Category Pennsylvania

Settler’s Cabin & Altered Genius Trailside

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Imperial, PA

Head out to Settler’s Cabin park, one of the nine Allegheny County Parks, for a Springtime hike! See the modest waterfall, hike through freshly emerging wildflowers, and enjoy meandering through hemlock and pine groves. This park is beautiful all year round but is particularly lovely in the early spring. Afterward, check out Altered Genius’ new Trailside taproom right along the Montour Trail in Imperial!

THE HIKE: Settler’s Cabin South Loop

Length: 4 miles
Elevation Gain: 400 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Time: 1.5 hours
Trail use: Biking, hiking, leashed pets
Parking: Park at Tomahawk Shelter

Settler’s Cabin Park is one of the many parks managed and maintained by Allegheny County. The large park boasts not only miles of wooded trail, but also large pavilions, a wave pool, playgrounds, tennis courts, and a hockey rink. There really is something for everyone! I grew up going to this park for birthday and graduation parties, but never knew that there were so many trails here too! 

The park gets its name from a historic log cabin located onsite which archaeologists helped to date to 1780. The various pavilions are also named for the Native peoples that once lived in this area including the Algonquian, Seneca, Cayuga, and Chippewa. Prior to the land being purchased by the County in 1971, this area was an active coal mine. Thankfully, efforts are continually being made to reclaim and reforest the area, as well as to mitigate some of the residual mine drainage in some of the creeks. Because of its history, the land can support a unique variety of native flora in its more acidic soil. Settler’s Cabin is particularly known for its beautiful displays of wildflowers in the Spring and Fall. 

There’s over 10 miles of trails at this park but we chose to stick with a smaller loop that included the waterfall (my favorite spot) and a new section of the red trail that we hadn’t tackled before. This time of year, there were tiny flowers poking through the ground on a sunny March afternoon.

Settler’s Cabin is a fairly large park, so I’d recommend having a route picked out from AllTrails or use the County Park’s app to follow the trails as you can easily end up making it further away than expected. On this trek, I wanted to see where the planned connector to the Panhandle rail trail will be at the southwestern corner of the park. Eventually this connector trail will allow access from the park to South Park and all the way to the Great Allegheny Passage!

Where to park: This hike starts at the Tomahawk shelter where there is a large parking lot and portapotty. If there’s an event here, you can also park at the nearby playground or the dog park. 

The Route: From the Tomahawk shelter, the trail starts at the tree line where there is a kiosk with a map and trail alerts. Head into the woods on the blue trail. The trail goes downhill through hemlock trees, then turn left where the blue trail splits from the red. Stay on the blue trail for about a half mile. Then follow the trail signs for the Green/Waterfall Trail. This trail is a wide, well maintained path that switchbacks down the hillside. The trail lets out at a small creek and there is a spur trail to the right to see the waterfall. This waterfall is only 4-ft and is by no means the most impressive falls in western PA but it’s still worth a visit and is a great place to sit and enjoy nature. From here, follow along the Green trail as it meanders along the creek bed. This is a prime section for spotting wildflowers! Just over a mile, the Green Trail turns right and heads up a steep section of hillside. This is the steepest hill that you’ll climb on the Trek. At the top of the hill, turn left onto the Red trail to continue along the quieter southern portion of the park. At about 2.3 miles, there is a trail intersection where heading to the left continues along the Red Trail and crosses over the paved Panhandle connector. Instead, turn right and get on the Yellow Trail. Follow the yellow trail for about a half mile, then turn right on the wide gravel path. Alltrails labels this as the purple trail but we didn’t see any blazes. Continue slightly uphill on this path until it intersections with another portion of the red trail. Turn left and continue along the Red Trail until it meets back up with the Blue Trail and the Tomahawk Shelter parking lot. 

THE BEER: Altered Genius Trailside

Address: 258 Main St, Imperial, PA 15126
Distance from Trail Head: 14 mins, 6.3 miles
Website: www.alteredgeniusbrewing.com
Food?: BYOF, Food Trucks
Details: Outdoor seating, Potentially dog friendly outside

Altered Genius has been crafting unique beers and delicious foods in Ambridge since 2020. The owners may have opened their business during a difficult time but managed to quickly find a loyal following in the Ambridge community. Owners and brewers Donnie and Mike began homebrewing roughly 10 years while they were both working in alternative education. When they shifted to opening a brewery full time, it was a no-brainer that the brewery’s name had to give a nod to their past careers: hence Altered Genius. 

