Hillsborough, NC – Every house has it’s own personality. 4628 Silver Apples Road in Hillsborough has a personality filled with southern grace and rustic charm rolled together on a 34 plus acre private paradise.

Your Enchanted Home Awaits

It is rare to find a home with this much character set on such a serene, lush property. This heavenly shingle style ranch home is full of custom touches. It has gorgeous hardwood floors, and a light, open kitchen that flows gracefully into the spacious open great-room with fireplace. Even from the kitchen, one can enjoy the bountiful wooded view just outside the double french doors leading to the huge screened porch.

The beautiful master bedroom also has french doors leading to the outside paradise. On Sunday mornings, get your coffee and sit outside on the private porch listening to the birds and enjoying the lush views right from your bedroom!

The home has large custom closets and plenty of storage. The huge laundry room has custom cabinetry with a place for everything. There is a double carport and a lovely screened and wrap around porch with views of the beautiful gardens surrounding the home.

Paradise Plus Revenue

This amazing home has more! A bonus 1,407 square foot home set away from the main house, already has an existing long term tenant. Keep this space rented for that extra income! The previous owner also had a private art studio built on the property. You can use this space for your own home business, a workshop or a garden getaway.

Property Features

Why is this property paradise? This custom estate features the 2,210 square foot main house that sits idyllically on over 34 acres of serene landscaped and wooded land bordering Nature Conservancy Land. The land has been surveyed and is divided into three tracts.

The property is private and secluded yet with easy access to 15-501 and I-40, it’s just minutes away from the charming town of Hillsborough and desirable Chapel Hill. The house, the gardens, the pond (.24 approximate acres), and stream, all among the wooded acres make this place a paradise found.

Specs

• Square Feet: 2,214
• 34 acres of landscaped & wooded property
• Bedrooms: 2
• Bathrooms: 2 full
• Office
• Screened-in porch
• Utility room with custom built-ins
• Rental property on-site (1,407 sq. ft.)
• Detached studio
• Stand-by generator
• Price: $845,000
• MLS: #1835126

See the Virtual Tour

Contact

Get in touch for more information about this fabulous home.

Julie Roland Realty, Inc.
Julie Roland, Owner/Broker
Pittsboro, NC
919-274-8004
jroland@nc.rr.com

Pittsboro, NC – I’m not your typical Mom. Yes, I do like flowers, perfume and hand-made cards from the kids. But, my idea of a wonderful Mother’s Day is an adventure of some kind. While staying home with my children is nice, I like to get out of the house and into the great outdoors. This year my kids and I are heading down the Cape Fear River.

Mother’s Day River Trip

The best way to view the Cape Fear River is from the vantage point of a canoe or kayak. That’s why this Mother’s Day I am heading out in a canoe with the family and Cape Fear River Adventures. It’s about a 45 minute drive from Pittsboro.

Cape Fear River Adventures is near the Hwy 421/401 bridge in Lillington, NC. You can rent canoes or kayaks by the hour and the staff there will take good care of you. Our Leisure Canoe or Kayak Paddle will have us paddling upstream under the beautiful, blue skies of North Carolina and spending quality time together.

We’ll start at Howard’s Landing, where Cape Fear River Adventures has their livery.  But before we take off for the afternoon, we’ll order food to take-out from Howard’s BBQ Restaurant for our picnic lunch out on the river. We plan to head out sometime after 10:00 am, but you can plan your great adventure for sunrise, lunchtime, or sunset.

The Leisure Paddle is an upstream paddle for all ages and all skill levels. You can go for 2 hours, 4 hours or all day if you want. They also have many other scheduled trips you can take. We’ll make this Mother’s Day trip a 2 hour adventure. I plan to bring my camera and plenty of snacks too. For our family, this is the perfect day.

