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anne and matt mauney with a sunset view
September 30, 2022

Day Date: Bear’s Den Hike + Bluemont Winery

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Matt and I had one last celebration for my birthday over the weekend: a hiking + winery day date! (For the other celebrations we had, check out this blog post: All the Birthday Things!)

I love hiking with Matt, and especially in the fall with the lovely weather it’s one of my absolute favorite dates. So, it’s what I requested for my birthday!

Matt planned the adventure out for us and chose a hike called Bear’s Den to start the afternoon. We’d hiked in this area before but had never done this trail, so it was fun to check out something new!

hiking selfie

The weather forecast in the afternoon was calling for storms, and it ended up raining a little on our drive out to the hike, but thankfully once we were out there it was a beautiful day.

We did the Bear’s Den Overlook Hike, which takes you along part of the Appalachian Trail. I’ve always thought it would be cool to do some overnight hikes on the AT… maybe someday.

Have any of you hiked the AT?

shenandoah valley Appalachian trail sign

It wasn’t too long of a hike up to the gorgeous overlook. The sky had cleared and we had some really nice views!

standing and looking at the bear's den overlook view

We sat and enjoyed it for awhile and had some snacks. 

view from bear's den overlook

And then we carried on along the Appalachian Trail. 

The Bear’s Den Trail Center we came across along the way was cool – you can’t really tell in this picture but the back of it was like a small castle. Apparently through hikers can stay overnight here! 

bear's den hiker lodge

This part of the AT was quite steep and a bit rocky (I definitely slipped at one point and bashed my foot a bit, but thankfully did not twist an ankle), but it was really beautiful and lush in the forest. 

We took the trail down down down down down down until we reached this cute little bridge at the bottom. 

It was down deep enough in the forest that there wasn’t a lot of sun down there – it was nice and quiet and peaceful, too (that’s one of the bummers about this trail, that for a large portion of it you can hear the cars on the nearby road).

feet on a bridge in the woods

From there we went back up and up and up and up and up! Oof, that got us breathing hard!

Back to the overlook to say farewell…

bear's den overlook view

And from there we headed back to the car and drove over to nearby Bluemont Vineyard! We’ve always heard about this place and couldn’t remember if we had been there before, but when we arrived we realized we had definitely never been. 

It’s up a steep hill and has some really gorgeous views of the countryside below. I see why it always comes highly recommended!

bluemont vineyard grape vines

Hello, grapes! 

bluemont vineyard grapes

We got there around 5:30, so a bit late in the day (they close at 7), and that combined with the fact that the forecast had been a little weird all day meant it wasn’t mobbed, which was super nice.

I’ve had charcuterie boards on the brain lately (check out my Simple Small Charcuterie Board post if you missed it), so of course we had to try the one at the winery!

It was all very delicious, and I loved the addition of a warm pre-sliced baguette on the side. The fact that it was warm and toasty really took it up a notch. 

charcuterie plate from bluemont vineyard

Plus we each got a flight of wine to enjoy as well.

We ended up moving to a more scenic spot (both for the views and also because there were some really rowdy kids over where we started and when we are not with our kids we don’t really want other kids yelling in our ears and running laps around us, either, just sayin’…), which was lovely. 

wine tasting view at bluemont vineyard

It was a really wonderful way to end a day. I haven’t felt that relaxed in a long time.

glass of wine with a view of bluemont vineyard

Once we finished our wine flights we ended up hanging out in the Adirondack chairs and watching the really unique cloud formations – they were moving quickly and kind of mesmerizing/meditative to watch.

It ended up being a really cool sunset with all the different clouds in the mix. 

sunset view from bluemont vineyard

So gorgeous. Look at all those colors! 

sunset view from bluemont vineyard

We were super sad to leave when they closed at 7, but grateful for a lovely afternoon. 

sunset over the bluemont vineyard patio

Until next time, Bluemont!

anne and matt mauney with a sunset view

Do you prefer wineries or breweries? (Or neither?!)

I usually prefer wineries when it’s just me and Matt because it feels more like a date vibe, but when we have friends with us and/or the kids breweries can be a lot of fun, too.

- anne
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11 comments
  • Jenn September 30, 2022 · 9:05AM:
    Wineries! And highly recommend using trekking poles for your hikes. Saved many a sprained ankle and stumble on rocky terrain. Kids can use them too though I recommend starting them with just one pole until they get used to them.
    Reply
    • Anne
      September 30, 2022 · 2:47PM:
      Ah, good idea! Matt always finds a walking stick somewhere in the woods to carry along... it does seem like it would help going down!
      Reply
  • roadrunner September 30, 2022 · 1:06PM:
    How lovely! Very, very nice. All the ingredients of a wonderful day!
    Reply
  • Ana September 30, 2022 · 2:01PM:
    Definitely wineries! Looks like a lovely day in the country. Glad you dodged the rain!
    Reply
  • Kris S September 30, 2022 · 4:21PM:
    Glad you lucked out with the weather! Bluemont looks like a fab spot for a great view and some wine! I love wineries and breweries equally, if the ambiance is good! I have to say though, I've been very VERY spoiled to have phenomenal wine tastings in France and Italy so I'd come down on team wine if forced ;)
    Reply
    • Anne
      October 3, 2022 · 10:46AM:
      Yes!! I hope we can do another wine tasting in Europe experience together someday... preferably with castles involved.
      Reply
  • Amy K. September 30, 2022 · 9:24PM:
    Love the hiking pics!! I've never done any AT hiking but I did a 5-day backpacking trip on the PCT last summer. It was epic and awesome!!!
    Reply
    • Anne
      October 3, 2022 · 10:48AM:
      That sounds amazing! I've heard great things about that trail.
      Reply
  • Danielle October 4, 2022 · 4:18AM:
    What a fun day! I'm currently living in Germany but noted this down as a fun day trip when we eventually move back to the DC area.
    Reply
    • Anne
      October 4, 2022 · 12:49PM:
      Awesome, hope you enjoy it too!
      Reply
  • The Many Thoughts of a Reader
    October 5, 2022 · 2:34PM:
    I usually prefer breweries because I like beer more than wine. I do enjoy a good view at a winery though!
    Reply
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anne mauney fannetastic food
Hi, I’m Anne! I'm a Washington D.C. based Registered Dietitian, mother, runner, and lover of travel, adventure, and the great outdoors. I've been blogging since 2009, sharing a mix of lifestyle content, recipes, and fitness tips. Come for the recipes – stay for the fun!
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anne mauney

I’m Anne, a Registered Dietitian and mother. I've been blogging since 2009 and love showing others that eating nutritious foods and staying active can actually be fun rather than overwhelming!

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