The Ambridge brewery has been so successful that the owners knew it was time to bring their beer across the river. Their second location, called Altered Genius Trailside, opened in March 2024 along Main Street in Imperial. The best part? It’s right on the Montour Trail! This spacious taproom offers all the usual AG favorites, as well as cider from A Few Bad Apples. There’s no kitchen here, but expect a regular round of food trucks. I can’t wait to come back sit on the back patio, it looked like the perfect Sunday afternoon spot.

Our Beer:

  • Prim – German Pilsner – 5.1%
  • Umbrella in a Brainstorm – Saison – 4.7%
  • Lady Red Hair – Red IPA – 6.8%
  • Stephens Island – Irish Stout – 5%

Looking for more Hikes & Hops west of the city? Check out: Raccoon Creek State Park & Fermata Brewing, Robin Hill & Cobblehaus, and Montour Woods & Abjuration

Skippack Creek Loop & Trouble’s End Brewing

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Collegeville, PA

Evansburg State Park is a small state park along the Skippack Creek in Southeastern PA. The full Skippack Creek Loop Trail takes you around the whole park, along the creek’s edge and up along a ridge. Although it was pretty muddy when we visited, this seems like it would be a great place to visit in the drier summer months!

THE HIKE: Skippack Creek Trail

Length: 5 miles
Elevation Gain: 262 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Time: 2 hours
Trail use: Hiking, Mountain biking, Horseback riding,
Parking: Small lot at trailhead

Find the Parking Lot: Park at Pavilion A off Mayhill Road. Use 40.1980458, -75.4042884 to find the trailhead

Evansburg State Park encompasses 3,300 acres of green space in Montgomery County, PA. Its main feature is the Skippack Creek, making it a popular spot for fishing. There are 26 miles of trails for hikers, some of which are also open for mountain biking and horseback riding. In the winter, you can still get out on the trails for cross-country skiing. 

History 

This area was once the land of the Delaware or Lenni Lenape people. Their society spanned most of modern day New Jersey into the PA Lehigh Valley and up to the New York Catskills. Sadly, their matrilineal clans were greatly impacted by European diseases by the time William Penn made his 1684 “purchase” of the American province that would become Pennsylvania. Although WIlliam Penn, a Quaker who founding PA for religious freedom, approached the Lenni Lenape people with peace treaties and payment for their land, his descendents were not so peaceful. In the early 1700s many Lenni Lenape were forcibly removed from their lands in eastern Pennsylvania. 

As the population of Philadelphia exploded in the 1700s, the surrounding area also began to grow to support trade and industry. The Skippack Creek valley was connected to the main city by the construction of the Skippack Pike and the 8-arch bridge over the creek. Built in 1792, this bridge still exists today and is one of the oldest continuously used bridges in the state. 

The land surrounding the modern state park was once home to German Mennonite families seeking religious freedom in Penn’s new colony. They used the waters of the Skippack to power their mills and remnants of these buildings can still be seen along the creek today. 

The Hike

The Skippack Creek Loop is a fairly easy 5 miles loop around the park with only a few difficult uphill sections and two portions on the road. Although you can park at various places through the park to access the point, we parked at Pavilion A where there was sufficient parking and bathroom facilities. 

From the parking lot, head down the gravel road until you reach the rounded turn around spot. The trail starts to the left and is marked by yellow blazes with a sign for Skippack Creek Loop. We choose to go clockwise (turning to the left to begin) and this is probably the way I would suggest to begin. 

Immediately you’ll head downhill on a single track direct path towards the creekside. Along this route, you’ll cross over several small bridges and the way may be muddy. Continuing along, notice interpretive signs about the geology and wildlife of the area. You’ll stay on the Skippack Loop the whole time so ignore the signs for the Farmstead. 

