The Eight Arch Bridge over the Neshaminy Creek at Dark Hollow

Production is almost complete on 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Philadelphia and just in time for what I think will be the most spectacular hiking season yet! The difficult rains of March have given way to milder months, with flowers and trees bursting forth. Spring in the Greater Philadelphia area is like no other: It starts a little earlier than the New England states, but still provides that sense of renewal that comes from making it through the dark and chilly winter. Winter hikes have brought their solitude and deep contemplation with icy brooks and effervescent pines, but nothing recharges my batteries like spring and early summer, especially this year, with the manuscript finally complete. I visited Dark Hollow this week in Warwick, PA, which is aptly named, since it cuts through commercial and residential areas like a hidden secret. My favorite part of this hike is scaling the Neshaminy Palisades. Once you reach the top you are rewarded with a view of hawks swooping and soaring above lush agricultural fields on one side, and on the other side, rocky ledges overhang the creek below. Perfect solitude. The Native American “Neshaminy” means “place where we drink twice,” and the area near the Palisades here at Dark Hollow is what earned the creek its name. The water slows here before picking up speed again, eventually flowing through Bensalem Township, and then emptying into the Delaware  River. The trails along the creek provide a winding unwinding that reminds us that no path and no person is free from irregularities, and thank God, because what a colossal bore that would be! So get off that computer and go explore some imperfect paths. See you on the trails!

Sandra