Thursday, September 5, 2019
The Middletown Township
Darlington Trail is 2.75 miles around the Darlington Valley Open Space, crossing portions of the former Darlington Dairy Farm. It wanders through mixed woods, meadows, and former farmsteads.
We started at the trailhead on Darlington Road, north of Baltimore Pike. We went in a counter-clockwise direction, at first following a loop along Chester Creek.
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| First view of Chester Creek at the Darlington Road bridge |
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| The township has been working on reforestation of the area |
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| Chester Creek with a downed tree trunk that has been there a while |
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| Hmm, options to go up to the railroad right-of-way, or down under (KSS) |
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| We went under, as Kent waves to a fisherwoman |
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| The bridge option to cross a side stream ... |
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| ... or one could have forded the stream |
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| Graffiti at another railroad right-of-way bridge over Chester Creek |
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The railroad right-of-way looking towards Baltimore Pike,
to where the SEPTA Media-Elwyn line is being extended (KSS) |
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| The railroad right-of-way that continues to a quarry (Tamiko at R) (KSS) |
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It is hard to see if there are claw marks, but if this
is not a dog paw print, then it must be a large cat! |
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| A short side trail leads to Rocky Run and the Rocky Run Trail |
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We climbed a steep hill away from Rocky Run,
and finally found Darlington Trail markers (KSS) |
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| This time a raccoon paw print |
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We would walk around the perimeter of this meadow,
passing the private property ahead at 524 Darlington Rd |
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| A look across the meadow (KSS) |
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| Asclepias syriaca/Common Milkweed with seed pods |
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| Oncopeltus fasciatus/Large Milkweed Bugs |
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| Yellow aquatic plant on a private pond (KSS) |
We crossed Darlington Road.
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| Papilio glaucus/Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly (KSS) |
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| Crossing that side stream once again (KSS) |
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| Probably Gaylussacia baccata/Black Huckleberry |
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| Probably Vitis spp/Wild Grape |
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| Wild grapes; yes, this is an invasive plant |
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Dodecagon (12-sided) house at about 533 Darlington Road,
also known as Roostertail Farm |
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| Persicaria perfoliata/Mile a Minute Vine |
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Mile a Minute Vine is another invasive plant,
covering smaller native plants |
Another reason for the reforestation project of Middletown is to provide more shade, as many invasive plants need lots of sun.
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| An example of the covering by the Ampelopsis brevipedunculata/Porcelain Berry or Amur Peppervine |
We overlapped with the Cornucopia Trail, then continued around the Darlington Valley Open Space. After crossing the railroad right-of-way, we continued along Chester Creek.
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| A hurdling obstacle |
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| A rotting obstacle |
We came upon Darlington Road, across which was our car at the trailhead.
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