After the trail reaches the river, it gets slightly confusing with horseriders and hiking having created a meandering crisscross of trails. They all lead generally the main directions and following alongside the creek will send you on the right path. About a mile in the hike, there is a stream crossing that could be easy in the summer but in the spring was pretty wide and slightly difficult to cross. We managed to make a couple wide leaps to stones without getting feet wet but this one might be hard for little legs. 

Eventually the trail emerges onto Kratz road and you will turn right to cross the bridge along the shoulder. Be very careful as this is an active road. On the other side of the bridge is another parking area for the trail. The route begins around at the back right corner of the parking lot and heads into a field before descending back into the woods. This side of the creek is much hillier as the trail travels along a ridge overlooking the creek. You’ll also pass by some ruins along the creek which may have been an old gristmill. 

Finally the trail lets out onto Water Street Road which you’ll follow for about 0.5 miles. Although this is a quiet street, this was my least favorite part of the hike because there is no sidewalk and only a narrow median before the guardrail. Finally you’ll reach a pedestrian bridge to the right and use it to cross over the creek. Turn to the right to get back on the Skippack Creek Trail and finish the loop.

PA Park Passport: Sticker at kiosk outside the Park Main Office

THE BEER: Trouble’s End Brewing

Address: 50 W Third Ave STE 310, Collegeville, PA 19426
Distance from Trail Head: 3.6 miles, 11 mins 
Website: www.troublesendbrewing.com/
Food?: Full Menu
Details: Summer beer garden, no pets, live music

Tucked in the small town of Collegeville, just shy of 4 miles from the state park is Troubles End Brewpub. Located on the top floor of an old industrial building, this pub has some of the coolest vibes I’ve seen. The rustic beams lend to a farmhouse style, but the brightly painted furniture and strings of multicolor lights bring a sense of whimsy. Whimsy is definitely a way to describe their robust beer menu. Full of unique takes on classic styles, you can’t help but notice the interesting tasting notes. While I’m not exactly sure how my porter tasted like “one single piece of salted licorice in a wool coat pocket”, they definitely get an A+ for creativity! 

While we didn’t have any food at the pub, they had a delicious sounding menu of gastropub favorites as well as a more upscale entrée list that included wild boar meatloaf and crab cakes. Tucked into the corner of the large space was a stage complete with a flower studded piano. Clearly this brewpub knows how to jam! Check out their events calendar on their website for upcoming shows 

Our Beer:

  • Conductor – Porter – 5%
  • Fallen Branches – Wheat – 4.7%
  • The Editor – ESB (Extra Special Bitter)
  • Tutto Pils – Italian Pilsner

Southside Steps & Velum Fermentation

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Pittsburgh, PA

City of bridges? More like City of Steps! With nearly 800 public stairways, Pittsburgh has more than any other city in the US. These stairs are scattered throughout the city, but one of the biggest clusters of them can be found in the Southside Slopes. This little jaunt through Southside park and the Church route leads you up some of these infamous step streets for soaring views of our favorite city. If you park on the street in Southside you can conveniently end your step trek at Velum Fermentation, one of the Burgh’s newest breweries!

THE HIKE: Southside Park & Step Hike

Length: 3 miles
Elevation Gain: 600 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Time: 1-1.5 hours
Trail use: Best for walking only
Parking: Paid street parking nearby

There’s no way around it; Pittsburgh needs steps. The elevations across the city vary from 700 to nearly 1,300 ft. As the city population grew in the early 1900s, the steps were created for ease of movement around the city neighborhoods. According to an assessment by the City of Pittsburgh in 2018, there are more than 800 individual steps across city limits. 

Local historian Bob Regan made it his mission to learn more about the steps in the late 1990’s, culminating in a project to document all of the steps. Regan’s hard work greatly informed the city’s later project to improve and preserve these historic characteristics of Pittsburgh! Some interesting stair finds that Regan uncovered were “paper-only” streets. These are streets that appeared only on city maps but were actually stairs. 

Although these steps can be found across the city, the longest is Ray avenue in Brookline (378 stairs) and the steepest is along the infamous Canton Ave in Beechview (also the steepest street in the Burgh). The largest accumulation of stairs can understandably be found in the Southside Slopes neighborhood. In fact, the South Side Slopes Neighborhood Association hosts a yearly Step Trek event to raise money.