Cape Fear River Adventures Reservations

• Phone: 910-891-9348
• Email:  canoes@capefearadventures.com
• Address: Cape Fear River Adventures, LLC100-A South Main St, Lillington, NC 27546
• Canoe: $19 per hour (includes paddles & life vests)
• Kayak: $18 per hour (includes paddles & life vests)

Raven Rock State Park

On the way back home to Pittsboro, we’ll make a stop at the Raven Rock State Park. I love to hike around this area. Raven Rock Loop Trail travels through a hardwood forest on its one-mile trip to the park’s centerpiece, Raven Rock. Wooden stairs down the face of the river bluff lead to the base of Raven Rock where the river bank provides a place to examine the area beneath the overhang. A stone balcony along the way overlooks the river and the flood plains beyond.

One of the best reasons to visit Raven Rock is the amazing color of the wildflowers. The variety of flowers reveal a magnificent blossom display this time of year. While I like the flowers and the hiking, my kids love to find salamanders and turtles in one of the many streams of the park.  I’ll just need to remind them to leave the critters with their mother’s instead of bringing them home.

What a great day to celebrate being a Mother. I’ll spend the day with my children and Mother Nature, too.

————————————————————————————–

Photo by Seuss.

Pittsboro, NC – Looking for a spacious, comfortable  home? The active family of today needs a haven to bring everyone together to enjoy quality time. 113 Valley Lane is that home. Nestled on over 4 acres, this custom home has everything you could possibly want.

Description

113 Valley Lane is a custom home with understated elegance and plenty of space to spread out and enjoy life. The home sits beautifully on the landscaped and wooded 4.12 acre property with its welcoming circular driveway.

Lots of House for the Money

With 13 rooms and more than 6,400 square feet, 113 Valley Lane is lots of house for the money. Featuring a gourmet kitchen with granite counter tops that open into a comfortable living room with a built-in bookcase. The nature outside pours in through the huge windows and french doors leading to the screened-in porch and then out to the wooded backyard.

Library & Craft Room

Enjoy the downstairs master bedroom and guest bedroom, while upstairs you’ll find 2 more bedrooms plus a huge bonus room.

Other rooms include an office, a library with built-in bookshelves, and a craft room.

Private Home Theater

Hang out with family and friends in the expansive basement living room and game room area, including plenty of storage space and a half bath. Enjoy family movie nights in the private home theater or lift weights in the exercise room. Outside you’ll find an extra 3 car detached garage with space big enough to keep your boat or RV, plus a large storage building.

It’s all the Neighborhood

On the weekends, take the family over to nearby Jordan Lake or take a long leisurely stroll down one of the many walking paths throughout the community of Monterrane. Or, spend the day enjoying the pleasures of Pittsboro or shopping in nearby Chapel Hill. Then come home to 113 Valley Lane. Family life here sure is perfect.

Features

• security system
• granite kitchen counters
• downstairs master bedroom
• 3 walk-in attic storage areas
• finished basement
• home theater
• screened-in porch
• landscaped yard
• 2 car garage + 3 car detached garage
• circular drive
• detached workshop
• priced below recent appraisal

Specs

• 6,414 square feet of total living space
• 4 bedrooms
• 3 full baths, 2 half baths
• office
• 2,036 square foot basement
• 13 rooms
• 4.12 acres
• MLS# 1832890

Price

$789,000

Contact

Get in touch for more info.

Julie Roland Realty, Inc.
Julie Roland, Owner/Broker
Pittsboro, NC
919-274-8004
jroland@nc.rr.com

Virtual Tour

If you like the sound of gracious living, take a look at the Virtual Tour of 113 Valley Lane in Pittsboro.

Pictures

Chatham County, NC – We live in such a unique area. Dotted with charming small towns, large high-tech corporate parks and some of the best universities in the country, we also have an abundance of small, independent farms leading the way in organic and community farming. Get out and visit them this weekend on The Piedmont Farm Tour.

The Piedmont Farm Tour, in it’s 17th year, features 40 farms located in Alamance, Chatham, Durham, Orange, and Person Counties. These farms host over 12,000 visitors, including people from as far afield as California, Connecticut, Maryland, and Massachusetts and is the largest consumer Farm Tour in the United States.

About The Tour

The 2012 Piedmont Farm Tour is a wonderful chance to view Chatham County and the surrounding area in a new way. On this tour you can visit beautiful Dutch Buffalo Farm, a diversified vegetable market garden in Pittsboro, and Cozi Farm, which is raising animals near downtown Saxapahaw.

