Blackberry Morning: A Beautiful & Peaceful Mountain Retreat near Blacksburg/VT
About the property
- House2500 sq. ft.
- Bedrooms4
- Sleeps8
- Bathrooms3
- Half Baths0
- Minimum Stay2 - 7 nights
4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, sleeps 8; comfortable family home with incredible views
Blacksburg & Virginia Tech just 14 miles. In the New River Valley of the Blue Ridge Highlands on 268 private acres. Spectacular views of beautiful surrounding mountains & rolling valley below. Experience stilled time in the wonderfully peaceful solitude of nature. And the warm, inviting welcome of the comfortable, fully-furnished & well-equipped, cedar, fieldstone & glass house. Such a great place to gather family & friends for VATech sports events, graduations, class reunions, moving in your freshman & visiting your upperclassman; perfect for your family reunions, bride or groom's retreat, honeymoons. Or just come and enjoy a relaxing & refreshing vacation with family and friends! With awesome outdoor adventures nearby.
You are going to love being here! It is so incredibly beautiful & wonderfully peaceful! Listen to the creek flowing & the birds singing and the breeze blowing. The sunsets down the valley & the brilliant stars in the night-sky are awe-inspiring. You can hike anywhere on the land & there are spectacular views from every vantage point. Picnic on the meadows & explore the creeks & park-like woods.
While at Blackberry Morning, experience fun outdoor adventures! -- You can often see whitetail deer in the open pastures around the house early in the morning or late in the afternoon. The wild turkeys are elusive, but you can sometimes see them in the pastures or crossing the road. You can hike the Appalachian Trail at the top of our property. It's a 2.5 mile moderate-hike to Kelly Knob overlook. Other nearby hikes are Angel's Rest, Wind Rock and Dragon's Tooth. The Cascades Nat'l Recreation Site waterfall is just 10 miles West -- a great place to picnic and fly-fish for native trout. There are other wild & stocked trout streams nearby, including Big Stony Creek. The New River has canoeing, kayaking & tubing less than 15 miles West. And there's white-water rafting in West Virginia on the New & the Gauley, about two hours away, and you can bungee-jump off the New River Gorge Bridge in WVA, too. There is also skiing at Winter Place and Snowshoe in W.V., one-two hours West. You can go sailing, motor-boating, water-skiing, swimming & picnicking at Claytor Lake, just an hour away. Plan a special gourmet dinner at the Palisades Restaurant in Eggleston while you're here. Great fun!
Yet, we're just 14.5 miles, 25 minutes across two mountains, to Blacksburg & VATech University, where there are all kinds of things to do that you typically find in a university town. Enjoy VATech sports, graduation & special events. Picnic by the Duck Pond, walk on the paved trails around campus, go to concerts on campus and at the smaller venue of the Lyric Theater downtown (old, restored movie-house). And there is a brand-new Performing Arts Center. There are side-walk cafes like Gillie's & Caba Fish Taco where you can hear local music, & great local restaurants like Bull & Bones and Zeppoli's, as well as favorite chains. There are movie theaters and downtown small-shops & mall shopping. There's a year-round indoor pool at the Blacksburg Recreation Center on our side of Blacksburg, where they also have basketball courts, tennis courts, a skateboard ramp, & a hand-in-hand playground on a large open field with picnic shelters. They have great 4th of July fireworks there, too!
PLEASE NOTE that we have a resident in the basement studio apartment. We like to have someone trust-worthy living there to watch over the property when we aren’t there ourselves. This is our family home and farm and it is very special to us!
Our current resident is Matthew Blair, (25) a PhD candidate in engineering at VATech. The apartment does have a separate outside entrance and Matt will be very respectful of your presence in the house and your right to privacy and a quiet and non-intrusive Retreat stay. But he will be happy to chat with you about the area or answer questions you might have or help you out in any way that he can while you're there.
I have found Matt to be an exceptional young man - very mature, responsible, considerate and friendly. Matt just finished his Master's degree at VATech in May and is staying on to complete his doctorate in engineering. He's an excellent student with ambitious goals (and a lovely, sweet girlfriend - who doesn't live with him). Please see his photo among the Retreat photos.
Owner
Suzy, Owner
- Response rate:
- 100%
- Response time:
- within a few hours
- Speaks:
- English
- Calendar last updated:
- May 16, 2018
About Suzy, Owner
My husband and I purchased this beautiful farm property on our honeymoon! He was a new Assistant Professor in M.E. at VATech and I was a late-blooming student in University Honors/English. We were blessed with the birth of our two sons six and nine years later. We built our new family home, now Blackberry Morning Retreat, in 1988. Our family shared many wonderful years together in this sacred place. We are all VATech Hokies: Hal, M.E. 1960; Suzy, U.H./English 1974; Brooks, U.H/M.E. 1997; Shane, U.H./Biology & Political Science 2003.
