Hike #1199; Newtown to Jamison
2/9/19 Newtown to Jamison with Jason Itell, Craig Craig, Shane Blische, Kathryn Cataldo, Justin Gurbisz, Kevin Kowalick, Sy P. Deunom , Laura Nycum, Jeremy, David Goldberg, and Dan Asnis
This next hike would be another point to point, the next in the Neshaminy series.
We had done so many hikes associated with the Neshaminy Creek at this point, I can’t quite keep up with what number it is. Some of them have been straight up Neshaminy themed, others have been part that and part other stuff. I’m not going to bother trying to number them anymore, because as of this hike, it gets a bit more complicated.
Development path
The Neshaminy Creek, like most creeks, splits off into different branches up stream. The Little Neshaminy Creek would break off during this hike, and just to the north there is a north fork and a west fork of the creek, both of which, as well as the Little Neshaminy, all merit exploring further. The series is going to involve far more than previously anticipated.
We’ve been spending a great deal of time around Newtown PA, which is fine, but I’m starting to get a bit burnt out on it. There really is a lot of stuff around the area to see and do.
Development path
We recently hiked the former Newtown Branch of the Reading Railroad and then tied into the Neshaminy series, and before that we’d had another Neshaminy hike.
Development path
The area around the town and the creek has so many little pedestrian pathways connecting to everywhere, I could spend years on it. I decided that I wanted to try to do the best of all of them, which would be an undertaking itself.
We had already explored the Core Creek Park, most of Tyler State Park, landowner associations, non profit lands, and smaller municipal parklands. There were just a few more development paths and riverside sections that looked like they merited more exploring that I wanted to try to do.
We met at our end point, in Jamison PA at the Giant Supermarket.
Development path
We then shuttled from this point to Newtown, to the Newtown South Shopping Center we’d used for a couple of previous hikes.
My plan was to start this hike the same way we started the previous ones, just walking to the south from the shopping center and continuing onto the paved trails. We had people falling a bit behind on this one, so I figured we’d just have them meet at the start point. This ended up messing things up for the start point a bit, but we still ended up finishing well before dark.
Neshaminy Creek
It was a bit colder out this time, but no snow on the ground really, so that was nice. To stay warm, we headed to a small place that sold smoothies. I didn’t think anyone bought smoothies in this weather.
I was hungry, so I purchased totally too expensive chocolate chip cookes.
When everyone was finally together, we headed to the south from the shopping center. We crossed Swamp Road, then passed behind Newtown Bagel.
Capt. Henry Van Horne House, built 1765
We then passed through the backs of more stores, over a retention thingy, and then out across Richboro Road. On the other side, we went behind another store and came out to Cambridge Lane. A paved path turned to the right along this. This was all pretty much the same route we had followed on a previous Neshaminy hike, up until this point. Where another paved path went to the left, we continued straight along a grassy area, and then followed to the end of a tree line.
Neshaminy Creek
There, the path continued south, to encircle the development along it’s perimeter. We followed this out to Sycamore Street, which becomes Buck Road to the south. This was again a section we had done a bit of before. On the previous hike we went straight across, but on another we did turn to follow Buck Road south.
At the intersection with Rt 532, there was no good pedestrian crosswalk, and in fact “no pedestrian” signs.
Log cross
We went across here anyway, as quickly as possible, and followed Buck Road just a little further to the south, then turned to the right on a paved pedestrian path adjacent to a development on Hillcroft Way. It was odd that the road does not allow pedestrians, and yet the path connects directly to it.
We walked up hill slightly and around the east side of the development on the paved path. It made it’s way up and into a nice swath of woods parallel with the buildings, and with a church property on our right.
Wide flood plain
At one point, the path used to continue into the church property, but they had cut it off there.
Spring Garden Mill Covered Bridge site
I’d have come through that way, because it would have avoided the walk on Buck Road a bit, but I didn’t know we’d find a good way through.
When we emerged on the path near the corner of Mill Pond Road and York Street, we crossed and continued on York Street heading west. This took us to a little park area and a lovely old stone manor house that is much older than anything else around. I love when the old original dwellings associated with large properties are kept up when the new developments go in.
Spring Garden Mill Covered Bridge site
This particular house dates back to the time the property was owned by Captain Henry Vanhorne. The home was reportedly built in 1765, and now serves as the homeowners association’s rentable clubhouse. The original Vanhorne residence from the property also reportedly stands nearby, with the earliest section dating back to 1735.
We continued around ball courts, and then headed to the steep slope down to the Neshaminy Creek. There was a good path down there along the river, so we had to get to it.
These are past posts...watch for a new one coming up very soon on the MT FB page.
There was a good path to the right a bit, or we otherwise would have to descend rather steeply.