Visit Benjamin Vineyards & Winery to see how Muscadine grapes are grown and sample some wine. And, Suki Roth will be opening up her Herb Haven dedicated to medicinal plants.

The tour is self-guided and farms and sites are located throughout the Triangle in Alamance, Chatham, Durham, Orange, and Person counties. Load up a car with your friends and family, choose the farms on the map you’d like to visit and get out in the countryside.

You can visit any farm in any order. And, don’t forget to take a cooler so that you can take home some of the farm fresh products for sale at many farms. The farms are expecting you!

Tickets

You can now purchase your tickets at Weaver Street Market, with locations in Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough, and at Chatham Marketplace in Pittsboro, and Harmony Farms in Raleigh. Or buy your ticket at the first farm you visit!

• Advanced Tickets: $25 for all farms all weekend
• Tickets Tour Weekend: $30

Also visit the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association to get your tickets on-line, and find out all the tour information or call (919) 542-2402. You can also check out the map here.

————————————————————————————–

Photo by Hal Goodtree.

Chapel Hill, NC  - As the Triangle’s largest green community, Briar Chapel has a very special connection to Earth Day. So it’s no surprise they have a full day celebration planned for this Saturday, April 21, 2012.

I call it 9 Shades of Green.

1. Run for Green

Briar Chapel’s first green event starts off with a 5K to support The Abundance Foundation.

The 4th Annual Briar Chapel 5K Run will be chip timed, USAT&F certified and follows a scenic road course through the community. Pre-register to get a cool, moisture-wicking race t-shirt by TS Designs. Enjoy live music by Justin Johnson, post-race massages and local food and drink. You’ll also receive a ticket for a drink from Fullsteam Brewery or Carolina Brewery. The race begins at 9 am and ends with an award ceremony.

Fees:
Pre-registration: $20
Race day: $25

2. Green Demonstrations

Our second shade of green is discovering healthy and sustainable living with local vendors and workshops in Briar Commons Park from 3 pm to 6 pm.

3. Green Cuisine

Find out how to shop for affordable organic produce explored by Linda Waston of Cook for Good and author of Wildly Affordable Organic.

4. Healthy Living

See a daring performance by BMX stunt crew, King BMX.  And healthy living can be for your four-legged friends, as well!  Bring your dog along for the fun – stop by Dogwood Veterinary Hospital and Pet Resort‘s tent for great information for fido.

5. Green Thumb

Representatives from YardSprout will show you how to create a functional container garden of your own. And Green Thumb Committee members will share information about the Briar Chapel Community Garden.

6. Green Living

Then tour all of Briar Chapel’s model homes and discover the sustainable innovations that make these homes healthier and more energy-efficient.

7. Hunt For the Green

The Hunt for Green QR Code, from 1 pm to 4 pm, is a fun scavenger hunt. It’s an exciting way to learn all about the benefits of living in a green home in Briar Chapel. You’ll use your smart phone to scan QR codes and learn about green features through the community.

Bring a digital camera so you can take pictures along the way. Then you’ll return to the information center to share your data and be entered to win a Rain barrel capturing system (a $100 value).

8. Community Bazaar

What’s greener than shopping local?

From 3 pm to 6 pm, celebrate and support the best of local businesses in Briar Commons Park including The Joyful Jewel, The Abundance Foundation, Piedmont Biofuels, Celebrity Dairy, Fearrington Artists, Edible Piedmont, Stone-Crow Pottery, Okfuskee Farm, Wellness of Chatham, Dogwood Veterinary Hospital and Pet Resort, Memory Movement, Silvan Essences, Healthy Mom Coaching, and Triangle Body Therapy. Plus enjoy a live concert by Lizzy Ross Band and Tom Maxwell.

Then taste local eats at Chatham County’s first ever food truck rodeo. Ten percent of the proceeds from the food sales help benefit The Abundance Foundation.

9. Movie on the Green

From 6 pm to 8 pm enjoy a viewing of Pixar’s Wall-E under the stars.

