In the Valley

The Slate Valley that is, a 24-mile area of New York and Vermont.

I’m spending a week in the small town of Granville, founded in 1780, and known as the “Colored Slate Capital” for the rare varieties mined from its more than 400 quarries during the 1800s. Today, much of Granville’s history may be seen by simply walking about, but the long story is told at the Slate Valley Museum. 

The town has a sweet little Main Street with the Mettawee River passing through, and surrounding rolling hills and forests. I enjoyed relaxing riverside with a good book on lazy days, meandering the D&H Rail Trail on foot from my backyard on occasion, and cycling the challenging hills of Vermont as much as possible.  

A delightful Airbnb studio brought me to this spot, but I had no idea how close I’d be to familiar territory. I was able to walk into Vermont from Main Street, bike to Pawlet where I turned 65 last year, and visit other places of interest like Lake Saint Catherine near Poultney. It was a comfortable week with quite a few chats -- I've decided that Northeasterners are experts at small talk and I quite enjoy it. 

Next stop, about an hour up the road to camp along Lake Champlain.