Review: Peace Valley Park, Indian Path trail

Outdoor Appeal: 10

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Setting: Lake Galena, nature center, hiking trails, hike/bike path, Neshaminy Creek

Explorable Op's: A ton. Outside of the organized sports realm, Lake Galena and Peace Valley Park together have most outdoor activities that someone in the Delaware Valley would care to take on with kids. Hiking, biking, paddling, sailing, birding, picnic areas, playgrounds. With the exception of camping, the park has as much to offer as most state parks.

Facilities: Civilized. The nature center has restrooms, changing tables for infants, a learning center, taxidermed wild animals, gift shop, views of the lake as well as coffee, tea and hot chocolate for a nominal donation.

Review: There are lots of different trails in the park to explore. So when looking at the trail map it may seem a bit daunting to try to figure out what might be a managable hike for you and them. Fear not! The trail system forms a lot of small loops that criss cross over one another so there is almost always a "short cut" back to the car if you need to end the hike quickly. The day we set out I wanted to make sure that we had a pretty short trail with a few neat destinations along the way. I've found that it is easier to keep the 2 year old walking when there is a surprise waiting around the bend - and I do try to hype the surprise and ask him what he thinks it might be to spur him on when the trail gets "tough." The one this particular day I chose to hike Indian Path to Pond Path, a short zigzag on Woods Edge and finish up the loop on Pine Path. I'm guessing it might be a half mile total. I chose this loop because it has three surprises along the way. On Indian Path there is a Indian shelter built out of saplings and tree bark for the siding. From the inside you can see how it was made - pretty neat! We spent about 20 minutes checking it out which seems like a long time to be contained in a small space but it was a real wonderland for both Max and Frank. From the shelter we headed to Pond Path and made our way towards Woods Pond. It happened to be very muddy the day we went so Max couldn't decide if he was all that excited about how sloppy the trail was. The pond wound up being a bit of a problem in that Frank, the one year old, wanted to go in and Max wanted to get take off his sandals to shake off the mud. So we didn't stay very long because I didn't really want to comply with either of their wishes. We started our walk back and came to a small stream that crossed over Pond Path. It was flowing nicely because of all the rain we had just had. It turned out to solve the broken dreams we left behind at Woods Pond. Max could take his sandals off and wash the mud off and Frank could easily walk in the water. The stream had a sandy bottom and was only a few inches deep. We spent another 20 minutes walking back and forth over the stream, gathering rocks, throwing rocks back in, setting leaves afloat and watching them get swept away by the currents. Neither of the boys wanted to leave, but time had marched on towards lunch and curiousity was taking us a little too far up the stream. So we packed ourselves up, took the zigzag on Woods Edge and headed back to the parking area by way of Pine Path.

Recommendations: Truth be told, it's not easy to hike with small children. They meander, tire quickly, want to be carried, have to go to the potty, trip, fall and all kinds of other dilemmas pop up along the way. But I think even a two year old gets a real sense of accomplishment when they see that they have made it back to the car - snacks and drinks awaiting. And time spent in the woods is never wasted in my opinion. So when hiking with kids it's always best to be prepared to do very little hiking. If it's possible, have a few neat stops along the way. And "neat" is a perception you will need to project to the kids. Give them time to exlpore, be patient when they don't want to walk further, flexible and above all else, make it a fun adventure. The woods is a great place to let kids' curiosity run wild - well, not too wild. There's poison ivy out there! But giving them some freedom will make it fun for everyone. And in the end it doesn't really matter what you do outdoors. Just getting out can be enough. Happy trails.

Review: Tyler Formal Gardens

Outdoor Appeal: 7

Setting: Hillside garden, sculptures, fountains, hedges, some trees and a trail overlooking the Neshaminy Creek

Explorable Op's: A lot. The area is truly beautiful. The fountains seemed to be a big draw for the kids. The hedges aren't really a maze but they do just fine for a bit of hide-and-seek. There is a trail that has some views down a steep drop to the Neshaminy Creek.

Facilities: Civilized. Although we didn't explore Tyler Hall further than the first floor and the balcony area, it is a gorgeous building and its exterior sets a regal backdrop to the gardens. There are restrooms in the hall and the student center isn't far away with just about anything you may need as a travelling parent.

Difficulty: Moderate. The terraces of the gardens are flat. But the garden is situated on a hillside. If you walk all the way down to the "tennis court" level of the gardens it is a nice little hike back up to Tyler Hall and the parking area.

