(Day 13: Tuesday, June 8th): yet another day of sunshine and high temperatures, the forecast is for a maximum of 95F here in Raleigh. It will be a little cooler in our destination (Asheville) but that is over 260-miles west.

Our first stop on our drive west is at Guilford Courthouse - the site of a revolutionary battlefield in March 1781. An auto route takes us round the major part of the battlefield. Although the battle was a victory for the British under the command of Earl Cornwallis, they suffered overwhelming casualties. The revolutionaries, led by Nathanael Greene (right) had relatively light losses. Cornwallis then fought through a hapless summer that ended with his surrender at Yorktown in October 1781.

At 1pm we reach our next destination, Old Salem - a historic district of Winston-Salem in North Carolina that was originally settled by Moravians in 1766.

 

Salem has survived to become one of America's most authentic colonial sites. Some sixty original brick and wooden structures live again as costumed interpreters demonstrate the household activities and trades of residents in Salem in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.

 

With the aid of an audio guide we tour the streets and buildings of this fascinating town. The most interesting buildings include the Single Brothers House (left); the Fire House; the Salem Academy, the Home Church (right); God's Acre (the burial ground - left); Vierling House; the Winkler Bakery; the Biglow House; and the Tavern.

 

A plaque in the town square states that the first official 4th of July celebrations in the United States were held in Salem in 1783.

 

 

Leaving the Winston-Salem area we drive across vast areas of well-wooded, rolling hills, as we cross the wide Catawba River and head towards the distant Blue Ridge Mountains. Our long afternoon's drive ends when we arrive at our hotel for the next two nights - the Hampton Inn in the Asheville-Biltmore area. We eat at the unsophisticated Farmer's Market Moose Cafe.

 

 

Today is one of the highlights of our tour, visiting the architecturally famous Biltmore Estate that was built in the 1890s as the private home of George Vanderbilt. The 250-room French Renaissance chateau is America's largest home. Richard Morris Hunt designed the house, and Frederick Law Olmstead landscaped the original 125,000-acre estate (now 8,000 acres). On view are the priceless antiques and art treasures collected by the Vanderbilts. We spend the whole of the day here.

 

The tour of the house is self-guided with the assistance of an audiotape player and takes us two hours. It covers three principal areas of the house: the main floor; upstairs; and the basement.

 

Highlights include the glass-roofed Winter Garden; the huge Banquet Hall; the Music Room; the 90-foot long Tapestry Gallery; the Library; the Grand Staircase; the Oak Sitting Room; the Halloween Room; and the Smoking Room.

After a drink in the Stable Cafe we explore the formal gardens, and the greenhouse which has some delightful orchids. We then join a 'Behind-the-Scenes Tour' which encompasses a variety of rooms over six floors and involves negotiating some 350 steps.

 

Returning to the Stable Cafe we have a lunch of sandwiches and share a brownie cheesecake.

 

Our second exploration of the gardens is more extensive as we use the walking trails to reach the Bass Pool. A Kousa Dogwood is heavily laden with flowers.