There you have it: 9 shades of green and an all day celebration of Earth Day at Briar Chapel, this Saturday April 21, 2012.

What’s Your Favorite Earth Day Celebration?

There’s lots of great stuff going on for Earth Day all over Chatham County and the Triangle. What’s your favorite celebration?

Drop me a note or leave a comment.

Happy Earth Day!

Julie Roland Realty, Inc.
Julie Roland, Owner/Broker
Pittsboro, NC
919-274-8004
jroland@nc.rr.com

———————————————————————————————————-

Photo by Stuart Herbert.

Pittsboro, NC – Living in Chatham County is always lively. There seems to be a festival, outdoor music, a workshop, seminar or wine tasting every weekend all Spring and Summer long. This weekend, my pick is ClydeFEST.

This weekend is the annual kids’ carnival of folk art called ClydeFEST. The event celebrates Chatham County’s legendary international Folk Art hero, Clyde Jones and also features many local non-profits to do educational activities with the kids.

About Clyde Jones

Clyde Jones, a former mill worker is extremely creative with a chainsaw. Clyde lives in Bynum, just south of Carrboro and creates rough hewn figures from logs and other discarded materials. These critters are rough aggregations of four or five pieces of found wood, cut quickly and nailed together.

Clyde has been bringing his chainsaw to local elementary schools, fund raisers and auctions, since 1982. His critters are often sold or raffled off to raise money for charity, but otherwise, Jones prefers to give his creatures away.

When you drive up to Clyde’s house, you’ll see a critter wonderland, where hundreds of his creatures, like big-eared dogs, giraffes and elephants live on the lawn. Clyde Jones is a Chatham County treasure. In fact, when he’s not at home in Bynum, he’s traveling around with his art.

He’s been to the Fearrington Folk Art Show in February, the Ocracoke Festival in the summer, Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington, and starred in yet another documentary. He delivered several new pieces to the permanent collection at American Visionary Arts Museum in Baltimore and he even made a star appearance in New York City!

About Clydefest

The Chatham County Arts Council’s signature event, ClydeFEST is an all day kids’ Folk Art Festival full of art, games, music, magic, clowns, hula hoops, local food, and more. Children adore Clyde’s Critterville, where the kids get to paint and glitter their own Clyde Critter cut-out to take home. They can play original Clyde-themed games, make their own art, and enjoy live entertainment on the Bynum Front Porch Stage.

Proceeds benefit ChathamArts and their new Clyde Jones Scholarship Fund in honor of and in partnership with the wonderful community of Bynum, NC.

Details

• When: Saturday, 4/14 from 11 am-4 pm
• Where: Bynum Ballpark, also known as Earl Thompson Recreation Park at 173 Bynum Hill Road, Bynum, NC
• Cost: Admission is $3 for children under 12, $7 for adults. Adult tickets include a raffle ticket for a chance to win a Clyde Critter.

Entertainment & Food

Featured on the Bynum Front Porch Stage:

• The Takiri Folklorico Latin Dance Troupe
• Tommy Edwards and Carolina Lightening
• Sarah “HoneyBee” Osborne
• Justin Johnson and his Gypsy Guitar
• The Bouncing Bulldogs International Rope Skipping Team
• Dan the Magic Man

Food Vendors:

• Chirba Chirba Dumpling Truck
• Dusty’s Donuts
• Little Dippers Italian Ices
• Triple J Ice Cream
• Barney’s Hot Dogs
• Howard Alston’s Fish Truck
• The Bynum Ruritans

——————————————————————————————–

Lead photo by Hal Goodtree. Photo of Clyde Jones from Carrboro.com

Pittsboro, NC – Last month, I wrote about the Chatham County’s Bed & Breakfast Trail. This month’s trail guide is every bit as interesting. I am referring to the Heart of North Carolina Wine Trail.

Heart of NC Wine Trail

Because the wineries on this trail are all close to home you can make your Wine Trail excursion a one day event to hit all 5 or go to a different spot each day. All five wineries are conveniently located in Chatham, Wake and Durham Counties.