I had wanted to get back to the Neshaminy trestle that carried the old Reading branch across for a then and now photo, but it was too far out of the way and on the other side of Buck Road, so we opted to just continue along the river to the right.
Spring Garden Mill covered bridge site
The trail was pretty easy to follow for a long while. There were places where ATVs were coming in from the right that we could see. Only in a few spots, like where there was a log necessary to get across on, was the path not super wide. It opened up again on the other side some more.
I remember on previous Neshaminy hikes, when we were walking on the other side of the river directly opposite, we could hear the ATVs. We didn’t hear or see any this time, but there mark was obvious.
Spring Garden Mill Covered Birdge site
Justin pointed out that he remembered the giant fallen Sycamore we crossed on opposite where we were this time. He was right, we’d walked that bit a few times.
The paths opened up to where they overtook almost the entire flood plain at one point. It was an interesting little area. As we reached more development, the path started to narrow down to where we were barely following anything along the creek. Soon, we could see the abutments and remaining pier of the Spring Garden Mill Covered Bridge.
Guide rope section
The old mill that the former bridge took it’s name from still stands on the left side of the highway from here. It has found a new life as a playhouse.
We continued walking to the former bridge site, were I took another photo for my then and nows. I had found a photo taken from this side but I had never been over there to get a modern one. We continued on out to the Newtown-Richboro Road and went beneath the bridge to the trail on the Frisbee golf course on the other side. From there, we could use the guide rope on the trail up to the walkway across the bridge.
Neshaminy view
We crossed over to the Fisherman’s Parking Lot, and hung out there until Jason Itell met up with us.
Stable Mill Trail
Together, we turned to the left and started following the Stable Mill Trail, on an old farm road, up hill to the left.
We continued to the Red Oak Trail, which we turned right on. This took us gradually downhill a bit until we reached where the Nature Trail joined and paralleled to the left. We turned onto this natural surface trail which skirted a side hill down along the Porter Run.
We headed down hill closer to the stream, and then crossed it on a handsome wooden foot bridge.
We turned right on the other side to head down stream, meanwhile Justin, and I think Kevin and Shane were crossing the creek on a fallen log just upstream from the bridge.
Bridge on Nature Trail
The Nature Trail emerged onto the Mill Dairy Trail adjacent to the pedestrian causeway over the Neshaminy Creek.
Nature Trail
We followed this roundabout route further up from the creek because they were trails I’d never done, and followed one of the tributaries. I’d already followed both sides of the Neshaminy through the park, and wanted to incorporate new stuff.
We turned left on Dairy Hill Trail briefly, and then turned right to continue along the Neshaminy from here on Neshaminy Creek Trail, which is a foot path in this section.
Nature Trail
It was a little hard to walk at times, but always passable. Use by horses had beaten the ground up a bit in some areas, and there were also some trees fallen down.
I regrouped everyone when we could see up on the slop across the creek the mansion of George F. Tyler.
The mansion was designed by architect Charles Willing and built in French-Normal Style in 1930-31 using native brownstone. It is the largest residence ever constructed in the history of Bucks County.
Old stone arch near the causeway
The area that is now Tyler State Park was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. George F. Tyler between 1919 and 1928 where they raised dairy cows, poultry, sheep, pigs, and riding horses.
Neshaminy scene
The land was purchased for park use in 1964, and it was dedicated ten years later.
Schofield Ford Covered Bridge
Of course, the history of the area dates back far longer than that. Some of the homes on the property belonged to earlier farming families, which date back to the 1700s.
Nature Trail
The mansion now serves as the administration building for the Bucks County Community College.
It is built directly on the famous Indian Council Rock, a famous native American meeting place that overlooked the Neshaminy Creek and surroundings.
We continued ahead from here, and the trail soon coincided with some of the Dairy Hill Trail, which is a paved former estate road. After an area on a high bluff, the foot path continued back off to the right and closer to the creek.
The creek trail
I had never walked this little section before between Schofield Ford and Dairy Hill.
We soon reached the Schofield Ford Covered Bridge.
The original covered bridge at the site was built in 1874. Unfortunately, it burned down in 1991 by arson. Funds were raised and the bridge was rebuilt in 1997.
The first covered bridge in the America was constructed in Philadelphia, and Pennslylvania still has a few hundred of them, more than any other US state. It once boasted over 1,500 such structures.
Schofield Ford Covered Bridge
We took a short break at the bridge, and then continued more upstream along the creek.
Schofield Ford Bridge
This was part of the Hay Barn Grass Trail at this point. We followed it along the creek for a ways, but the trail soon turned to the left to leave the Creekside. There, we turned away to continue following the Neshaminy up stream.
It was a really pretty section, but a bit rougher walking. We remained on the higher level ground above the creek, now much further down below us. We picked up an old woods road at some point, and remained high, but there was a small creek that flowed in from the left.