Suzy, Owner purchased this House in 1969
Why Suzy, Owner chose Newport
Hal & I fell in love with the farm on our first visit - on our honeymoon - looking for a place to make our home together. On that beautiful Spring day in April, 1969, we walked together up the mountain, sat on a big rock and looked down the valley at that incredible view - and knew this was where we wanted to be - forever.
What makes this House unique
Stunningly beautiful views and wonderfully peaceful environment on a private farm (268 acres) - with a contemporary cedar, fieldstone & glass house that wraps you up in comfort - adjoining the Jefferson National Forest and the Appalachian Trail, yet convenient to the people & culture of Blacksburg & VATech.
Amenities
- Air Conditioning
- Satellite or Cable
- Kids Welcome
- Fireplace
- Heater
- Internet
- No Smoking
- Pets Welcome
- TV
- Washer & Dryer
Bedrooms
- 4 Bedrooms, Sleeps 8
- Bedroom #4Shared Bath (walk-in shower/no tub): 1 king, Set up with your choice of King or 2 TwinXL beds
- Bedroom # 2Adjoining bath (tub/shower combo): 1 king, Set up with your choice of King or 2 TwinXL beds
- Bedroom # 1; en suite bath (walk-in shower/no tub)1 king, Set up with your choice of King or 2 TwinXL beds
- Bedrooms #3 Shared bath (walk-in shower/no tub)1 king, Set up with your choice of King or 2 TwinXL beds
- Bedroom # 1On main level of the house. En Suite Bath (walk-in shower/no tub). Can be set-up with your choice of King or 2 Twin-XLong beds; Bedroom # 2: On main level. Adjoining Bath (walk-in shower/no tub). Can be set-up with your choice of King or 2 Twin-XLong beds; Bedrooms 3 & 4 (identical): Upstairs. Shared Bath (walk-in shower/no tub). Can be set-up with your choice of King or 2 Twin-XLong beds; All bedrooms have a large window-wall overlooking beautiful mountain views, with ceiling fans & hardwood flooring. And all the beds are really comfortable! There are plenty of fluffy towels, plus extra blankets & pillows. See bathroom details below.
Bathrooms
- 3 Bathrooms
- Bedroom # 1, main level, en suitetoilet, shower, Ceramic walk-in shower, no tub
- Bedroom # 2, main level, adjoining bathtoilet, combination tub/shower, Tub/shower combo
- Bedrooms 3 & 4, Upstairs, shared bathtoilet, shower, Ceramic walk-in shower, no tub
- Bedroom # 1 Bath on main floor is private within bedroom suite; ceramic walk-in shower (no tub); wide marble countertop w/ single lavatory. Bedroom # 2 Bath on main floor has two entrances - from the bedroom and from the hallway; acrylic tub/shower combination; marble single lavatory. Upstairs Bath opens to a hallway shared by both bedrooms; ceramic walk-in shower (no tub); marble single lavatory.
Location Type
- MountainBMR is surrounded by beautiful mountain & valley views; adjoined by Jefferson National Forest and the Appalachian Trail. Only 0.75 miles to Kelly Knob trailhead (4.2 miles in & out).
- RuralBMR is located in the rural area of Giles County; yet is only 14 miles N/NW of Blacksburg & VATech; adjoining Jefferson Nat'l Forest & The Appalachian Trail.
- TownBlacksburg, home of Virginia Tech (VT), is only 14 miles from BMR, with easy access to VT sports events, university events, & VCOM. Shopping, restaurants, cultural events/activities, pools, & golf.
- Village5.5 miles to village of Newport; Mikey's 7th grill; Super-ValU grocery & gas; post office;
- LakeOnly 45 minutes to Claytor Lake. Boating, water skiing, jet skiing, sailing. Boat & jet ski rentals; sand beach; grass picnic grounds & shelters; camp grounds.
- RiverThe New River runs 38 miles through Giles County with river rafting, canoeing, kayaking, tubing and swimming all within 30 minutes from BMR. Outfitters nearby. White water rafting in WVA, 2 hours.
- Mountain ViewBMR sits on 268 acres of private pastureland and woods surrounded by beautiful mountain & valley views.
