Bed, Breakfast and Barn, South Carolina, EC Magazine Fall 2005


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A guide to "horse friendly" Bed & Breakfast's in the Southeast.
South Carolina: Part I of a series.

Bed, Breakfast and Barn

By Georgia Brown.

Finding horse lodging in South Carolina is a cinch! It has always been an ideal half-way place for show people and those who travel with horses between Florida and the Northeast to clinics or trail rides. Stopping at a horse motel is sufficient, but lately there's a growing demand extra comforts.

Maybe it's time to linger a while, smell the coffee and enjoy a vacation with your horse. Get out your maps, do your homework and pick one of these friendly bed and breakfast inns, lodges, plantations or farms that put out the welcome mat for horses.

Aiken - Haven for Horses
Right in the heart of the city is a 2,000-acre public parkland for hiking, riding and carriage driving called Hitchcock Woods. Just as Central Park is an oasis of lawns, gardens, sports fields, and bridle paths for millions of New Yorkers, the Woods is a preserve for horses and their owners. Unpaved, clay roads in the city connect the Woods to several stables, three polo fields and three race tracks. When driving keep a "heads up" for road signs alerting you to horse crossings in the city.

Town and Country Inn (1.)
2340 Sizemore Circle, Aiken, SC 29303
Closest Interstate: I- 20, a few miles north of the Georgia border.

The stop sign in the city that says "Whoa" is a hint that Aiken takes horsemen seriously. The innkeepers of the five-bedroom Town and Country Inn, David and Marlene Jones, have welcomed many horses over the years. They enjoy hitching up their Standardbred for carriage drives in Hitchcock Woods, which is a short trailer ride away. The Woods is crisscrossed with trails and devoid of bikes or motorcycles. It was set aside 100 years ago by wealthy New York sportsmen for hiking and horseback riding and is the largest urban forest in the US. David recalls, "The bridle paths and carriage ways are full of horse 'eye candy.' One day we passed a carriage with four people fully dressed in period costume."

Town and Country Inn

Located four miles from downtown, the five-bedroom Town and Country Inn has 11 stalls and other amenities for your horses. Since horsemen are out feeding their horses early and others sleep late, breakfast is made to order. When your chores are done and you're truly ravenous, breakfast is served by the fireplace. In the great room guests can mingle or watch the large screen TV. Upstairs there is a quiet sitting room for reading and a balcony with rocking chairs to while away the quiet hours. Coffee and desert is served in the evenings, and then it's just a short stroll beneath the pines to check your horse before turning in yourself.
Soon innkeepers David and Marlene Jones will be handing over the keys to the new owners, Bill and Jane Lapping, foxhunters who decided to emigrate after the sport was banned from England. For a few months guests will enjoy the company of four friendly hosts who love nothing better than to talk about horses.
The calendar is full of horse events. Aiken hosts Thoroughbred racing, jumping, barrel racing and reining events to name just a few. March is the Aiken's Triple Crown of horse sports-Thoroughbred racing at Aiken Mile Track, the 40th Annual Spring Steeplechase, and Aiken Polo Club-but every season offers southern hospitality.

For information, call 803-642-0270, email: info@towncountrybb.com or visit their website: www.towncountrybb.com.

Southwood Manor Bed and Breakfast (2.)
100 E. Main Street , Ridge Spring, South Carolina 29129
Nearest Interstate: I-20, 25 miles from Aiken

Deep in the countryside, surrounded by fields of cotton, corn, soybeans and peach orchards, is a 1918 Georgian colonial plantation house where you can give in to the romance of rural living. Innkeepers Mike and Judy Adamick have been welcoming guests to the Manor for 20 years. It has four guest rooms and diversions like a fast game of tennis, a dip in the 43-foot pool, or a light repast in Judy's tearoom.
Recently featured on NBC's Today Show, the inn also has a shop filled with English tea items that resulted from Judy's interest in antique furnishings. Her appreciation of art led to a gallery in one room with equestrian art as well as artwork indicative of the area.

