Welcome to the second installment of my favorite walking routes around campus! Some reminders: because I live on campus, all routes can begin from the Woods Quad area (by the ‘–wood’ residence buildings), though you can really start anywhere on campus (or off!). Additionally, much of the distance covered uses public roads. Be aware of cars, bikers, and other pedestrians, etc. Practice road safety!
Walking Route Number 3: “VMRC Hill”
This walk goes out from campus to the well known “VMRC Hill,” a farm property managed by the nearby Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community. The Farm at Willow Run is private property, but VMRC generously opens its gates to allow pedestrians access to the beautiful landscape. Participants are asked to observe specific guidelines including maintaining sunlight-visiting hours, keeping pets on leashes, and allowing plenty of space for farm operations.
Starting from the Woods Quad, this route follows Park Road all the way out past the track and housing following the mild slope up until Harmony Drive. A sidewalk lines Park Road from the EMU campus until reaching the Parkview Mennonite church, at which point I move to the opposite side of the road (it is recommended that pedestrians walking on the road use the left side to maximize visibility for approaching drivers.) At this point, one might turn left onto Harmony Drive and move straight towards the VMRC property, or keep straight to follow Park Road that curves around the top of the hill. This road offers pedestrians more of a climb and meets back up with College Avenue where a right turn leads straight to the farm. I choose between these options depending on my energy and time available, but recommend the loop especially for a little more exertion and walks with friends, as the naturally curving route intuitively minimizes interruptions in the conversation.
The VMRC-property begins at the end of Harmony Drive with a gravel straight-away between fields of crops and flowers. An adventurous explorer might also seek out the group of goats that live on the farm, or follow the gravel path further down the hill, but my favorite part of the walk is the concrete observation deck up at the top of the hill. Picnic tables and benches allow visitors to rest and take in the stunning western mountains and the rippling hills and their patchwork-quilt properties; it’s an ideal spot for sunsets, stargazing, or simply breathing deeply enough to forget about all the college chaos.
Upon return, pedestrians can choose College Avenue (the closer road to the property) or Park Road (one intersection farther). While either will deliver directly to campus, College Avenue intersects with campus by Hillside/upper side University Commons/Northlawn while Park Road returns closer to the outdoor track and lower University Commons.
Depending on pace and the optional addition of the College Avenue loop, this walk takes between an estimated 40-60 minutes, is of low difficulty, and mostly uses roads (as opposed to sidewalks). This walk is ideal for walks with friends, since it is easy to hold a conversation on the mild slopes, and affords the best unobstructed view of the surrounding natural beauty.
Walking Route Number 4: “Dairy Queen”
Similar to the previous route is the “Dairy Queen” route which includes a pit stop at the closest location of the ice-cream and fast food franchise.
Starting around the Woods Quad area, this route continues straight down Park Road until the intersection with Harmony Drive. Turning right and following Harmony Drive past the intersection with Buttonwood Court will bring pedestrians into the Dairy Queen drive through. Keep aware of cars in the parking lot, drive through, and adjacent roads.
After acquiring any treats, reversing the route will return to campus easily, but a quick trip out to VMRC hill or a loop around College Avenue is an easy addition. That’s the beauty of familiarizing yourself with the roads around EMU–anyone going for a walk can easily adjust their path en-route.
Depending on the pace and optional additions (plus possible wait time for purchases), this walk takes an estimated 35-45 minutes, is of low difficulty, and mostly uses roads (as opposed to sidewalks). This walk is ideal for walks with friends since the slope is conducive to conversation.
