Radnor Lake

One of my favorite spots (besides eating establishments) in Tennessee has to be Radnor Lake. It sits on 747 acres of land with an abundance of wildlife. Radnor Lake was constructed as an earthen reservoir to supply water for steam engines on the L&N Railroad. It also provided a private hunting and fishing preserve. However, as birds discovered this place of solitude, the area was declared a "Wildlife Sanctuary."
It's not too far from us, but feels like miles away from city life. Once on the trail, I'm in the mountains or the forest. Deer come to feed in the early mornings, sometimes with a fawn or two. Squirrels and chipmunks skitter back and forth. Birds call to one another from the treetops: scarlet red cardinals, chickadees, robins pecking at the ground for a nibble. I saw my first pileated woodpecker here and the Great Blue Herons, Egrets and Canada geese remind me of home in California as they skim across the water. There are more birds that I would like to see and hope to since we are in the middle of one of the migratory flyways.
Snapping turtles slowly creep up from the waters edge and red-eared sliders enjoy the sun balanced on a log out over the water.
The walk around the lake is about a mile and a half, though there are other loops available for those with a little more energy.
I enjoy the solitude the lake provides and until I head east to the Smokey Mountains, I'll be satisfied with Radnor Lake.