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 Apple Crisp |
An overwhelming sense of ancient legends penetrates much of the southern
highlands of far western North Carolina. You believe that life here is
so old we can't imagine it, yet we somehow understand its themes.
Nantahala was the Cherokee name for "sun in the middle," referring to regions deep in mountain gorges, warmed only at midday but glowing inside all the while. It's a name that is immediately recognizable when you're in the middle of this place.
Haywood County is "the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains" and keeper of the region's heritage. West of here are adventurous wildlands and the Cherokee Indian Reservation that in places hold the exotic allure of another country altogether.
Hendersonville leads into the lovely southern mountains and magnificent scenery of Transylvania County, Cashiers, Franklin and Highlands that draw tourists and new settlers for good reason.