The highlights of this trail include the variety and selection of award-winning wines and the chance to talk with the wine-maker’s and owners themselves. Visit for a tasting and then bring some of your favorite wine home to share the memories of the Wine Trail.

Vineyards at Southpoint

The grape vines were planted here in April 2009 complimenting an incredibly beautiful piece of land that was rich in a history of farming and family. The wines from these vineyards have won Double Gold, Gold, Silver, and Bronze in commercial wine competitions.

• Location: 8913 N.C. Highway 751, Durham, NC 27713
• Wines: WHITES: Vidal Blanc Mellow, Chardonnay, Viognier Reserve; REDS: Chambourcin, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Prestige
• Tastings: Open for tastings and vineyard tours on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays – 12 noon until 6 pm, or by special appointment (private tastings, group events).
• Contact: 919-544-6291
• Website: Vineyards at Southpoint

Cloer Family Vineyards

Cloer Family Vineyards is only the second family-owned farm in the immediate Triangle area that grows its own grapes and produces its own wines on-site. The entire Cloer family is involved in the process.

• Location:8624 Castleberry Road, Apex, NC 27523
• Wines: WHITES: Carlos & Veranda; REDS: Noble &Chambourcin
• Tastings: Tastings are available any time during operating hours and cost only $5.00. You can also arrange private wine tastings and tours upon request.
• Contact: 919-387-5760
• Website: Cloer Family Vineyards

SilkHope Winery

Open in 2000, SilkHope Winery is a small, family-owned winery in the heart of North Carolina’s Piedmont wine region. Their award-winning wines are grown on a 2-1/2 acre vineyard and yields a variety of wine grapes, including Chambourcin, Cabernet Franc, Norton, Vidal Blanc, and Traminette.

• Location: SilkHope Gum Springs Road, Pittsboro, NC
• Wines: WHITES: Traminette, White Merlot, Seyval Blanc, Vidal Blanc, White Chambourcin; REDS: Chambourcin, Norton, Grand Vista, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
• Tastings: Thursday – Saturday from 10 am – 5 pm & Sunday 12 pm – 5 pm
• Contact: 919-545-5696
• Website: SilkHope Winery

Starrlight Mead

Using local NC honey, this wine is crafted into award-winning honey wine. Mead cultures developed in Africa, Asia and the Slavic countries, as well as northern Europe, honey being an easily available and easily storable fermentable sugar.

• Location: 480 Hillsboro Street, Suite 1000, Pittsboro, NC 27312
• Meads: Traditional Off-Dry Mead, Traditional Semi-Sweet Mead, Blackberry Off-Dry Mead, Blackberry Mead, Sweet Peach, Spiced Apple, Cranberry Orange, Kinckin Cranberry Orange.
• Tastings: Thursday through Saturday from 12 pm – 6 pm & Sunday 12 pm – 5 pm
• Contact: 919-533-6314
• Website: Starrlight Mead

Horizon Cellars

Horizon Cellars is a premiere, award-winning and nationally recognized boutique winery established in 2003. Situated on 20 acres, the 4,875 square foot wine making facility and adjoining vineyard is located in the historic community of Mount Vernon Springs, a few minutes south of Siler City.

• Location: 466 Vineyard Ridge, Siler City, NC 27344
• Wines: WHITES: Chardonnay, Viognier, Late Harvest Viognier, Late Harvest Vidal REDS: Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Chambourcin, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot Reserve, Prestige Reserve.
• Tastings: Thursday through Sunday from 12 pm – 6 pm
• Contact: 919-742-1404
• Website: Horizon Cellars

Other Local Wineries and Resources

• Benjamin Vineyards & Winery – 6516 Whitney Road, Saxapahaw, NC 27253
• Wolf Wines – 8973 Old Plank Rd.  Snow Camp, NC 27349
• Visit NC Wine

———————————————————————————————

Photo by Elias Maser.

Chatham County, NC -Farmer’s markets across the county will be opening soon. Here’s a run-down of major markets where you can go to go to buy fresh fruit and vegetables in Chatham County.

