Wonderful Windsor Castle Park

Greetings from Virginia! If you follow our Facebook page, you may have seen Our Mothership Crew on the move, again. We are on our way up north, but first are spending some time in Virginia at my sister's house.

Yesterday we packed up all thirteen of us and headed out to Smithfield to enjoy the brisk fall day outside at Windsor Castle Park.






There was no castle (just this house), but the grounds were breathtakingly beautiful, and the walking trails perfect for big groups and little feet. We also found an orchard, fishing piers, a kayak and canoe launch, a dog park and a mountain bike trail.

     

This park is fairly new. Construction started in March 2008, and work was completed in about a year. Windsor Castle Park was the vision of Joseph W. Luter III, founder and former CEO of Smithfield Foods, who donated an amazing amount of $7,200,000 towards the park's development. When living in New York City he had learned to appreciate the green oasis of Central Park in the midst of urban construction, and wanted to set aside land in his beloved hometown of Smithfield, Virginia, for similar purpose. (You can read more here.)

Thank you, Mr. Luter, this park is a treasure!!
 
   


We had such a wonderful walk, and afterward enjoyed our packed lunch at at the picnic area, before heading home.



Directions to the park can be found here. (Quick tip: Jericho Road is squeezed between two houses, and looks like a brick driveway.) There is no entrance or parking fee to Windsor Castle Park. There are no public restroom facilities, but the port-a-potties were fairly clean, and a Starbucks can be found close by:)

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Terveisiä Virginiasta! Jos seuraat facebook-sivuamme, niin olet ehkä nähnytkin, että olemme matkalla pohjoiseen, ja parhaillaan siskoni perheen luona vierailulla. Eilen pakkasimme koko konkkaronkan autoihin, ja kävimme kävelyllä upeassa Windsor Castle Park-puistossa Smithfieldissä. Retken kruunasi pikniklounas. Nauttikaa syksyisistä kuvista - päivä saattoi olla reissumme lämpimin:)