Southwood Manor
Southwood Manor

Each morning after a full breakfast served in the formal dining room, you can spend a day of trail riding on sandy, clay roads that fan out in four directions. There are several fox hunting clubs and each spring and fall the neighboring town of Ward hosts a three-day trail ride. If you need more than two stalls and two paddocks, there is a large barn just a half mile down the road. In the evening this sleepy village 25 miles from Aiken has several restaurants offering everything from fine dining to Southern barbeque. For information call 803-685-5100 or 800-931-1786, email: sothent@pbtcomm.net or visit their website: www.bbonline.com/sc/southwood.

The Piedmont
The heartland offers two national forests with trails that range from rugged to easy. Orchards of apples and peaches flourish in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and rich farmland stretches to the coast.

The Farmhouse at Bush River-an Irish Bed and Breakfast (3.)
3111 Hwy 56 South, Clinton, SC 29325
Nearest Interstates: South of junction I-26 and I-385

If you have ever dreamed of traveling to Ireland, save the ticket, and drive to this farm nestled in the foothills between the mountains and the shore. The Farmhouse at Bush River has the understated charm of an Irish homestead. Janet and Greg Henley's design for their farmhouse was in part influenced by The Belfast House, a nearby homestead built by settlers from Northern Ireland. It looks old because they used local artisans for the stone work, cabinetry, stained glass, handmade furniture and iron work.

The Farmhouse at Bush River

Each of the three guest rooms contains a mix of Irish and English antiques, queen beds and original art. Minimalists will appreciate the clean lines, art work on the walls, and subtle decorative touches that are without clutter, simple and appealing. Luxury amenities include robes, warm alpaca blankets and Egyptian linens.

As Janet casually recites breakfast menus you hear delectable items like gingerbread pancakes, sautéed pears in raspberry-Chambord sauce, herb cheeses, egg frittatas or smoked salmon crepes. And it's served on a handmade table. It's likely that her remark about teaching cooking classes on weekends will become a reality this year-a delicious bonus for future guests.

The barn has two stalls, paddocks, large pastures and a trail around the farm. Behind the fences are friendly alpacas, Nigerian dwarf goats, and curious llamas. Walking paths pass gardens and ponds leading down to the riverbank's new wetlands, compliments of a beaver dam. Interested in learning spinning? The farm produces alpaca products, which are displayed at a shop at the barn. Janet considers them the finest of all fiber animals and enjoys teaching spinning skills to her guests.

Several shady trails are a short trailer ride away. Lynches Woods Trail is a 6.1 mile loop in Newberry. Long Cane Trail near Greenwood and the Brickhouse Recreation Area in the Sumter National Forest offer more choices and miles of interconnecting trails.

For more information call 864-833-3881 or email JanetHen1@aol.com or visit their website www.bushriverfarm.com.

Coastal Midlands
As the foothills dissolve into the fertile farmland, inland towns thrive on the products of the land, corn, soybeans and cotton. Handicrafts passed down for generations, pottery, quilts, rugs and furniture, are fashioned by industrious craftsman of the region.

The Mud Bug Inn (4.)
1818 Friendfield Road, Scranton, SC 29591
Nearest Interstate: I-95 at the Turbyville exit, US 378 south.

Transplanted Californian Pamela Slabaugh has transformed the Mud Bug Inn from its previous life as a hunting lodge and added a large dose of down home hospitality. She has a private room with a kitchen, or sleeping room for 10 in the rustic, fully contained bunkhouse with comfortable, hand-hewn twin beds. After the horses are bedded down, you can relax on the screened front porch or try one of diversions in the upstairs game room, including a billiard table. For guests who enjoy fishing, there is a pond on the farm and access to the Lynches River just across the road.

The Bunk House at Mud Bug Inn

Pamela's breakfast is a creative mix of eggs from free-roaming chickens and seasonal ingredients from her organic garden and orchards. Guests can use the barbeque to create their own evening meals or Pamela will recommend restaurants nearby.