This loop begins on S 21st street heading towards Mission Street. Then, it takes the set of stairs to the right leading up to Mission street. From there you cross over the bridge to head towards South Side Park. Maintained by the awesome crew of Pittsburgh Park Rangers, this park just went through a major replanting to remove invasive species and prevent erosion! Great job to everyone involved in this huge project! 

Southside park is a choose your own adventure. Pick whatever loop of trails you’d like but eventually end up back at the corner of Mission & S 18th St. If the trails are muddy, or you just want a step hike, you can skip South Side park. From Mission street, cross S 18th Street and begin down Pius Street. From here, the loop roughly follows the directions from Discover the Burgh’s suggested route. 

From Pius street, turn left to follow signs for Yard Way. You’ve found your first named stairway! Take your time heading up as these stairs continue for a while! At the very top the stairs let out onto St. Paul Street. Bear to the right to loop around the Monastery. Turn right onto Monastery Ave, then in front of the building, turn left on Monastery Street. Then, turn right onto St. Thomas St and take the  steps down to Hackstown Street, then continue down the stairs again. Sometimes the stairs are a bit hard to see as they descend directly next to houses! At the bottom of these steps, you’ll be back on Pius Street. Turn right to pass by the church then turn left onto Clinton Street. There’s another set of stairs that lead down to a train overpass for a really cool view of the city. We happened to be walking over as a train was passing! The stairs down from the overpass let out onto S 15th Street. Meander your way back to where your car is parked. Make sure to look up and notice some of the really unique architecture and details on the row houses along the way! 

THE BEER: Velum Fermentation

Address: 2120 Jane St, Pittsburgh, PA 15203
Distance from Trail Head:  Park near brewery to start the hike
Website: velumfermentation.com/
Food?: Permanent food truck outside
Details: Arcade games, events, outdoor patio

Velum is a new addition to the Pittsburgh Brewing scene. I’ve long thought that the Southside needed a local brewery and Vleum really fits the bill! Located around the corner from Ascend Climbing gym, it’s already established itself as a fun hangout with arcade games, pingpong ball, and skeeball. Tucked into a warehouse space off 21st street, Velum is massive on the inside, which they take advantage of through events like pickleball, discgolf, yoga, flea markets, and much more! I particularly loved the way the game area was situated right next to the brewing area. It’s a very cool experience to have a beer that was made right in front of you while also playing some Pacman. 

In addition to this large space, there’s also a smaller taproom where you order your beer. There’s seating, great art, and some wonderful people who are just itching to talk about beer with you! Besides delicious beer, they also have local cocktails and wines. Also don’t miss out on the heavenly sandwiches from Love, Peace + Grilled Cheese, the food truck out front. It was so decadent!

Our Beer:

  • Shadow Pup – Stout – 6.5%
  • Sweet Taters & Spice – Sweet Potato Beer – 6.2%
  • Chillin’ On the Roof – IPA – 7.7%
  • Long Day Porter – Porter – 4.1%

Looking for more urban hikes in Pittsburgh? Check out Strip District & Bonafide Brewing, Allegheny Cemetery & Coven Brewing, Emerald View Trail & Inner Grove Brewing, Frick Park & East End Brewing, or Riverview Park & 412 Brewing.

Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail 31-29 & Forbes Trail Brewing

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Laurel Highlands, PA

We had a snowy first day hike on the Laurel Highlands Hiking trail! Despite how many times I’ve been hiking in the LH region, this is actually my first time on the 70 miles LHHT. While this short section didn’t have any major views or points of interest, it was incredibly peaceful walking through woods blanketed in fresh snow. After our group hike, we moseyed out to Forbes Trail Brewing in Stoystown for some delicious brews in a cozy taproom.

THE HIKE: Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail (31-29)

Length: 4 miles
Elevation Gain: 600 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Time: 2 hours (due to snow)
Trail use: Foot traffic only
Parking: Space for about 30 cars at the Route 31 parking area. No facilities

Find the Parking lot: 40.06082620624829, -79.27375174542976. Turn right off Route 31 onto Fire Tower route, there will be a sign for Forbes State Forest and Laurel Ridge State Park. The parking lot will be on the left just under a mile down the road. Be aware that this road is unpaved and likely won’t be maintained in the winter.

Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail

The Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail (LHHT) is a 70.3 mile backpacking trail in western pa that stretches from Ohiopyle to Seward. This trail is known for its incredible beauty but also its challenging and rugged terrain. If you’re considering a thru hike, be sure to check out Tory’s awesome guide at Mytrailsaremany.com. However, this is also a fantastic trail for section day hikes too! There are many trailheads and access points along the 70 miles to pop on for a few miles. 

The LHHT is maintained by the PA DCNR and the majority of the trail runs through Laurel Ridge State Park. If you’re looking for a full map of the trail, check out the PA DCNR website. 

The Hike

For this group first day, we met at the Route 31 parking lot for the LHHT. Interestingly, this was also near mile 31 of the trail! There were at least 50 people on this delightful hike led by Kim, an educator at Laurel Ridge SP. 

Especially in the winter, it can be easy to lose your way on trails. Be sure to look for the yellow blazes on the trees. This trail also has a stone mile marker every mile so you’ll always know how far you’ve gone! Many sections of the LHHT, including this one, cross over roads from large ones to wooded access roads. Always look for a band of yellow on the trees that indicates a road crossing! 

Remember, the LHHT is point to point trail so make sure you have a game plan of when to turn around and head back to your car! 

THE BEER: Forbes Trail Brewing

Address: 6108 Lincoln Hwy, Stoystown, PA 15563
Distance from Trail Head: 36 mins, 25 miles
Website: http://www.forbestrailbrewing.com/
Food?: Food truck & BYOF
Details: Outdoor seating, pets outside

Forbes Trail Brewing opened on Lincoln Highway less than a mile from the Flight 93 memorial in 2022. One of the owners had been homebrewing for nearly a decade then working professionally as a brewer, before his dream of opening a taproom became a reality! Along with his wife and former homebrew supporters turned business partners, Forbes Trail Brewing has quickly become a staple in the Laurel Highlands region. Although it was cold and snowy when we visited, I was impressed with the huge outdoor space complete with firepits that complemented the cozy indoor taproom. We popped at a seat at the bar and instantly felt like part of a family as the owners and other drinkers looped us right into their conversation. Although it’s a bit of a drive from the Burgh I cannot recommend this brewery enough and I know we will definitely be back! 

A fun history fact: the brewery’s name refers to the early road that linked forts Duquesne, Ligonier, and Bedford during the French and Indian War. This road was pioneered by British General John Forbes and eventually became the Lincoln Highway (Route 30). 

Our Beer:

  • Taste the Rainbow – Sour – 5%
  • Haze Lawdy Mama – NEIPA – 6.5%
  • Edmunds Swamp: Peppermint – Oatmeal Stout – 5%
  • Trail Rider Pale Ale – Pale Ale – 6%

Loving the Laurel Highlands craft beverages? Be sure to get a Pour Tour Passport from the GO Laurel Highlands! 

Looking for more hikes & hops in the Laurel Highlands? Check out Wolf Rocks & Helltown, Ohiopyle & Yough River , Duff Park & Devout, Powdermill Nature Reserve & Four Seasons, and Linn Run & Unity Brewing .

Linn Run State Park & Unity Brewing

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Westmoreland County, PA

Looking for a shorter hike that offers a taste of the incredible Laurel Highlands? Look no further than Linn Run State Park! This family friendly park has a 2.2 mile trail loop with views of a waterfall, natural water slides and more! Afterward, grab dinner at Unity Brewing in Latrobe which has a full kitchen menu in a laid-back taproom.

THE HIKE: Flat Rock & Adam Falls

Length: 2.2 miles
Elevation Gain: 289 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 1 hour
Trail use: Foot traffic only, Leashed pets welcome
Parking: Two large lots at trailhead with overflow parking across street. Vault toilet at upper lot.

Find the Parking lot: You can use 770 Linn Run Rd, Rector, PA 15677 or coordinates 40.16944, -79.23383

Linn Run is one of the several PA state parks tucked into the Laurel Highlands region of Western PA. This mountainous region lies about an hour to the west of Pittsburgh and is a beautiful area for hiking, skiing, fishing, and so much more! Linn Run is a small park but can be enjoyed as a day trip from Pittsburgh or as part of a  larger Laurel Highlands itinerary. 

