in 1910, Mabry Mill is a
working water-wheel-
driven grist mill. Its
wooden construction has
distressed over the years
to a state of wonderful
entropy; the structure
looks like it just fell out
of a historical romance
novel, except you won’t
find a strapping young
couple in a state of
dramatic embrace infront of this building.
The mill is managed by
Mabry Mill Restaurant
(%276-952-2947; http://www.
mabrymillrestaurant.com; 266
Mabry Mill SE, Meadows of
Dan; mains $5-8; h8am-6pm
May-Oct), which happens
to whip up some of the
better breakfasts along
the Blue Ridge Parkway.
They’ve got three kinds
of specialty pancakes –cornmeal, buckwheat
and sweet potato. Throw
in a biscuit with some
Virginia ham and that’s
a perfect way to start
your day.
Three miles down the
road, at milepost 179, the
half-mile Round Meadow
Creek Loop Trail leads
trekkers through a lovely
forest cut through byWooden mill with autumn leavesROBERT CABLE/GETTY IMAGES ©