Horse amenities include a gallop path and a 10' x 400' arena where she teaches dressage. Draft horse people will be delighted at the ten 12' x 16' stalls and the extra wide entrance gate to this 16-acre gem. Well mannered stallions are welcome.

Behind the farmyard are miles of dirt roads and 1,300 acres of woods, which are at their peak in early spring when the wild wisteria blooms. In an hour you can drive to Myrtle Beach, which welcomes riders from the third Saturday in November until the end of February each year. Pamela knows all the ins and outs of beach riding and can advise you about the regulations for this fabulous experience. Call 843-389-3724, email muddbugg2000@yahoo.com or visit their website at www.mudbuginn.com.

Southern Coastal Region and the Low Country
Low Country cuisine evolved in the tidal plain of the Atlantic near Charleston. Shrimp boats supply the region with delicious seafood that's often paired with rice. Some hearty, flavorful dishes originated with the African and Caribbean people of the barrier islands, called the Gullah, descendants of former slaves. They influenced the rich, creamy chowders like She Crab Soup and hearty Brunswick stew. Fried green tomatoes, Purloo, and shrimp and grits are found on menus throughout the region.

Charleston is a charming port city where residents see historic preservation as part of their heritage. In 1931 the city passed the first historical district zoning ordinances in America. Revolutionary and Civil War sites throughout the area tell stories of incredible resilience in the face of turmoil.

The Inn at Middleton Place (5.)
4290 Ashley River Road, Charleston, SC 29414

A quiet retreat on the site of a fertile coastal plantation combines historic buildings, the nation's oldest landscaped gardens, a contemporary inn and an equestrian center for a fabulous vacation. On land overlooking the Ashley River near woodlands of pine and moss draped oak, a few buildings have survived intact at Middleton Place. What remains of the colonial plantation begun in 1741 by Henry Middleton, is the restored stable and a gentlemen's guest house, now a museum filled with a fine collection of the family's possessions. The spectacular 18th century terraced garden surrounding it represents the Low Country's expression of nature's ideal. Camellias in winter and Azalea Hill's spring blooms are the most spectacular.

A modern inn with a retreat-like atmosphere has won awards for its contemporary architectural design. Rooms have floor to ceiling windows that make the forest outside a part of the décor. Handcrafted furniture, shutters for privacy, fireplaces and hardwood floors make the rooms serenely comfortable. Every morning the chef prepares a breakfast buffet of southern specialties. The variety of delicious muffins and breads fresh from the oven are irresistible.

Inn at Middleton Grand Room
Inn at Middleton Grand Room

A shady path leads to the Middleton Equestrian Center where boarders and overnight guests are provided with stalls, numerous paddocks and three riding rings. Trainer Birgit Bordes teaches hunt seat, but all disciplines, both competitive and pleasure, are welcome. Trails in the surrounding pine woods pass lush stands of bamboo and follow the banks of flooded rice fields. Some trails have far-reaching views of the Ashley River and coastal marshlands that are a habitat for countless wading birds, ospreys, bald eagles and alligators.

Birgit suggests making reservations well in advance since the Inn is popular with show people. The Equestrian Center is also the home of the Middleton Place Hounds. For stabling information call the Middleton Equestrian Center at 843-556-8137 and for lodging information call 800-543-4774 or 843-556-0500 or visit their websites www.middletonplace.org and www.theinnatmiddletonplace.com.

Near Charleston and Hilton Head

Mt. Carmel Farm B & B (6.)
Rt. 2 Box 580A, Walterboro, South Carolina 29488.
Nearest Interstate I-95

Those who frequently travel I-95 with horses have created a buzz about Maureen Macknee's "breakfast breads to go" and dinners that compete with the best of restaurants. Just three miles off the highway, Mo's guests are primarily show people traveling from the Northeast to Florida.
In the beginning she provided two bedrooms with private baths, a friendly atmosphere and a quiet place to rest the horses. "Then I started offering dinner so that they wouldn't have to drive another mile." Soon after settling the horses in the barn, you'll be sitting in the kitchen sipping Margaritas or wine, watching Mo pull together one of her amazing meals. She has a soft heart and allows dogs in the house too.

