Peace-in-the-Forest Retreat - Couples, Artists, Forest Lovers

PEACE-IN-THE-FOREST RETREAT offers singles, couples, artists, writers, forest lovers and others a reprieve from the rat race by providing privacy and quiet in a very beautiful and comfortable, custom-built cabin, immersed in hardwood and pine forests of the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Located near the Blue Ridge Escarpment – that incredibly beautiful transition between the blue ridge mountains of the Appalachians and the SC foothills. The cabin is located on 100 acres of forested land with many hiking trails that we are fortunate to be stewards of. It is also located within 15-30 min from Table Rock, Keowee, Devils Fork, Ceasars Head, & Jones Gap St. Parks; 30-40 min from Hartwell, Lakes Keowee & Jocassee as well as DuPont STate Forest(NC); less than an hour from whitewater rivers (Chattooga, French Broad & more), & many trout streams & waterfalls. It is 30 min from Greenville, SC; 40 min from Brevard, NC; 40 min from Clemson ; 45 min from Hendersonville, NC & 1 hour & 15 min from Asheville, NC. THE CABIN - [more images avail.upon request] We built the cabin in 2004 from pine trees that we cut and sawed here on the property; its surrounded by 100s of acres of privately owned forest land with scattered homes. This provides a rare kind of quiet, broken by the sounds of animals, the wind and rain. The dark night skies also allow for great star gazing. The exterior of the cabin is made of white pine board and batten while the interior consists of white pine paneling and sheet rock, yellow pine floors, and tall cathedral ceilings throughout. Original oil paintings, quilted wall hangings, stain glass and other art impart a pleasant aesthetic quality to the cabin. LOCATION, LOCATION... - The list of “Activities” below – with the exception of hiking, biking, and wildlife viewing - are not actually onsite but within easy driving distance. For example, there are many fine golf courses, fishing and boating opportunities within 10 - 45 min. While nearby Pickens and Easley offer some restaurants and cultural/entertainment opportunities, Greenville clearly offers the widest and finest selection of these. The beautiful downtown district has many fine restaurants, the Peace Center (plays, ballet, music), museums, galleries and shopping. One of the recent additions is the restoration of the Reedy River Falls area in West End, the centerpiece of which is a curved suspension bridge (walking only), truly an architectural wonder, which overlooks the falls, downtown area and park. Other local cultural attractions include the Pickens County Museum of Art and History, located 10 min away in Pickens. The museum also operates the restored Hagood Mill site, one of the few active grist mills in the region. Most Saturdays there is music and more at the Hagood Mill, celebrating the early history of the area in terms of music, storytelling, blacksmithing, quilting and more. Its open for tours Wed-Sat. DAVID'S FEATURE FAVORITE SWEET SPOT – I highly recommend kayaking, canoeing or swimming on Lake Joccasee - one of the most beautiful lakes in the Southeast. I will rent canoes and kayaks depending when available. This deep, clear lake is literally perched at the edge of the mountains – and is thus fed by clear mountain streams, whose waterfalls, in some cases, actually fall directly into the lake. The surrounding mountain landscape with rich forested slopes and coves, coupled with the wide, deep waters provide a uniquely beautiful scene. Only one small area of this large lake has been developed - a small amount of private land and a small amount that is part of Devils Fork State Park but the rest is undeveloped forest belonging to Duke Power, SC/NC, or US the Forest Service. ECOLOGISTS DELIGHT - We are located in the Upper Foothills Physiographic Province where we have a blend of Piedmont and Mountain species. This area is the southern tip of the range for white pine, Eastern Hemlock, rosebay rhododendron and other woody and herbaceous species. Much of the land is classified as ranging from oak-hickory forest to various pine-hardwood mixes (white, Virginia and Shortleaf pines) to cove hardwood-hemlock forests. Historically, this was Cherokee land – points and other artifacts can still be found today. It was settled mostly in the late 1700s and 1800s by white settlers. Scattered homesites can still be found from this period. Cotton and corn was planted on much of the land in the area as late as the 1920s and 1930s but most was abandoned at that time. These cultivated and terraced lands, once abandoned, eventually reverted to forest and are now dominated by 70-80 year old Virginia pines and mixed hardwoods. Evidence of old terraces and erosion gullies are still evident in the forest. Other parts of our property were never plowed historically. Rather, these somewhat more steep lands were periodically harvested for timber and other wood products; heavily grazed by cattle (woodland grazing) and burned periodically. These disturbances were mild compared to cultivation impacts. The result is a much more productive and ecologically healthy forest. These forests are dominated by chestnut oak, white and red oaks, hickories, maples, interspersed with yellow poplar, shortleaf pine and large white pine. Deciduous magnolias, Silverbells, basswood, beech, sourwood, dogwoods and other species are also also prevalent. Common on some sites are ‘laurel slicks’ – thick patches of mountain laurel that appear as shiny, green, ‘slicks’ from a distance. In the spring, nothing is finer than the bountiful white blooms of Mt. Laurel. These forests support a wide array of birds, reptiles and mammals. Some of the common mammals include – deer, turkey, squirrels, fox, skunk, bear, raccoons, bobcat and, more recently, coyote Keywords: Cabin