The area that is now Linn Run was purchased by the PA Commonwealth from a logging company in 1909. Formerly an old growth forest, at the time of purchase it was completely deforested! The dried out husks of trees frequently caught fire from the steam engines that roared through the area during the height of the lumber industry. The damage was so devastating that the government had to import deer back into the area during revitalization efforts. Thankfully, Linn Run has undergone a complete transformation since those dark days and is now a flourishing second-growth forest. Linn Run also borders the 50,000 acre Forbes State Forest and is close to Laurel Ridge and Laurel Mountain State Parks. 

Linn Run is a popular park for camping and picnicking, being tucked away along the Linn Run stream. While you may see many children playing in the stream and on the natural water slides by flat rock, it is technically not allowed by the park. There are just over 6 miles of trails, although some connect up to longer trails in Forbes State Forest. Note that the trails in Linn Run are hiking only, so save the mountain bikes for another park!

This hike offers a family friendly loop to see the Flat Rocks and Adam Falls.  It’s a good idea to download the hiking route and driving directions before heading out because there is no cell service in the park!  The hike starts from the Adam Fall parking lot off Linn Run Road. There is an upper and lower lot and overflow parking across the street. Be aware that it can get very busy here in the summer!

From the parking lot, follow signs for Flat Rocks Trail, a nice wide path that follows along the creek. ABout 0.3 miles in, you’ll come across some impressive stone ruins. According to the wonderful folks at PA Bucket List, these are the remains of an old hunting lodge that was destroyed by a fire in the 1940s. These ruins are pretty interesting to explore, especially how intact the enormous chimney still is! From here, it’s just a brief 0.2 more miles until you reach Flat Rocks. True to its name, this is a very shallow section of Linn Run where a large flat rock creates an interesting feature in the water. Although many use this as a natural water slide, please remember that swimming is prohibited in Linn Run State Park. 

From Flat Rock, retrace your steps to just past the hunting lodge ruins and turn left to follow the signs for Adam Falls. Briefly walk through the upper park lot then turn slightly left up the gravel lot. You will see signs for Adam Falls Loop. Bear to the right and the trail places you directly on top of the falls. Please be aware that there are signs warning to stay on trail and the park would prefer hikers not venture to the bottom of the falls. 

From the falls, continue straight on the trail for a pleasant loop through the park that encounters a few minor rocky spots. As of 2023, there are some large trees down in the park from some extreme storms that hit in July. Be aware that some sections have been rerouted because of this! After a pleasant mile in the woods, the loop finishes at the waterfall again and you can follow the gravel road back to the parking lot. 

THE BEER: Unity Brewing

Address: 3862 US-30, Latrobe, PA 15650
Distance from Trail Head: 16 miles, 21 mins 
Website: http://unitybrewingpa.com/
Food?: Full kitchen
Details: Outdoor seating, no pets, live music

Unity Brewing is a colorful taproom located right on the main road through downtown Latrobe. With indoor and outdoor seating, as well as a full menu of sandwiches and pub snacks, this is a great spot to stay a while. The taproom is bright and features the Pittsburgh-themed art of local artist Cody Sabol. Take a seat at the bar and watch as the line cooks whip up a tasty meal right in front of your eyes! Unity also offers cider, wine, cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages. They have a solid selection of traditional brews that make up of their year-round staples and switch up seasonally with more unique and experimental brews. My most recent visit was during a chilly November weekend so I was all about those dark brews. Thankfully, Unity was serving up a delightful roasty Oatmeal Stout. This is one of my favorite styles and this was a solid example. It was quite bitter, just how I like my coffee! There was also a vanilla porter on the list that I’ll definitely have to sample next time around! 

Loving the Laurel Highlands craft beverages? Be sure to get a Pour Tour Passport from the GO Laurel Highlands! 

I highly suggest visiting Linn Run State Park as part of a larger day or weekend trip to the Laurel Highlands! Also check out: Wolf Rocks & Helltown, Ohiopyle & Yough River , Duff Park & Devout, Powdermill Nature Reserve & Four Seasons