Erin Gifford is an Ashburn-based writer who recently wrote not one, not two, but three books about hiking in and around Virginia. Ashburn Magazine thought that was interesting, so they asked Gifford to tell readers how she got into hiking and how the books came to be. Plus, she shared some of her favorite local hikes as well.
We were all changed in ways big and small by the pandemic. For me, it unlocked a love of the outdoors that I had no idea was inside me. Ask any of my friends from college, and they would tell you I was the last person who would be interested in hiking, camping, paddling, any of that.
Yet, barely one month into the pandemic, I was hiking rocky trails in Loudoun County, soon learning that the Appalachian Trail was just 30 minutes from my house in the Broadlands. I had no idea.
But to be honest, what else was there to do? In spring 2020, everything shut down. Even Shenandoah National Park closed for six weeks. Soon, everyone was starting to get better acquainted with the great outdoors.
Click here and head over to the Ashburn Magazine website for the rest of the story — including how Gifford got her book deals, how she did her research, and why one of the book cover photos holds a special place in her heart.