SURRY COUNTY, Va. — Tomorrow marks one year since I had open heart surgery, and walking has been a big part of my recovery.
Today, I'm heading up the James River to take a walk in Surry County.
My mother-in-law joined us for a visit to Chippokes State Park, one of the half-dozen Virginia state parks in Hampton Roads, and it's definitely worth the trip!
Chippokes is one of the oldest working farms in the country.
It has been actively farmed since 1619. That's more than four centuries!
Walking the grounds, you can really get a sense of that age, I mean the size of the trees are massive!
During the warmer months, you can take a tour of the Jones-Stewart Mansion House, which was built in 1854, just a few years before the start of the Civil War.
You can also tour many other farm buildings and slave quarters on the property.
There are plenty of other things to see and do in the 14-hundred acre park, including horseback riding, canoeing and walking the trails along the James River.
If you want to stay a little longer, there's a campground and several modern cabins for rent.
Chippokes State Park is directly across the James River from Jamestown, so you can take the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry or just drive up the west side of the river.