Theme
- Romantic
- Family
- Away From It All
- Sports & Activities
- Adventure
Meals
- Guests provide their own meals
General
- Filtered Water
- TelephoneIn-house telephone service, local and long-distance (within US) included; Verizon signal extender for cell phone service (helps with reception on some other service providers but not all).
- HeatingHeat pump piggybacked with oil furnace, central full-house system
- Linens ProvidedAll bed linens, sheets, pillowcases (& lots of pillows), plenty of blankets and light & heavy comforters are provided.
- Washing MachineLaundry area w/large-sized washer & dryer; laundry sink; iron & ironing board
- Clothes DryerLaundry area w/large-sized washer & dryer; laundry sink; iron & ironing board
- FireplaceFieldstone wood-burning fireplace in greatroom; firewood is provided.
- InternetBroadband internet access w/15mbps
- Towels ProvidedPlenty of good fluffy towels, all sizes.
- Wireless InternetBroadband internet access
- Iron & Board
- Alarm Clock
- Ceiling Fans
- Air ConditioningHeat pump central full-house A/C system
- Firewood
- Hair Dryer
- Laundry Soap
- Paper Towels
- Basic Soaps
- Toilet Paper
- Telescope
- Parking Off StreetParking beside driveway on grass for a few cars.
- Living RoomOpen concept greatroom, glass walls on two sides, sitting area by stone fireplace, kitchen with large island, dining table for eight, study area with bookshelves; beautiful views of mountains & valley
- Study Room
- Vacuum System
- Living Area
Kitchen
- Cooking UtensilsPlenty of pots and pans & cooking utensils of all kinds & sizes. Good sharp knives. Electric hand mixer, blender, food processor, crock pot, cake pans, pie plates, quiche pan, loaf pans...
- Dishwasher
- FreezerLarge side-by-side refrigerator/freezer
- StoveSlide-in model 5-burner electric range with convection oven. Also have both gas and charcoal grills on back patio.
- OvenRegular/convection oven in slide-in electric range
- MicrowaveSmall countertop microwave
- Grill
- 4 Ring Stove
- RefrigeratorLarge side-by-side refrigerator/freezer
- Coffee MakerDrip: Uses ground coffee.
- Toaster
- Blender
- Ice Maker
- Pantry ItemsTwo rolls paper towels in kitchen & toilet tissue in each bathroom. Lots of spices, some sweetners, some tea and coffee.
- Dishes & UtensilsTwo sets of stoneware dishes and stainless flatware
- KitchenKitchen is in open-concept greatroom with everything you need to cook family & gourmet meals & bake to your heart's content; lots of great pots & pans, cooking utensils & sharp knives.
Dining
- Dining Area
- DiningThe eight-person dining table is by the front window wall in the open concept greatroom with fantastic views.
- comfy seating for 8 people
Entertainment
- TelevisionSatellite TV in separate Media/Library room; including ESPN
- Satellite / CableSatellite
- Radio
- StereoBasic stereo in greatroom w/CD player; please bring own CD's and MP3 players
- CD Player
- DVD PlayerPlease bring own DVD's
- BooksHundreds of books, every topic & genre!
- Books for Adults
- GamesSeveral board games for all different ages - children to adults.
Outside
- Lawn / GardenSeveral-acre yard with grass lawn. Room for softball or soccer games.
- Outdoor GrillTwo grills: both gas and charcoal (filled propane canister provided; bring own charcoal)
- Wood Deck
- Outdoor Grill Gas
- Patio
- Screen Porch / Veranda
- Deck / PatioWrap-around deck facing East & South with screened porch. Table & four chairs on screened porch. Two round tables with eight chairs on deck. Patio at front entrance w/bistro table.
Suitability
- wheelchair inaccessibleWe sincerely apologize but the house's structure does not lend itself to easy wheelchair accessibility from outdoors to indoors. Also, the bathrooms are too small for wheelchair access. So sorry!
