Most People Don’t Know Delaware Has A Fairy Trail… And It’s Positively Magical
By Kim Magaraci|Published August 13, 2016
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Kim Magaraci
Author
Kim Magaraci graduated Rutgers University with a degree in Geography and has spent the last seven years as a freelance travel writer. Contact: kmagaraci@onlyinyourstate.com
Every person in Delaware knows at least a little bit of DuPont History. Whether you’ve visited a DuPont mansion to explore the museums, you’ve wandered through DuPont gardens, read about the Mills in your history books, or maybe you drive on DuPont Highway every day, you probably consider yourself pretty well acquainted with the impact the family has had on Delaware. However – there’s something you might not know…about some tiny, whimsical guests they’ve left behind at one of the beautiful mansions. The stunning, enchanting Fairy Trail at Winterthur Museum is one of the most magical places in Delaware – so let your imagination run wild as we explore the Winterthur Enchanted Woods.
The entrance to the Enchanted Woods has a special note for children who’ve come to explore:
Dear Children,
Come into the garden. My fairy friends and I made Enchanted Woods especially for you. We hope you enjoy it.
When you first enter the Woods, you learn that Cobweb, the storytelling fairy, left these stones for children to sit and hear the fairy stories. Winterthur is committed to sustainability, so it is explained that each of these old stones has a story of its own. Some were for milling grain; a few were once parts of houses.
As you wander past the stones and onto the Serpentine Path, you'll soon stumble upon the Troll Bridge.
Soot, the Enchanted Woods Troll, likes to grab the ankles of those who dare try to cross! Those brave enough may peek under the bridge to see where Soot lives - and to see the tulip tree roots that his bridge is there to protect.
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When you make it past the bridge, you can rest at Water's Edge.
Moss created the Gathering Green for visitors so that they could dance around the maypole in celebration of Spring! Evening Fairy Meetings are held here, also.
Lark, the Music Fairy, built the beautiful Bird's Nest you'll see past the Gathering Green.
Climb in and listen to the sounds of Fairy Music - birds chirping, raindrops plopping and more sounds that make the bird house a great place to relax and enjoy the magic all around you.
When spelled as "Faerie", the meaning includes all the woodland spirits: fairies, pixies, elves, brownies, sprites, sylphs, and gnomes. Legend goes that in the Enchanted Woods, they all discovered a crumbling stone building with one wall falling down. They worked to repair it and make a playhouse for visitors.
The Frog Hollow Bridge is tended by Puddle, the Water Fairy.
Puddle created the bridge to help protect the creatures that live in the waters of the Enchanted Woods. A biofilter uses plants and lava rocks to clean water without using chemicals that could harm you or the frogs, fish, bugs, and other creatures who live in Frog Hollow. Puddle is so smart!
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Past the Frog Hollow Bridge, you can explore the Tulip Tree House.
Quercus is the Elf Friend that guards the trees of the Winterthur Enchanted Woods. He made the Tulip Tree House for guests to explore once a giant tulip-poplar tree, over 100 years old, died of old age. The tree now continues to contribute to the Enchanted Woods.
When you're finished at the Tulip Tree House, sit down for a break in the Acorn Tearoom.
Bluebell is the Artist Fairy of the Enchanted Woods, and she likes everything in the garden to be colorful and beautiful. The Acorn Tearoom shows off her artistry in the beautiful tabletop artwork. The Garden is beautiful in all seasons, with bright flowers blooming in spring, shades of green all summer, and fall foliage turning the landscape orange, yellow and red in autumn.
As you leave the Enchanted Woods, you'll pass through the Green Man's Lair.
And you might be tempted to wander into the forbidden Fairy Ring - despite the sign saying to never do such a thing! Be careful, because if you step inside the circle of toadstools - you might be whisked away to fairy land - forever!
So, there you have it – the story of how the fairies and their friends built the Winterthur Enchanted Woods into the greatest Fairy Trail in Delaware. Check it out with your friends or family – there isn’t another magical place in Delaware quite like this!
Here’s an interactive map of the Enchanted Woods and to plan your visit, read the visitors information on the Winterthur Enchanted Woods website. Their hours are Tuesday–Sunday, 10:00 am–5:00 pm, and the Winterthur address is 5105 Kennett Pike (Route 52), Wilmington, DE 19807.
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