Blogging the Beach

Great news for cyclists, and joggers and nature walkers! Pretty soon you’re going to have a terrific new bike trail in the Currituck Outer Banks to enjoy!

Thanks to a $500,000 state grant, Corolla residents will soon have a trail for walking, jogging and biking.

Currituck County officials announced Friday that the county has been awarded the grant by the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund. The $500,000, combined with $500,000 in county funds, will help pay the $1 million cost of constructing a 10-foot wide, 1.2-mile paved trail in Corolla.

“We’re really excited about it,” said Holly White, senior planner in the Currituck Planning Department. “Right now there’s nothing there, so people are riding bikes and moms are pushing strollers along the side of the road.”

Once constructed, the path will stretch from Currituck Heritage Park to the Currituck Banks Coastal Reserve, White, who wrote the grant for the county, said. In addition, a small park will be built along the trail, she said.

More on this exciting story from the Daily Advance.

The Corolla trail will run parallel to NC 12, so if you bring your bike to the Outer Banks you can enjoy a leisurely ride along the most serenely beautiful areas of the OBX. You might spot a wild horse or two or other “natives” of Currituck. More news on this development as we get updates.

Visitors to the Currituck area of the Outer Banks will marvel at the sight of horses roaming freely along the beach, down dusty town roads, and even near the many vacation rentals lined along the shore. Currituck County is proud to have these majestic, legendary creatures live among us, and it’s our hope to preserve the numbers of the herd for generations to come. To maintain the safety of the wild horses, and of our guests and residents, new ordinances are in place to help ensure safe vacations all around.

If you’re on the Currituck Outer Banks and see one of the famed wild mustangs, county officials want you to keep your distance…Visitors are urged not to feed the horses because the food could have devastating effects on their health, including causing death.

Please read the entire article from the Daily Advance on the new guidelines for horse watching and interaction. Enjoy the Mustangs from a distance and do your part to keep them healthy and around for a long time.

Have you been to Knotts Island lately? This beautiful area in the Currituck Outer Banks is home to Martin Vinyards, one of three wineries in the immediate area. If you have a taste for fruit wine or a delightful Viognier, this is the place to visit this summer.

The grounds of Martin Vineyards also provide for great seasonal fruit picking opportunities. Right now, peaches and apples are ready for harvest, but be sure to call ahead for availability. Families are welcome to pack a picnic lunch and tour the winery. Fruit may be picked by the basket. Look for seedless grapes to sample and enjoy around this time, too.

Depending on how you come, you may need to take the Currituck Sound ferry, so don’t forget to check the schedules. There is no charge to take the ferry to Knotts Island, and each ferry is equipped with restrooms and a climate controlled lounge so you can relax and enjoy the view of the sound as you’re carried across the water.

For more information on activities and events on Knotts Island, come to our beach online and discover that Currituck is more than you imagined!