Review: When you think "community college" most don't envision something like Tyler Formal Gardens. At one time this was some one's house - George F. Tyler and Stella Elkins to be exact. Tyler Hall is very collegial in a New England brownstone kind of way. The gardens are mostly grass and hedges at first glance. But as you walk through there are fountains, a gazebo and flowers, some hidden some in plain view. The time of year you visit has a lot to do with what's blooming and what you'll see. It is a beautiful setting but it's certainly not the Sound of Music Tour in Salzburg or Longwood Gardens. The gardens in themselves aren't much of an attraction in my opinion. But Tyler Hall and its commanding view, the college center and the gardens together can make for a very nice little trip. On the balcony of Tyler Hall there is a wrought iron sign of an Indian pointing towards the Neshaminy Creek. The sign says, "Indian Rock." If you follow the path down to its end you'll find the best view of the creek from the ground, although it is obstructed a bit by trees. Be careful on Indian Rock. After the rock the path drops off a cliff and it's a long way down.

Recommendations: Keep your self-guided tour moving. Kids probably won't be able to explore everything they want to. Max and Frank really wanted to go in the fountains but obviously Tyler Formal Gardens isn't the kind of place for that. Take a quick spin around Tyler Hall. Meander through the gardens. Hike back up the hill to the balcony of Tyler Hall. If you're sure of your ability to keep your kids safe, venture down to Indian Rock to have a look. From there head towards the student center. If you go during the warmer months you can grab something to eat and take it outside and sit at a table with an umbrella. Besides Indian Rock, this little trip has a very refined feel to it. I enjoyed being in a distinguished setting yet I still felt free to let my kids have fun exploring. Plus it's free. It's a tiny gem and well worth the hour or so you spend. Hope you enjoy. Happy trails.

Review: Schofield Ford Covered Bridge, Tyler State Park

Outdoor Appeal: 10

Setting: Short access trail to Tyler State Park via Schofield Ford Covered Bridge, crosses the Neshaminy Creek with views of the bridge downstream on either side

Explorable Op's: A ton. The trail to the bridge is only about a 1/4 long but the Covered Bridge Trail does lead into the rest of Tyler State Park. The bridge is only accessible for hiking, biking and horseback riding so exploring the bridge is safe.

Difficulty: Easy. The trail to the bridge is actually a gravel road so it's plenty wide and there are no rock or roots to contend with. From the parking area off of Swamp Road there are two options to access the Bridge. You can follow the sign that says "Covered Bridge Trail" and take a steep set of stairs down the from the parking area or you can walk back out of the parking area and follow the road down to your left. Both options are easy but the stairs could present a problem for small hikers who are not yet totally aware of the absolute power of gravity.

Facilities: Primitive. No restrooms, water fountains or any other modern convenience nearby. But the trail is short so you're never far from the car.

Review: There are lots of covered bridges in Bucks County. I think there are 12 total. Max loves to go through covered bridges when we're driving. But the problem with most of them is that the whole experience takes about 5 seconds from start to finish. The wonderful thing about Schofield Ford Covered Bridge is that you kids can explore the bridge for as long as they want. No vehicles are permitted on the bridge so it clear for inquiring minds to wander about. Kids can even walk up the sloping beams to the small porthole windows to look out onto the creek both up and down stream. There are areas on both sides of the bridge that are have more sparsely

placed tree growth so you can put some distance between you and the bridge to get a good look at it. On our visit we walked over the bridge and downstream to a rocky shore along the Neshaminy. The view of the bridge was great, there was a cliff embankment on the opposite shore and, perhaps most importantly for the kids, an abundant supply of flat skipping stones. We went in early spring so geese we flying low in gaggles of 3 to 5 up and down the creek which made for a good show. This is our favorite covered bridge to visit. The trail is a perfect length for kids under 5. The surprise of "finding" the bridge around the bend in the road is a real show stopper for this age group. If you have older kids the bridge will provides quick gratification for the beginning of a longer trek into Tyler State Park and a welcome and visible end to the journey upon returning.

Recommendations: This is a good place to have a camera. It's a quintessential Bucks County scene and whether you are a tourist or a local a picture of a covered bridge is quaint memoir of your time outdoors. The areas around the bridge have trees to provide shade but are open and grassy enough to spread a blanket and have a picnic. The area we explored downstream on the

Tyler Park side of the creek had a gradual slope into the water and the stones were small enough that they didn't cause too many stumbles while walking. So if the temperatures are warm enough you may want to wade into the creek a bit to explore or go fishing. Although water ways always pose a possible danger, this area was relatively safe for knee-high wading. Back at the parking area there are open fields that look to be vacant of human activity, with the exception dogs walking their owners, year round. It occurred to me that this might be an ideal place to fly a kite - especially if you are the one just learning or relearning how to fly. You should be free of audience here.