Enjoy the Shenandoah Valley and Shenandoah National Park with us! Minutes from popular hiking trails, rivers and Graves Mountain Lodge, our Cottage is ideally situated to enjoy the local culture and festivals. If you're in the mood, DuCard Winery, Revalation Winery and Bald Top Brewery are nearby. When staying at The Old Church Cottage, you can relax in our hammock, grill in the back yard, fish in the nearby Rapidan or Rose Rivers or hike the Old Rag, White Oak and other close trails. The Cottage Atmosphere The Old Church Cottage is a unique home filled with love and memories and equipped with a modern kitchen, charcoal grill, heat and air conditioning, TV & DVD, Stereo, WiFi and washer/dryer. It began in 1900 as a Mennonite church. Our family purchased the cottage from friends who restored the Cottage to its current modern state. They worked hard to preserve the original rustic charm -- while having modern conveniences. We enjoy visiting this property as it is a relaxing getaway from everyday life. New to the Cottage is WiFi, allowing us to communicate with friends and family and find the trails we want to hike right from our cozy setting. The Cottage is a retreat designed to help us and our guests enjoy the landscape and environment. On a quiet street in a sparsely populated and quiet neighborhood, it is common to see people on horseback clomping down the street. Our neighbors next door and across the street are friendly and helpful. The Cottage features one bedroom with a queen bed and a loft with a queen and four twin beds. It is perfect for a family or group of close friends. We have enjoyed trips with our adult children as well as "girl wine weekends" and "boy beer weekends" with friends. Guests can enjoy our entire property - bedroom, loft, living space, front porch, back deck and hammock. When you arrive, you can park inside the gate on the right or left. I am available by email and phone. A retreat from the modern world, a trip to the The Old Church Cottage is like stepping back in time. On a quiet street in a sparsely populated and quiet neighborhood, it is common to see people on horseback clomping down the street. Our neighbors next door and across the street are friendly and helpful. The Cottage is less than a mile from Graves Mountain Lodge, which serves three family-style meals per day by reservation. Guests can go horseback riding, visit the farm animals at Graves farm, and sign up for a Friday or Saturday night hayride. Within a few miles of the Cottage are two of Virginia's most popular hikes, White Oak Canyon and Old Rag. DuCard Winery is 3 miles northeast, Revalation is 7 miles east and Early Mountain Vineyard is 13 miles south. Many other wineries, breweries and distilleries are a short drive away. Antique shopping abounds in the area. Nearby waterways are popular with anglers. We have prepared a detailed directory of the local sights, restaurants, and activities for our guests. Check out our Guidebooks on the Airbnb listing as well as our hard copy items in the Cottage itself. Walking is a pleasure in our area. Very little traffic, and the river is right out back. You can walk easily to Graves Mountain Lodge and to the Syria Mercantile for necessary items. Everything else requires transportation -- whether by bike or vehicle. There is walking access to hiking trails on our street and in the neighborhood. All of our guests arrive by car. If you wish, you can hire a driver to drive you around local sites. We have listed a reliable company in our Guidebook. In 2020, we installed WiFi to improve our communications onsite. Mountain WiFi is a wonderful thing, but not as crisp and fast as what we have back home. We hope you will be able to enjoy it! We also have a landline for local calls in Madison County to local restaurants, wineries, breweries and the like. Our street is a relatively quiet street with the only traffic coming from those who live in the area. We frequently walk the roads for a quiet, easy hike in the hills. The neighbors are friendly. And, you will sometimes see people on horseback or bikes on the road. Wildlife is common! We have always committed to a safe, clean home. To ensure your safety, we now also follow Airbnb’s enhanced cleaning protocol, which was developed with expert guidance. We employ a professional housekeeper who always uses protective gear and sanitizing materials to ensure everything is clean and safe. We also leave cleaning supplies for your use during your stay. The Graves Mountain Lodge Apple Festival is held the first three weekends in October, and they have other wonderful festivals and activities. Come on Friday and let the cottage be your home base, no driving required.