Chatham Mills Farmers’ Market

Open Saturday’s beginning April 14th from 8 am – 1pm. Chatham Mills Farmers’ Market is a growers-only market located in downtown Pittsboro. This will be their second year, after a very successful 2011. They carry the best local produce, meat, farm crafts and foods from more than 25 vendors from Chatham, Randolph, Alamance and Orange counties.

Chatham Mills Farmers’ Market – 480 Hillsboro Street, Pittsboro, NC.

Fearrington Farmers’ Market

Open Tuesdays beginning April 5th from 4:00 pm to early evening. Local farmers come with their specialties of fruits, vegetables, the highest quality meats, bread, flowers, baked goods, homemade jellies and jams. You can get everything you need for the perfect meal in one spot straight from the farm. What could be better?

Fearrington Farmers’ Market - Fearrington Village, Hwy. 15/501, Pittsboro, NC.

Goldston Grower’s Market

Pittsboro, NC – Chatham County is rich in opportunities for outdoor recreation. But, sometimes overlooked, the park system right here in the town of Pittsboro offers many of its own unique charms.

A Guide to Pittsboro Parks

For a small town, Pittsboro has lot of parks. Six, in fact.

Here’s a quick run-down of Pittsboro’s parks and recreational facilities plus a few interesting facts you may not know.

Community House

Community House, 78 Thompson Street – Built in the 1930′s, it is now dedicated to community use. Community House’s reasonable rental fees and historic charm make this the perfect place to host a community event. Many events take place here every month.

On the walls inside you’ll find happy animal art by Chatham County artist Forrest Greenslade. And around back log benches make a circle for groups to enjoy the outdoors. Also picnic outside on the 2 picnic tables.

The rental for Community House is subject to availability (of course) and is based on 1-3 hours of use and then per hour. Base rate: $60.00 per use per day and then $20.00 per additional hour. Call Ann Wilke to make reservations at (919) 542-4621 ext. 21.

Kiwanis Park

Kiwanis Park, 209 Credle Street – Founded by a group of determined mothers, this park is geared toward children under 5 and their parents.  The park is now filled with wonderful natural playground features created by local craftsmen after it underwent a major renovation in 2009.

Families enjoy swings, 2 sandboxes, a boulder play area, log stepping stones and landscaping designed for play and enjoyment.

Mary Holmes Park

Mary Hayes Barber Holmes Park, 304 Old Rock Springs Cemetery Road – Located in the Powell Place Community, this 10 acre park has many great features. It has a huge multi-use field and 1/3rd of a mile of paved walking trails. You can also find beautiful natural walking trails that meander about in the 4 1/2 acres of hardwood forest.

Check out the picnic area in the large shelter, visit a  gazebo with a living roof,  and find a children’s play area featuring unique climbing sculptures. Recent additions are a swing set and wooden teeter-totter.

McClenahan Park

McClenahan Park, 209 Pittsboro Elementary School Road – Located at the corner of Pittsboro Elementary School Road and  McClenahan Street. This park is well known for its 3 lighted tennis courts and 3 lighted half basketball courts.

Rock Ridge Park

Rock Ridge Park, 1397 Sanford Road – Rock Ridge Park is located adjacent to 15-501 south of the Town of Pittsboro and near the intersection of Charlie Brooks Road and Old Sanford Road.

This 52 acre Community Nature Park features an 80 foot long zipline, a cool German pendulum swing, a unique wooden play fort, a kilometer of paved walking trails and a mini amphitheatre.

Some future plans for this large park include a 1 acre dog park, a disc golf course, bike trails and a soccer field.

Town Lake Park

Town Lake Park, 250 NC 902 Hwy – This 36 acre park is within easy walking distance to downtown. There you can find 2 soccer fields, a picnic shelter, fitness equipment, an information kiosk and about a mile of trails and a great little fishing hole.

Boardwalks and a tall wooden bridge grace the trail which links into our nascent greenway network.

Jordan Lake

While not a Pittsboro park per se, one must mention Jordan Lake. It’s the 14,000 acre park in our backyard.

