Noland Trail

On March 18, two days after my latest hike into the Great Dismal Swamp, I led another trail club hike around Lake Maury in Newport News on the 5 mile Noland Trail.  Afterwords, we spent a couple of hours in the outstanding maritime museum there.  I recommend both of these highly.  Only two of us went.  I guess my hike description wasn't appealing enough.  But the two of us enjoyed the day to be sure!  And since we had both been on the Dismal Swamp hike, we kept our eyes pealed for green bears!

Here is a track of the hike, which we did in a clockwise direction.  The starting (and ending) point is at the Maritime Museum, which is indicated by the circle.  We had water views nearly half of the time.

The trail is extremely well maintained, and a pleasure to walk on.

Early in the hike, there is a good view back to the museum, and to the exact replica (on the outside) of the famous Civil War ironclad warship, the U.S.S. Monitor.

Here is an aerial view (arrow) of the Monitor replica.  The museum has an excellent exhibit on the Monitor and its famous foe, the C.S.S. Virginia (AKA Merrimack).

The path winds through forests,

over bridges,

and past lake shores.

At the halfway point, roughly, the bridge is guarded by four large lions.

Jeff and I weren't the only ones enjoying the decent spring weather.

By mid-March, spring is well underway in southeastern Virginia.

In the museum, I focused on the parts of the Monitor exhibition that I had not gotten to on my last visit.  It is amazing that they have recovered so many artifacts from the ship's graveyard off of Cape Hatteras, N.C. - including it's anchor:

Propeller:

and gun turret (shown here upside down in a tank where it is being treated for several decades before it can be put on display.)

The Monitor was perhaps the most revolutionary ship in military history, and probably the most revered - other than perhaps the U.S.S. Constitution - to US Navy vets.  I am glad that they have found its remains and are conserving many of the artifacts.

Where else can you get a hike and a visit to a world-class museum for a buck?  Yes, the Maritime Museum only costs a dollar admission.  It was a most enjoyable day of nature and history!