View over the Shenandoah National Park

Introducing Lexi, on the Appalachian trail

Introducing Mum, on the Appalachian trail

Views over Shenandoah National Park and the valley

An Appalachian Trail hut

Signing the Trail register

Look bear scat! Although no sign of any bears this time.

View over Thornton Gap from the summit of Mary’s Rock

Reading the guidebook to see what’s next

On the trail

On the trail

A rather large snake (about 7ft long, possibly a Black Rat Snake?) blocks our way, only reluctantly slithering away after we stamped our feet for a while

Cooling our feet in the river

Me sitting at the outlook

Me and Lexi at the outlook, with Virginia’s mountains in the background

Overall Run Falls

A young deer calf

Summit panorama from the summit of Robertson mountain

Summit celebration

Customary lunch break on the summit

We had these beautiful views all to ourselves, not a soul around

Wilting in the afternoon heat

Soaked by a late afternoon thunderstorm, less than a mile from the car