I’ve written lots of stuff about Jordan Lake, including fishing, hiking, boating, fall camping and eagle watching. Read more about Jordan Lake.

More Chatham County Parks

In a future post, I’ll write about parks in other parts of Chatham County like Siler City, Bynum and the American Tobacco Trail.

Help me gather info – if you have a favorite Chatham County park or trail, drop me a note:

Julie Roland Realty, Inc.
Julie Roland, Owner/Broker
Pittsboro, NC
919-274-8004
jroland@nc.rr.com

——————————————————————————————-

Cherry blossom photo by Hal Goodtree.

Pittsboro, NC – Do you canoe? I do. I also kayak and enjoy a river rafting trip, too. Here’s a short guide to paddling the Haw in Chatham County.

Paddling the Haw in Chatham

If you’re a paddler, the Haw River in Chatham County provides lots of opportunity to get out your canoe or kayak. The Haw is a classic Piedmont river with an action-packed run. The river is good for kayaking after a significant rain and tends to hold water longer than other Piedmont rivers.

Places to Rent a Canoe or Kayak

Here are a couple of places to rent kayaks or canoes if you don’t have your own or if you’d like to arrange a guided trip:

• Frog Hollow Outdoors: They offer instruction & guide services, programs, & rentals. Excellent for individuals, families, groups of friends, office retreats, youth groups, school classes, outings, or even a romantic date. Look into some of the Haw River Trips they offer.

• Jordan Lake Water Sports: They offer memberships with packages that supply kayak, canoe and jetski rentals, tours, pontoon boats and fishing boats for Jordan Lake.

• The Haw River Kayak & Canoe Company: Located in Saxapahaw, NC, they offer rentals, guided trips and instruction.

• Kayak Adventures is a guided tour service for Jordan Lake. The mission is to get closer to nature, enjoy some fresh air, and get some exercise too.  Contact Susanne Gomolski, (919)929-3805 or (919)259-2241.

Another good source of info is the Haw River Assembly, a non-profit group founded in 1982 to protect the river. Lots of good info including USGS water levels on the river.

About The Haw

The Haw River is a tributary of the Cape Fear River, approximately 110 miles long. It begins in northeast Forsyth County near Kernersville. The course of the Haw River meanders east  through Rockingham, Alamance and Orange Counties before flowing into Chatham County and down into Jordan Lake.

4 miles south of Jordan Lake dam, the Haw River joins the Deep River to form the Cape Fear River and flows all the way to the coast.

Paddling The Middle Haw

The Middle Haw runs from Bynum Dam to US 64. The Middle Haw River run begins at the “put-in” at Bynum Bridge. This section will take approximately 1 to 2 hours and is about 4.2 miles in length. There are class I and class II rapids along this stretch. If the water is high, some areas can be tricky for beginners.

Paddling The Lower Haw

This section of the Haw is the most popular run in the Chatham-Wake County area, where a geological phenomenon called the “fall line” has created rapids in a dozen or so local creeks and rivers. It’s a short run with some class II and III rapids. The run is enjoyed by those who want to get their evening whitewater fix after work and is a great place to meet local paddlers on weekday evenings after a good storm.

The “put-in” location is at the US 64 Canoe Access. The Lower Haw’s run ends at the Robeson Creek Canoe Access. The distance between is approximately 1.3 miles and can take 1/2 to 1 hour.

Most of the action takes place in the first half mile or so downstream of the Highway 64 bridge. You have a lot of river to work with but most of the action is to river right. There are a couple really nice waves that can provide hours of enjoyment.

Paddling Clubs

Really ambitious? Join a paddling club:

• Carolina Canoe Club
• Triad River Runners
• Central Carolina Paddlers

More Info

• TheHaw.org
• American Whitewater.org
• Trails.com
• Haw River Assembly

Where’s Your Favorite Run?

What’s your favorite kayak run in the Greater Chatham County area? Drop me a note – maybe it will end up in a blog post.

Julie Roland Realty, Inc.
Julie Roland, Owner/Broker
Pittsboro, NC
919-274-8004
jroland@nc.rr.com

———————————————————————————————–

Photo from Triad River Runners.