- Long-term Renters Welcome
Attractions
- playground
- autumn foliage
- churches
- cinemas
- forests
- library
- museums
- caves
- recreation center
- live theater
- restaurants
- synagogues
- waterfalls
- winery tours
- festivals
Leisure Activities
- walking
- horseback riding
- antiquing
- bird watching
- sight seeing
- scenic drives
- photography
Local Services & Businesses
- ATM/bank
- fitness center
- groceries
- hospital
- massage therapist
- medical services
Sports & Adventure Activities
- mountain biking
- swimming
- sailing
- cycling
- fishing
- skiing
- golf
- water skiing
- tennis
- fly fishing
- freshwater fishing
- hiking
- jet skiing
- rafting
- spelunking
- water tubing
- whitewater rafting
Notes
- Blackberry Morning Retreat is a stunningly beautiful destination retreat, wonderfully quiet and peaceful, yet within short distances of a university town & outdoor adventures! In the greatroom, enjoy conversation with family and friends by the fire, around the table, or while cooking in the well-equipped kitchen. In the library, read a book from the large collection or watch sports or a movie on the flat-screen TV. Watch the colorful sunsets & be awed by the brilliant stars. Hike the Appalachian Trail just above the house to Kelly Knob overlook. Just 15 miles West, canoe, kayak, tube or white-water raft the New River or visit the Cascades Nat'l Recreation Site. Go boating or swimming at Claytor Lake, just an hour away. Or skiing, within one-two hours. We promise you'll love it! We are strictly a NO SMOKING location! Children are most welcome. Pets considered w/extra cleaning fee. We sincerely apologize, but we are not wheelchair accessible.
29 Reviews
Latest reviews
Great property and accommodations
Plenty of room for 3 families with beautiful views.
Beautiful views from an outstanding house
We had a great stay at Blackberry Morning. We had four adults and four teenagers. We were visiting our daughter who is a freshman at VaTech. The views from the property are beautiful, and the house was clean and comfortable. We had lunches and dinners in Blacksburg, but the kitchen is well equipped, so it would have been easy to cook meals at the house if we had chosen to do so. The owner, Suzy, was also very helpful and responsive. We will definitely stay here again.
A nicely secluded getaway.
We are not disappointed when we arrived. This property is exactly how Suzy described. Breathtaking scenery of the mountains and walking trails nearby. The house was perfect, well maintained and very cozy. There is a tenant living in the basement apartment, which was not even an issue at all. Great place and we will be sure to come back again.
Home away from home (but with a better view!)
Blackberry Morning was a beautiful, peaceful, and comfortable getaway for our family. The house was furnished with all that we could possibly need to make our vacation a hassle-free and relaxed chance to spend quality time together as a family. Suzy checked in with us and made sure that we were settling in and enjoying our stay and we certainly did! The view out the window each morning literally took my breath away. We absolutely loved feeling so far away from all the cares of our busy lives for a little while. Thanks Suzy!
Beautiful place and property
This place is spectacular, and we were made to feel extraordinarily welcome. You feel close to nature. It would help for the property description to clarify that there is a long term renter in the basement, so that everyone knows that.
I am so sorry that this might have been an issue for M.J. When we have someone in the apartment, it is always noted in our listing and I also inform potential guests in my response before they book. However, at the time that M.J. booked the Retreat in April (for himself and friends to go hiking in the area), we did not have anyone in the apartment. Our current renter asked to move in early, just a few days before M.J. & friends' arrival in July. I realize it wasn't a lot of advanced notice, but I did let M.J. know at that time and gave him introductory information. I honestly didn't think it would be an issue! And M.J. didn't mention it at all, in his reply then or at any time during his stay. If I had had an inkling that it was a problem, I would have asked my renter to wait to move in or stay someplace else during their stay.
The apartment does have a separate outside entrance and I am extremely cautious in my screening process for potential renters. We like to have someone trust-worthy living there to watch over the property when we aren’t there ourselves and it isn’t rented to Retreat guests. This is our family home and farm and it is very special to us.
It is entirely up to guests, of course, whether you wish to stay at Blackberry Morning Retreat with someone on the premises, but let me share a bit about Matt before you decide.
Matthew Blair is a 24-year-old PhD candidate in engineering at VATech. I have found Matt to be an exceptional young man - very mature, responsible, considerate and friendly.
Matt will be very respectful of your presence in the house and your right to privacy and a quiet and non-intrusive Retreat stay. But he will be happy to chat with you about the area or answer questions you might have or help you out in any way that he can.
Matt just finished his Master's degree at VATech in May and is staying on to complete his doctorate in engineering. He's an excellent student with ambitious goals. He has given me permission to share photos and any personal information, as well as his resume (which is very impressive) with guests.
It is always my intention that guests find Blackberry Morning Retreat exceeds their expectations and they have a wonderful time during their stay! I'm happy to do whatever I can to make that happen! :)
Suzy
Exceptionally Beautiful Location
This was the best vacation for those looking for the mountain experience. The property is remote and private. The views and the hiking options are majestic. The house is very nicely furnished and very comfortable. I'm already looking for excuses to vacation here again.
