Derbyshire Community Stable - First Residents

The Derbyshire Community Stable had its first residents move in yesterday evening. These two lovely horses came with their owners all the way from Pennsylvania. They settled in nicely in the new Woodstar stalls last night, and then they were enjoying munching on the grass in the Derbyshire pastures today while their owners unpacked.

If you look closely in the background, you can see a yellow CETA trail sign. The Derbyshire community trails, which are part of the CETA system, wrap around the pasture and then out and around the community to provide easy access for all of our equestrian residents, people and horses!

The Wisteria Cottage at Derbyshire

The Wisteria Cottage at Derbyshire

Just past the community stable, up on Doveridge Drive, you'll find the Wisteria Cottage. This incredible home features both lake and mountain views, reclaimed brick from a 150 year old mill, and plenty of high end features to make someone a very, very happy homeowner.

The Wisteria Cottage, built by Becklan, LLC from Greenville, is located on homesite 50, a .65 acre site in the village section of Derbyshire. The exterior features reclaimed brick,  Virginia field stone, and a genuine slate roof. The landscaping includes fully irrigated gardens and a built in brick herb and flower planter on the back terrace. Can you imagine stepping out onto the patio for some fresh basil while your dinner simmers on the Electrolux gas range? The home offers an excellent open floor plan, which is perfect for entertaining.

Inside the 2,482 square foot home, the red oak floors have been handhewn and finished in place. The Wisteria also features decorative Douglas fir ceiling beams and posts.

The  cottage has unobstructed lake and mountain views and also a view of the horse pastures from the rear of the home. For more information on the Wisteria Cottage, please visit the Derbyshire website.

Area Equestrian Facilities, Clubs, and Organizations

One of our goals for this blog is to educated readers about the local organization and events for equestrians. We hope to be able to focus on them individually and give everyone a good idea of what it's really like. Until we have a chance to write about everything that is going on in Polk County (and there's a lot going on!), we thought that it would be best to go ahead and give a summary of the main facilities, clubs and organizations in the area. Please click on the title of anything that you would like to learn more about, it will take you directly to that organization's website. Happy exploring!

Eventing Facilities 

FENCE - Foothills Equestrian Nature Center

380 acre facility which currently hosts events for Tryon Riding & Hunt Club, Foothills Riding Club, Carolina Carriage Club, and other dressage and hunter jumper shows

Green Creek Equestrian Park

96 acre planned AA facility currently under construction, will be the new home for all TR&HC shows

Harmon Field

46 acre park which hosts multiple smaller horse shows

Fox Hunting

Tryon has two fox hunting clubs, the Tryon Hounds and the Green Creek Hounds.

Trail Riding

Two community trail systems in the area, CETA (Collinsville Equestrian Trail Association) and FETA (Foothills Equestrian Trail Association), connect to Derbyshire’s internal trail system and offer members access to over 165 miles of trails. 

Other Equestrian Organizations

Tryon Riding & Hunt Club

Non-profit organization which organizes the Block House Steeplechase, several nationally    accredited horse shows and horse trails, and the Any & All Dog Show

Foothills Riding Club

Equestrian club which organizes educational and recreational activities such as presentations, clinics, schooling shows and other mounted  programs focusing on dressage and combined training

Carolina Carriage Club

Carriage driving club which organizes and hosts several horse driving trials each year

Blue Ridge Hunter Jumper Association

Hunter jumper organization which plans various competitive events for members of all ages

River Valley Pony Club

Local chapter of the United States Pony Club

Western Hunter Pace Series

Series of competitive horseback rides held at a variety of locations throughout the Western Carolinas

The Foothills Equine Directory

Polk County really has many great resources for equestrians. One of the most important ones for those who are new to the area if the Foothills Equine Directory. For those of you who are not familiar with the directory, it is the most comprehensive list of equestrian services and resources available in the area. It lists boarding facilities, trainers, veterinarians, equine massage therapists, groomers, farm supply stores, and the many other resources that you would need to live comfortably in the Foothills with your equestrian companion(s). 

The booklet is compiled by the Foothills Riding Club, an equestrian club which organizes educational and recreational activities suck as presentations, clinics, schooling shows and other mounted programs focusing on dressage and combined training. The proceeds from their events are actually donated to other organizations in the area to further promote education and support for equestrians.
 