There's a jump ring for exercising horses or a porch with rocking chairs for resting your backside. If you want nightlife, drive to Charleston. You can comfortably leave your horse in her care. For more information call 843-538-5770.

Greenbriar Plantation (7.)
3025 Bo Peep Road, Brunson, SC 29911
Nearest Interstate 95 - north, near US 321 between Fairfax and Estill

A working plantation more than two miles from its nearest neighbor is the proud home to champion Labrador retrievers-yellow Labs a specialty. Innkeepers Jim and Kaye Burris have 30 years of experience in the hospitality business and have shown dogs extensively. They converted Greenbriar's original carriage house into roomy, well appointed suites several years ago and have many repeat guests in the dog and horse world.
In the morning a hearty southern breakfast will be cooked in the fireplace at the Carriage House. Afterwards, you can usually indulge in puppy hugging before hitting the trails.

Greenbriar Plantation
Greenbriar Plantation

The Old Orangeburg Stagecoach Road is one of the oldest roads that adjoin the property, which before the Civil War was part of Bo Peep Plantation. You can also travel an 18-mile dirt road used by General Sherman's army when it bivouacked at nearby Oak Grove Plantation. The land is most unusual in that it has open fields, planted pine, hardwoods, river frontage, and duck ponds. The open fields now dotted with Black Angus cattle were once planted in cotton and various row crops.

Jim and Kaye encourage guests to leave their horses with them and move on to Hilton Head for a few days of golf, shopping, or sunbathing on the glorious beaches. Advance reservations are required. Call 800-487-2231 or 803-625-2555, email kaye@greenbriarplantation.com or visit their website www.greenbriarplantation.com.

Mistletoe Farm (8.)
15330 Pocotaligo Road, Varnville, SC 29944
Nearest Interstate: I-95

Nancy and Damien Hunt acquired a list of new friends after turning the Cowboy House at Mistletoe Farm into a B and B three years ago. It's a place the whole family, including your dogs, would enjoy. Your domain is private and separated from the main house, unless you want to come up to the farmyard to visit. The Cowboy House has a full kitchen, a living room with a sleep sofa, and a bedroom with a queen bed. The décor is well, horsey, and not understated. Nancy calls it "a work in progress."

The Cowboy House at Mistletoe Farm

The Hunts have added a private bed and bath suite since they began. Satellite TV, a basketball court, a fully stocked bass pond and a hammock under an oak tree are in place. Take a swim in the in-ground pool in front of the house or retreat to the private deck out back that overlooks pastures.

Originally from Boston, Nancy found her niche providing comfort food-your choice, breakfast or dinner. Breakfast always includes fresh baked cinnamon buns to accompany the scrambled eggs, hash browns and sausage. A typical dinner might include roasted half chicken with red potatoes and pumpkin bread. But desserts are her specialty. Her triple layered chocolate cake drizzled with white chocolate get raves.

Although it's just a short distance to the I-95 and only one hour from Hilton Head, Savannah, and Charleston, this is a rural area near the Georgia border, very quiet and with plenty of places to ride just down the road. The 8-stall barn is neat and clean, there's hot water in the washing area, 16 acres of pasture and a 60' round pen. They have a team of draft horses and Nancy has a good time driving miniature horses, but she says, "One of the best parts of running a B and B is how much we've learned about different breeds."

For information call 803-943-4600, email MistletoeFarm@msn.com or visit their web site at www.mistletoefarm.com.

South Carolina's Bed, Breakfast and Barns

Look for Part II of the Bed, Breakfast & Barn series in the next issue of ec Magazine. Future articles will feature great get-a-ways in Florida, Georgia and Alabama.

Freelance writer Georgia Brown lives in Sarasota, Florida. She will be on the look-out for more Bed, Breakfast & Barn Great Get-a-ways to tell you about in our next issue!

Georgia Brown