Ruins along the Neshaminy
We had to go steeply downhill to cross the creek, which flowed over an angle of block like rock into the Neshaminy.
Along the creek
I found a good spot to cross, as well as a really interesting long piece of stone. Once across, I started climbing through mountain laurels for a bit on a little bit of a ridge between the smaller tributary and the big creek. A short distance ahead, I came across an impressive old stone foundation and fire place.
There wasn’t much of a sign of a road that reached this point, but we couldn’t go looking for it anyway. The houses above were getting closer, and we would need to remain close to the creek as not to be seen.
Neshaminy scene
I was thinking we would have to go out and around this section, so at least we were able to pass through without encroaching too badly on anyone’s private homes.
The Neshaminy opened up into a wider flood plain ahead. We carefully descended, and then followed the flood plain upstream a bit. A large pool started to form on the left as we walked, which separated us from the steep hillside we would need to soon climb.
There was a good swath with no houses along the slope on Worthington Mill Road, directly above, and I wanted to get up to that point. Still, we had to wait for everyone to catch up. No one would know where they were going and it’d be a problem.
Ruins along the creek
Once everyone was together, we scaled the steep hill to the road, and then turned to the right heading down hill, with a few homes on the right.
Neshaminy
We stopped and regrouped yet again when we got to the intersection with Twining Road.
Kat was having a lot of problems with her leg, but I was surprised that she wasn’t giving up yet, and was actually moving along at a pretty good pace considering how badly she was walking.
We walked Twinging Road, and passed by some lovely old houses. The road took us out to Route 232, 2nd Street Pike. We turned right briefly, and then turned left on Tapeworm Road.
Abandoned Tapeworm Road
This road looked kind of beat, and my map showed that it connected to Sacketts Ford Road. I climbed a steep slope directly from 2nd Street Pike to get to it quicker.
On the creek
I only saw one house on the road, and then it was blocked off. It turns out the municipality must have vacated this road. Everyone took a while to catch up, and I felt weird hanging out on this now dead end road which is basically like this one homeowner’s driveway. Before everyone caught up, the owner showed up, and surprisingly didn’t ask me a single thing. He looked cautiously at us, but then went in his house.
When together, we all continued around the barricades and onto the abandoned road, which was a bit overgrown, but passable enough.
Creek scene
The road had a bit of a nice view over fields along it, then passed through a swath of woods before becoming a dead end again, used as a driveway for one house. We continued past that, and then out to Sacketts Ford Road. The road was signed not to trespass from this side only. It looked weird that there was a sign that said “Road Closed” with “Tapeworm” beneath it. It made it looked like the road was closed as a result of tapeworms.
Rock outcrops
We turned right and continued on Sacketts Ford Road. This was a long, rather boring stretch to be walking. The road was bigger, and therefore busier than the others we had been following.
We made our way to the area known as Rushland. It was originally known as Sackett’s Ford from 1750 until 1800, named after Joseph Sackett who settled here in 1730.
Sackett constructed a grist mill, store, and blacksmith shop on the north side of the Neshaminy Creek.
Tapeworms???
It is said that the current name of “Rushland” came from the availability of scouring rushes used by colonists and early settlers to clean pots and pans.
Historic home
The area was renamed Rush Valley in 1883, and then changed to Rushland in 1894. At about that time, the railroad was under construction, which crosses the Neshaminy Creek adjacent to the original ford site. Shane offers a dissertation on that on our then and now compilation.
Then and now with historic dissertation by Shane
We continued walking from here just a bit to cross over the Little Neshaminy Creek, where it had it’s confluence with the main route.
Ruins on the Neshaminy
I realized at this point, where the smaller but still very substantial creek came in, that we would have a lot more to do in this Neshaminy series than previously anticipated.
There will be at least one full hike along the Little Neshaminy alone, and there will be others along other branches as we make our way upstream.
We continued to where there were county owned fields to the right. I turned into them and then got closer to the edge of the creek. The others were behind for a bit, but finally started moving along.
Neshaminy
We went through a line of trees and into another field, and stayed mostly along the creek. I could see back to the old railroad bridge pretty well. Just ahead, we reached a former bridge site. The stone abutments were still in place, and no pier in the middle. I’m not sure what kind of bridge it was, but it could have been covered. There were wing walls along the sides where the approach to the bridge used to be.
On the near side, we turned and walked where the road used to come back up to Sacketts Ford Road. The original main route of the road used to continue from here onto what is known as Old Wilkinson Road on google maps.
Neshaminy scene
We continued up Sacketts Ford to Rushland Jamison Road, where it too crossed the Neshaminy. We turned left away from the creek at this point.
