Geocaching in Radnor Twp. - The Willows, Skunk Hollow, and Saw Mill Park - Part 1

After taking some needed time off for my health (not 100% better yet, but I'm getting there), I decided to overcompensate by going to one of my favorite caching areas to take lots of pictures.  Not once, but twice - I went the first day on lunch break, and then again about a week later when Jack was home from school for a teacher in-service day.

I've mentioned these parks before, both in a short blog post and again on my Great Local Parks post.  Saw Mill Park, Skunk Hollow, and The Willows are three connected parks located in Radnor Township, PA.  There are developed "park" areas, as well as a good amount of hiking trails, all of which are in a very scenic area.   While there are no playgrounds or anything like that for kids, Jack has really enjoyed himself both times I've taken him there.

There are 13 caches spread out among the three parks.  If you intend to pick them all up on one trip, figure on at least 3 hours to do the whole thing.  If you drive a bit between parks and don't run into any trouble finding the hides you may be able to cut that short, but since the whole point of caching is seeing sights and exploring, you may want to give yourself a half day or so to soak it all in.

Since I have so many freaking pictures (I whittled down my original 90 or so to 35) just for this first part of the park, this post will have significantly less rambling... well, somewhat less rambling.   Since these trips focused on The Willows and one little part of Skunk Hollow, two posts will encompass both parks, with a little bit of overlap.  I'll have a followup post 3 and possibly 4 when I get to the other side of Skunk Hollow and Saw Mill Park.

Since I took these on two separate trips during the first spring week when the leaves budded and grew you may notice some inconsistencies as there was a lot of growing that week.  Err... deal with it I guess?

Without further ado, here are the pictures:

Saw Mill Park is on the left, just beyond the trees.

The first few pics show the drive up to the park.  It's very scenic, and there are often cows doing whatever cows do in the fields.

Despite the speedy looking blur, I wasn't driving all that fast.  My car really isn't capable of speeding.

This was taken the week the trees first really started getting their leaves.

Coming from the south part of Darby Paoli Road, all of the parks are on the left hand side.  Saw Mill Park, followed by Skunk Hollow, and then The Willows.  You can park at any of the three and walk through any of them, though the largest parking areas are in The Willows.

I was driving slowly, so it was totally safe to take this pic and drive at the same time. 

Events are held in The Willows, and since this little farm house / gate house thing has a banner and its own parking area I'm guessing they may use this building for something occasionally. Signs mention that this is also a residence, so what I'm saying is that I really don't know what this building is for.   What I do know is that there is a cache located before you pass the building. 

Very pretty little island in the distance.  I've been to this park probably 8 times in the past 6 months and this was one of the only times nobody was on the bench.

A long driveway goes around in a U shape, passing by a large parking area for the mansion (more later) on the right - there is another cache near that parking area, but you can't park there during weddings or whatever else they do at the mansion.  There is another parking area right after you cross a little bridge, and that's where you can park to do the rest of your caching.

Using the parking area as your base camp, there are two more caches heading toward the driveway exit - Willows Micro, which is a tricky little hide in a neat little area across a field.  The first time I tried to get it I barely missed disturbing a large bee's nest, but the CO moved it to a less sting prone area and I was able to make the find.

Lone Ranger #1 The Willows is located very near the exit, pretty close to the parking area.  If you pick those two up, you can head back toward the park proper to get the rest.

After parking, looking back toward the park.  The mansion is visible in  the center of the image.

There are little tile mosaics in the bridge.  I'd be able to judge the scale of this better if I knew how tall Jack was these days.  "Short" is my best estimate.

Darby Creek meanders through all three parks.

Cross the bridge and walk back up toward the park to get Willows Nano.  This is located near the beautiful little (I mean tiny) island. 

Technically, the Willows Nano cache is in this picture somewhere.  You can't see it, though.

The mansion is visible in front of the trees in the distance.

Very neat little island, though as mentioned before, it's almost always occupied.

Better picture of the mansion.

Once you pick up Willows Nano, head toward the mansion.  Keep it on your right, and follow the little hill toward the guard house(?) on the right.  I mean, it looks like a guard house, though it could be a storage room for all I know.  I imagine that it's a guard house.

He's becoming too cool to be seen walking around with his dad.  Did I mention that he's 7 years old?  Can't wait for the teenage years...

If you have a few minutes to kill, climb up the stairs and check out the little garden and fireplace.

He climbed up those ledges, rather than walk up like a normal human.

From the top of the guard house / garden area, you get a nice view of the park.  Willows Micro is located over that hill somewhere.

Looking back toward the guard house.

The entrance to Skunk Hollow is just past the guard house.  There is an information board and a sign marking the trail head, though it opens up right past these trees.

Ok, that's it for part one. I have much more to show, and hopefully will have a few productive days to get the post done.  Look for Part Two - Skunk Hollow later in the week.

Geocaches in this post:

• Willows Micro #3
• Willows Micro #2
• Willows Micro
• Lone Ranger #1 The Willows
• Willows Nano