farm.

The Great Stone Church, a cathedral ruin that has been named one of the world’s 100 Most Endangered Sites is located at The Mission San Juan Capistrano. The migration of the swallows back to Capistrano every March is celebrated with their famous Swallow’s Day Parade.

Seniors, set your GPS for Orange County and discover its rich heritage. - jeb

Seniors Discover Susanville

This senior was looking over a map of California and discovered a city up in the northeast corner of the state called Susanville .

Susanville was named after Susan Roop, daughter of Isaac Roop, an early settler. It was at one time the center of farming, mining and the lumber industry.

Susanville, formerly known as Rooptown, is the seat of Lassen County and is highly scenic . Located on the Susan River in the southern part of the county, it sits at an elevation of 4,186 feet.

The population runs around 17,000, the majority of which are held at two state prisons: the California Correctional Center, a minimum-medium security facility, which opened in 1963 and the High Desert State Prison which opened in 1995. The Federal Correctional Institution, Herlong is nearby, having opened in 2007.

Seniors Hike The Bizz Johnson Rail Trail

TripAdvisor wants senior visitors to know about the Biz Johnson Trail, the Susanville Ranch Park and the Lassen Historical Museum. Geocaching, the recreational activity of hunting for and finding a hidden object by means of GPS coordinates posted on a website, is a populars activity in the area.

Roop’s Fort, also known as Roop’s Trading Post, Fort Defiance, and Roop House, is a historic building in Susanville. The site, that was built in 1854 by Isaac Roop, was the first building constructed by white settlers in Lassen County. The fort was originally a trading post for westbound migrants and was the first post west of Fort Hall in Idaho.

The historic Susanville Railroad Depot was built by Southern Pacific Railroad in 1927 and is a historical landmark that emphasizes the cultural heritage of the region. The Depot also serves as the main trailhead for the Bizz Johnson National Recreation Trail which is a converted railroad track that follows the old Fernley and Lassen Branch Line of the Southern Pacific Railroad.

Seniors Follow Trail Through The Canyon

Today, the 30-mile trail is used by senior hikers, mountain bikers, equestrians, and cross-country skiers. For the first 16 miles, the trail follows the Susan River. As it winds through the rugged Susan River Canyon, the trail crosses the river 12 times on bridges and trestles and passes through two tunnels.

Senior visitors can also enjoy fishing, wildflower viewing, wildlife viewing, birdwatching, historic sites, and interpretive programs. This rail trail was rated the most scenic rail trail in California by the Rails to Trails Conservancy.

Visitors enjoy the Lassen National Forest that lies at the heart of one of the most fascinating areas of California. The Forest was named after pioneer Peter Lassen, who mined, ranched and promoted the area to emigrant parties in the 1850s.

Facebook suggests not only great stops for a cup of coffee, but information on where to stay and local landmarks. Consider a movie at the Historic Sierra Theater in Susanville’s Old Town Area.

Seniors, Susanville is awaiting your arrival. It will be a fun time. -jeb

Narragansett And Seniors Click

Narragansett is a town of 16,000, however, during the summer months the town’s population more than doubles to nearly 34,000. And here’s why, senior beach enthusiasts: Narragansett Town Beach is a classic New England Saltwater Coastal Beach front that offers some of the best, cleanest and accessible beach conditions for the residents and tourist in New England.

Located in the center of town, the beach offers ample parking in the North, South, West and Cabana parking areas along with food, restrooms, first-aid office, surfing area and a beautiful sandy beachfront. Narragansett Beach is known as the “surfing capital of RI.” Bring along your beach chairs and enjoy watching the surfers.

Seniors Seek Out The Great Seafood Restaurants

The local Chamber of Commerce notes that Narragansett is conveniently located within minutes of Newport and Providence. They would like you to come for a relaxing vacation full of great seafood restaurants, ocean views, activities for the grandkids, swimming, fishing and boating. The town is colloquially known as “Gansett” .

The town of Narragansett, occupies a narrow strip of land running along the eastern bank of the Pettaquamscutt River to the shore of Narragansett Bay. It was separated from South Kingstown in 1888, and incorporated as a town in 1901.

This senior would want to spend time investigating the thirteen different buildings and districts in Narragansett listed on the National Register of Historic Places. TripAdvisor notes two dozen attractions not to be missed.

Senior Fishermen, Check Out The Fishing Village

Galilee is a fishing village on Point Judith within the town of Narragansett and is notable for being home to the largest fishing fleet in Rhode Island and for being the site of the Block Island Ferry. Another major site not to be overlooked is called The Towers.

Fodor’s notes a summer resort destination during the Victorian era, Narragansett still has as its main landmark The Towers, the last remaining section of the 1886 Narragansett Pier Casino designed by McKim, Mead & White. The town is much quieter now, but it has beautiful beaches and remains home to a large commercial fishing fleet.

Seniors, take a scenic drive down Route 1A to see the ocean and grand old shingle-style homes. You’ll eventually wind up at Point Judith Lighthouse, which has been in continuous operation since the 19th century.

And that name Narragansett. The Narragansett Indians are the descendants of the aboriginal people of the State of Rhode Island. Archaeological evidence and the oral history of the Narragansett People establish their existence in this region more than 30,000 years ago.

Facebook is a helpful source of good information for senior visitors to Narragansett. This is an exciting destination for senior travelers heading for the north eastern Atlantic sea coast.  -jeb