View on Tapeworm Rd
At this area, I had a couple of plans for hikes. This time, I figured we’d follow the back roads for a bit, followed by the extensive system of paved development paths to Jamison where we were parked. There is another system of trails directly on the Neshaminy, parallel in Dark Hollow Park, which I figured would be good for the next one, or for a Summer one when we can swim.
A short bit up the hill, a lot of the group decided to call it quits. I still wasn’t sure exactly who left and who didn’t at first. I was keeping my phone on airplane mode to use for photos and maps, and so I didn’t get messages finding out how many had left until later.
Abandoned Tapeworm Rd
The road became simply Rushland Road, and we followed it to the height of the land, which had some pretty farm land, but I wanted to be away from the streets.
Old Tapeworm Rd
One of the stops we had considered making was the Rushland Ridge Winery, which was located at a ninety degree bend in the road. Unfortunately, it was closed when we went through, so I figured we would have to make a stop there in the Summertime as part of another hike in this series. Maybe connecting Neshaminy and Little Neshaminy.
As we went by the winery, there was a dog going nuts outside. It started running form the buildings, which were a substantial distance away from the road, out toward us. We figured it would have some buried fence or something, but such was not the case.
New Hope Branch bridge at Sacketts Ford Rd
We continued walking to the west on Rushland Road, but the dog kept following us. I had already looked up the winery phone number earlier to call them, and found out they were closed, so I called again, this time to let them know we had their dog.
Confluence of Neshaminy and Little Neshaminy
Someone ended up coming out in a van to get the dog, and although I hoped they would bring us some wine, this did not happen. We continued from there past another ninety degree bend at the Warwick Green Gardens, and then continued on Rushland Road onto to a right turn on Zachary Lane.
Old bridge abutment off of Sacketts Ford in Rushland
Along the road, I found a blue plush chicken along the road, and I secured it to the back of Craig’s bag, saying I’d given him a purple cock or a blue cock or something.
Old spring house
We walked up the road a short distance, and before the first home, we reached another paved trail off to the right. We turned to follow it around the backs of homes.
Sacketts Ford/Rushland bridge
The pathway led all the way around the outside of properties on Carly Court and Devin Lane, and toward the end paralleled a stream.
Tapeworm Rd
There was the ruins of an old stone spring house to the right in this section, and an overgrown old footbridge over the creek. It was too much at this point of the hike to go through, so we walked ahead to the next trail intersection, which connects Devin Lane with April Drive. We turned right, then immediately right again to follow the path on the other side of the creek. Shane bullied on through the mess to cross the old foot bridge or something we had just passed.
Preserved land along Little Neshaminy
The path took us to a power conduit area or something, and didn’t continue ahead. We had to go back to the left, parallel with where we had just been, and then follow the access road/trail out to April Drive. From there, a quick left turn led a short distance to another section of paved trail going off to the right behind houses.
We met a couple, I think they were Russian, along this trail section that recommended we follow Dark Hollow Road out to along the Neshaminy.
Bucks County land along Little Neshaminy
I knew of that route, but that was part of my plan for a future one. Instead, we continued on the paved trail, which turned to the left and paralleled Dark Hollow Road for a time heading west. This took us out across Lockleigh Road, and then a short distance further abruptly ended at a line of trees.
New Hope Branch
During this time, a cop went by watching us. And then he went by again as we were walking up along Dark Hollow Road. He stopped and asked someone in the group further back what we were up to.
We passed an intersection, and then there was something that might have been a sewage ejector pit or something to the right. There was a paved trail going across the other side of the road to the left, which I’ll have to incorporate into another future hike. We cut around the fenced area, and then headed to another paved path behind it.
Jason says Spring is here
This took us through woods to ball fields and a pond.
The same cop that had been passing us was parked in the lot of the field as we were walking through. Rather than just keep seeing him, I figured I could go up and talk to him. I wanted to see if he knew of another good walking route through the development, and to let him know what the group was about.
I struck up a conversation, and then everything was cool. He told us we were always welcome in Warwick, and that we had a lot of that type of stuff around. We didn’t see him again, probably because he had something to report back about us rather than just stalking us for the next hour.
We cut across the one fall field which took us out to Almhouse Road. We followed this over Meetinghouse Road, and then passed a church. I thought to leave the road and cut through the back of the church lot to the commercial places to the northeast, but the intersection with Rt 263 was visible just ahead.
I decided we’d just walk Almhouse Road to there rather than try to do anything hard again.
Jason found a little spring out on the road as we went in that direction, and made some sort of joke about Spring being here.
We turned right on the highway at the light, and walked behind the businesses heading north until we got to the Giant food store lot to complete the hike.
We got rides back then to Newtown, where some of the remainder of us had some dinner at the Wendy’s (there’s a great new mushroom peppercorn burger). It was a nice time sitting around and being obnoxious in the place, always a great way to close out a great hike.
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