The current 80+ page directory is available now in many of the local stores. The Derbyshire team is happy to sponsor an ad that helps cover the production costs of this publication. It is such a valuable resource for the local equestrian community. If you own horses and are in the area, you should definitely pick one up. If you are unable to find one, stop by Derbyshire and we will locate one for you!

The Marigold Cottage at Derbyshire

As you turn in to Derbyshire and travel up the hill onto Hollymoorside Drive, you find a charming yellow home called the Marigold Cottage.

It was built by local builder Frank Cyrill, owner of Cyrill Custom Homes, on Homesite 61. The cottage features an open floor plan with custom cabinetry in the kitchen and a built-in entertainment center in the living room. It offers a great flow for entertaining guests, which we learned when we hosted 40 CETA members there for the post trail ride brunch!

The master bedroom is located on the main floor, with a great view of the backyard and patio. The second floor is currently be completed to include a third bedroom and full bathroom. The total square footage of the home is 1,840 square feet.  

It has direct trail access, mountain and lake views, and is only a short stroll from the lake front. The home is situated on a level half acre homesite, and the exterior features stone and stucco. There is a deck off of the living room, which leads down to a stone patio. The home also offers fully irrigated landscaping.

This beautiful home is available to tour. For more information on the Marigold Cottage you can also visit the Derbyshire website here.

Our Favorite Bed & Breakfasts

 When people contact us to begin planning their visit to Derbyshire, the question of where to stay always comes up. Through our experience of visiting local inns and hearing the feedback of those who have spent the night, we've compiled our list of recommended B&Bs. Below you can find our summary on each location and link to their websites.

 

Closest to Derbyshire - Butterfly Creek Inn

The Butterfly Creek Inn is a beautifully decorated home that has been converted into a truly relaxing space for visitors. We've been sending people over to Sarah for years now,and everyone has enjoyed their stay. In addition to the above standard accommodations, guests can also schedule massage appointments onsite with a local massage therapist (who also happens to be one of our favorites).

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Owner - Sarah

Location - Columbus, NC - 10 minutes from Derbyshire

Summary of Features - new construction, very nice accommodations, full breakfast

Website - http://butterflycreekinn.com/

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Best Views - The Red Horse Inn

The Red Horse Inn is quickly becoming one of the most popular places in stay in upstate South Carolina. They were recently featured in Travel + Leisure magazine as one of "America's Most Romantic Hotels". You can read more about that here. 

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Owners - Mary & Roger

Location - Landrum, SC - 20 minutes from Derbyshire

Summary of Features - new construction, very nice accommodations, breakfast basket in room, private cottages available

Website -  http://theredhorseinn.com/
 

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Downtown Location - Pine Crest Inn

The 1906 Pine Crest Inn and Lodge in situated right in downtown Tryon, NC. In close proximity to restaurants, shops, and the Tryon Theatre, the inn also features its own restaurant, Carter's at Pine Crest, where they serve up 3-course gourmet breakfasts.

 

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Contact - Linda

Location - Tryon, NC - 20 minutes from Derbyshire

Summary of Features - historic inn and cottages, nice accommodations, very nice full breakfast, unique location - downtown Tryon

Website -  http://www.pinecrestinn.com/
 

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The Story of Cain Lake

Derbyshire is built around the beautiful thirty-three acre Cain Lake. It is a spring fed, fully stocked lake that was built by the Cain family back in the 50s. It existed as a paid fishing lake for years, and for many of the locals, this was their favorite "fishing hole". In fact, for the first few years we were here, we still had people stopping in to ask if they could pay to fish.

When our management team was scouring Western North Carolina for the perfect location to build a community, they knew they have found the right spot when they saw this lake. All of the homesites surround it like an amphitheater,providing incredibly tranquil views.

The lake provides the perfect opportunity for our residents to indulge in various water hobbies: kayaking, canoeing, fishing, and anything else that doesn't involve a gas powered motor. In addition to the existing boat ramp, which offers everyone with access to the water, we are also working through the planning stage for our community pier, which will be located at the community center site. It will be gorgeous, stone with wrought iron accents, and will serve as an additional gathering space for those who call Derbyshire home.

Cain Lake is the focal point of our community. A source of relaxation, a place for neighbors to gather. And now you know the story of how it was created. It's been enjoyed for decades, and we're welcoming you to come and enjoy it for many more.