The South River Greenway offers an easy walk along its namesake river. And before you start, feast your eyes on award-winning mural artworks.
Leonard M. and Laurie Adkins
“Kaiya with Tulips” by Nils Westergard (from a distance)
Even from afar, she was imposing. And she changed the course of our day. (“Kaiya with Tulips” mural.)
Laurie and I arrived in Waynesboro, Virginia, early in the day for an author’s event that evening sponsored by Mary Froehlich of the city’s Stone Soup Books. With hours of free time ahead of us, we started a walk along the two-mile South River Greenway. It was only a few minutes later when she appeared off in the distance, looming high above the trees that framed her in the foreground.
Leonard M. and Laurie Adkins
“The Lovers” by Julia Chon
A passerby explained that the portrait was part of Waynesboro’s Street Arts Trail. Intrigued, we left the greenway and found Meghan Swanson with the Department of Tourism on West Main Street. She elaborated: “First held in 2015, the Street Arts Festival brought artists to the city annually to paint murals during the festivities. Although it hasn’t been held since the pandemic, there are now more than a dozen along the Street Arts Trail. Download the Traipse app to your phone for a guided tour and a bit of information about each painting and artist.”
Armed with the app, we set off, coming to the first of three of Richmond, Virginia, artist Nils Westergard’s murals in the downtown area. The portrait of Poochie, spread across the side of the Wayne Theater Alliance building, has her gazing skyward with more than a dozen vibrant flowers decorating her hair. “Father and Child,” on the Waynesboro YMCA, pictures a family swimming party and was Westergard’s first full color mural.
It was “Kaiya with Tulips” that had drawn our attention while on the greenway. Rising more than 100 feet over seven stories on the brick exterior wall of the defunct Cassco Ice plant, the portrait is Westergard’s largest mural ever. Laurie and I are evidently not the only people impressed. “Kaiya” took first place in an international street art competition in 2019.
Julia Chon (a.k.a. Kimchi Juice) decorated another YMCA wall with “The Lovers,” depicting lotus flowers surrounding two cranes, Korean symbols of longevity. Her “Sun Moon Stars” on the back wall of Stone Soup Books represents the story her grandparents told her about the creation of these celestial bodies.
David Wayne’s “Firefighter and Rescue Worker Tribute” mural has a most inspiring depiction of a bald eagle, while the whimsical painting of “The Bird House Girl” and what has been described as a “semi-realistic, semi-cartoonish” Octo-paint-us adorn back walls facing Loomis Plaza.
Leonard M. and Laurie Adkins
“Father and Child” by Nils Westergard
Laurie and I had also been consulting the pamphlet for the Historic Waynesboro Walking Tour because many of its sites were in close proximity to those on the Street Arts Trail and we found Delly Up to be just a few steps away from the end of both of those tours. Owner Mandi Smack pointed out her sandwiches were made with locally baked bread and that the restaurant produced its own pickles, inducing us both to order the Ham and Brie on a Ciabatta roll for lunch. Laurie couldn’t resist the oyster soup as a first course.
So, in the space of just a few hours we had experienced an outdoors art gallery tour, a history lesson focusing on the downtown area and a delectable lunch—and we still had all afternoon to walk the full length of the South River Greenway. Although an interpretive sign identified the stream as a prime spot to fish for smallmouth and rock bass (among other species), we did not see any anglers testing the waters, but did get to watch three great blue herons simultaneously take flight as we approached. Another highlight was talking with two Appalachian Trail thru-hikers who were taking a break in the free campsite the city provides for those making the long trek.
When to Go
Leonard M. and Laurie Adkins
“Rescue Worker Tribute” mural by David Wayne
The Walk: An easy two-mile walk along the main downtown section of Waynesboro, Virginia’s Street Arts Trail. (It would be a four-mile walk to take in every one of the murals located along the trail.)
Getting There: Getting There: Take I-64 Exit 96 in Waynesboro, follow VA 624 northward for 2 miles, turn left onto East Main Street and arrive at the Waynesboro Department of Tourism in another 0.6 mile.
More Information: Visitwaynesboro.com has information about the Street Arts Trail and a link for the Traipse app.
Leonard has written 20 books on the outdoors and travel. Find out more at www.habitualhiker.com.
The story above first appeared in our May / June 2024 issue. For more like it subscribe today or log in with your active BRC+ Membership. Thank you for your support!