Location
Blacksburg & Virginia Tech: Just 14 miles, yet a world apart! In the New River Valley of the Blue Ridge Highlands. Blackberry Morning is a stunningly beautiful mountain retreat on 268 private acres, so wonderfully quiet and peaceful. Gather family & friends to enjoy great times just being together, to attend Virginia Tech graduations, football games & reunions, or to experience fun outdoor adventures. You are going to love being here! Listen to the creek flowing & the birds singing and the breeze blowing. Be awed by the sunsets down the valley & the brilliant stars in the night-sky. In the greatroom, enjoy conversations by the fire, around the table, or while cooking in the well-equipped kitchen. In the separate library/media room, read a book from the large collection or watch sports or a movie on the flat-screen TV. You are welcome to hike anywhere on the land and enjoy the spectacular views from every vantage point. Picnic on the meadows & explore the creeks & park-like woods. You can often see whitetail deer in the open pastures around the house early in the morning or late in the afternoon. The wild turkeys are elusive, but you can sometimes see them in the pastures or crossing the road. You might even get to see a black bear. Or a timber rattler. Please be aware that all of these occasionally venture into our yard, sometimes close to the house. You can hike the Appalachian Trail at the top of our property. It's a 2.5 mile moderate-hike to Kelly Knob overlook. Other nearby hikes are Angel's Rest, Wind Rock and Dragon's Tooth. The Cascades Nat'l Recreation Site waterfall is just 10 miles West -- a great place to picnic and fly-fish for native trout. There are other wild & stocked trout streams nearby, including Big Stony Creek. The New River has canoeing, kayaking & tubing less than 15 miles West. And there's white-water rafting in West Virginia on the New & the Gauley, about two hours away, and you can bungee-jump off the New River Gorge Bridge in WVA. There is also snow skiing at Winter Place and Snowshoe in W.V., one-two hours West. You can go sailing, motor-boating, water-skiing, swimming & picnicking at Claytor Lake, just an hour away. Stop by Mikey's 7th in Newport and pick up a picnic lunch to take with you. And be sure to plan a special gourmet dinner at the Palisades Restaurant in Eggleston while you're here. Great fun! Blackberry Morning is just 14 miles, 25 minutes, across two mountains to Blacksburg & VATech University where there are all kinds of things to do that you typically find in a university town. Enjoy VATech sports, graduations, reunions & special events. Picnic by the Duck Pond, walk on the paved trails around campus, go to concerts on campus and at the smaller venue of the Lyric Theater downtown (old, restored movie-house). And there is a brand-new Performing Arts Center that you must experience. There are side-walk cafes like Gillie's & Caba Fish Taco where you can hear local music, & great local restaurants like Bull & Bones and Zeppoli's, as well as favorite chains. There are movie theaters and downtown small-shops & mall shopping. There's a year-round indoor pool at the Blacksburg Recreation Center on our side of Blacksburg, where they also have basketball courts, tennis courts, a skateboard ramp, & a hand-in-hand playground on a large open field with picnic shelters. They have great 4th of July fireworks there, too!
Rates & Availability
Additional information about rental rates
Standard Rate: $400.00 (2-night minimum). Football Game Rate: $500.00 (2-night minimum). Nightly rate reduced to $350.00 after third night. Weekly Rate (any 7 days): $1595.00. Monthly Rate (any 30 days): $3500.00. VATech Graduation Flat Rate: $2495.00 (up to 7 nights included). Winter Special Rates: January 4-March 15: $1000.00 weekly; $1995.00 monthly. Cleaning included in all rates! Friendly, well-trained dogs considered; if accepted, $100.00 pet fee applies. You may pay by credit card or eCheck online through HomeAway payment service. Check-In after 4:00PM. (Early check-in sometimes possible; please ask.) Check-Out by 10:00am. (Late check-out sometimes available; please ask.) Rental & Guest Policies Agreement will be emailed. Please note: STRICTLY NON-SMOKING! Please note that we have a permanent resident in the basement studio apartment of the house. Matthew Blair is a VATech PhD candidate in Engineering. Matt is a very mature, responsible, and friendly young man (age 25). The apartment does have a separate entrance and Matt will be very respectful of your presence and your right to privacy and a quiet and non-intrusive Retreat stay. But he will be glad to introduce himself (and chat if you like) or help you out in any way that he can. If you have any questions at all, please just ask. I'd be happy to answer them. Thanks so much for considering Blackberry Morning Retreat! We'd be delighted to have you stay!