Hidden Wonders in Perquimans County -- By: Colleen Brown

Have you ever been driving somewhere new, maybe following the orders of your GPS, and come past some sheltering trees or buildings and just been shocked by the beauty of the scene before you? Come to Perquimans County. It happens all the time.

We all know how lovely the countryside is on Creek Drive just off US Hwy 17 South on the way to the historic S-Bridge. There’s that glorious stand of trees on left, with a view of river through the perfectly spaced trunks. And then the small bridge over an inlet with still water on both sides, reflecting trees and -- Well. We’ve all driven that way. We know it’s beauties.

But, what if you drive through the stoplight at Creek Drive and over the Jim “Catfish” Hunter Bridge and turn toward Hertford down Church Street? The commercial district at that intersection is quickly left behind and, just past the new library building (construction on that is going well, by the way) there’s another small bridge, the kind that you might just cross without noticing, but it offers two of the loveliest view available in the county. To the right is a glorious prospect of the Jim “Catfish” Hunter Bridge sandwiched between the sky and the water, both often a deep, glorious, vibrant blue. On the left, the dock of the town park juts out in to the water, with a roofed shelter, if you want to get even closer to the beauties of nature. In the evening, the lights of the houses on the far bank draw the eye. To the left, the water winds between stands of trees, smooth and silent, almost as if you could turn your car and drive on the river like a road. Where would you end up? Wonderland?

No, actually, you would shortly come to another small bridge and another beautiful view. I recommend, however, that, rather than trying to drive on the water (unless you have a boat) you reach this beauty point by continuing on 17 South past the Church Street stoplight and turn right on Wynne Fork Road at the next stoplight. In a few moments, you come to the bridge and the same silver-blue illusion of a road to enchantment, it’s origin and terminus lost among the trees.

Like so many of the delights of nature, you could take a picture of any of these locations on every day of the year and no two pictures would be the same. And that’s just one tiny corner of the county. There are many more places where your breath is caught by the sheer beauty of North Carolina and your fingers itch for a camera. I only started with the easiest to find, just off the main roads into Hertford. Next time I’ll take you farther out into the county where nature herself is the geocacher leaving splendor and wonders hidden for those canny enough to find them.