Our Fabled Nest

Charming, haunting, mysterious and rich with history from days gone by… my kind of place to hike! Belle Isle is unassuming and smack in the middle of Richmond, Virginia. Once called broad rock island and a fishing mainstay for Native Americans, became an iron works in the early 1800s. Fun fact it housed small village in the late 1800s! The iron works reopened after the Civil war until the 1970s but the village fell by the wayside. The Civil War turned the island into a prison encampment for Union Soldiers. Many faced hardships and over a thousand passed. Admittedly, heartbreaking for those and their families even though it was centuries ago. Belle Isle holds a strange revere for its past. On the walk around the island, the air suddenly grows still, birds become silent and the world around you feels different. I always bring a small flower or crystal to pay respects to the land’s former inhabitants.

Later in the early 1900s, the island became a power plant. Not just any ole power plant but a hydroelectric power plant. As many other things with the island, it closed its doors by the 1960s. Like other historical events from days gone by, the park is littered with remains and historic makers to remind us of what had been. Mostly in ruins, yes, hauntingly beautiful crumbling remnants. Belle Isle, in the seventies, was curated as a national park. As of today, it’s sitting in all of its historical glory kind of like those places that mama nature is slowly taking back over but the history can’t or won’t let go, yet.

I adore this park from the haunting history tales to the trails. We love the paved mile long trail around the perimeter of the island. The paved trail, and bridge are ADA friendly! We give this a solid four paws stamp of approval! Since, it is paved, I always bring the larger stroller for Forrest and he loved the BMX trail – if no one is there, hubs pushes his stroller over some of the “jumps”! There is wading pools and rocks for sunbathing on the northern side of the island. Our kiddos love walking around and exploring the rocks and gentle lapping water! These rocks are rather large and absolutely perfect for sitting and letting your mind wander – I know mine does! By the quarry, rock climbing (at your own risk) is an available adventure – fascinating to watch but I am not trying it! As you traverse around the island, pieces of history pop up and it’s fascinating to think about that point in time.

Getting here is easy! There is always free parking on Tredegar Street. Be warned, it is a relatively small lot. Luckily, we always find a spot! Head to your right under a bridge and up on the right is the entrance to the foot bridge that is suspended from Lee Highway overhead. Sketchy but it seemed sound enough. Beautiful views as it looks like the bridge is floating high over the James River, but I am not a fan of long suspension bridges! Once you get across the bridge, the island is your oyster! So many sights, sounds and things to check out! Don’t stick to the main trail, if you can, try some of the more diverse trails those not taken as often -you never know what you might uncover!

Cheers to our next adventure!