Keeping your eyes on the road while driving in northern Loudoun County can be a challenge.
North of state Route 7 and nestled between West Virginia’s eastern panhandle and the Potomac River, the land itself is replete with eye candy, with rippling roads, expanses of green and distant mountain ranges.
The towns — Lovettsville, Hillsboro, Waterford, Hamilton, Purcellville and Round Hill — are small and approachable, with locally owned shops and restaurants. The region’s gateway is Leesburg, sitting at the junction of state routes 15 and 7; it’s the largest town beyond the Washington, D.C., exurbs. It takes some effort to reach this part of Loudoun County, but it’s worth it. Just be attentive as you drive, lest you need to brake hard, as I did recently, to give right of way to a handsome fox who interrupted his trot only long enough to make eye contact and confirm his safe crossing.
The W&OD Trail (Photo by Christopher Hunter Photography courtesy Visit Virginia)
Visiting the Past
To really see history, visit Hillsboro and Waterford. First formed as settlements along different forks of Catoctin Creek, both towns found prosperity through mill commerce. Economic activity declined after the Civil War when commercial pathways shifted, leaving the towns frozen in place, with significant collections of structures dating to the 18th and 19th centuries, many of which have been maintained or restored.
Hillsboro Mayor Roger Vance hopes visitors appreciate the authenticity found in the hamlet, noting that only two homes on the town’s main street were built after the 19th century. “You’re transported to a different time if you bother to look around,” he says. “You can walk and see the evolution of American architecture from folk in the 1740s and 1750s to [the Victorian era].”
In Waterford, the town center is a National Historic District. A walking tour prepared by the Waterford Foundation helps visitors understand the history around them. Or sign up (well in advance) for the Waterford Craft School, where you can learn “heritage” practices such as quilting, basket weaving and bowl carving in one- or two-day workshops during a weekend or weeklong training. Make plans now for the town’s annual Waterford Fair in October.
If you want to be in nature, the Appalachian Trail is easily accessed through trail stops near Round Hill and Hillsboro. Or hop on your bike in Purcellville, which is the western terminus of the W&OD Trail, a 45-mile paved path made from a converted rail line.
The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm (Photo by Todd Wright courtesy Visit Virginia)
Fresh Eats
Thanks to a wealth of well-growing crops and established eateries, exploring northern Loudoun via your belly is one of the better ways to enjoy it. Hillsboro’s Stoneybrook Farm Market offers deli sandwiches, soups and salads, with many ingredients sourced from the adjacent Stoneybrook Farm. The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm, northeast of Lovettsville’s city center on the Potomac River, seats guests by reservation only because the owners make just enough for diners at each particular meal. That way, food is at its freshest and waste is minimal. Vino9MARKET, a few miles south of Waterford on state Route 9, has smoked pork, ribs and chicken alongside a selection of hot dogs.
If it’s libations you’re after, wineries and breweries abound. In 2021, Food & Wine magazine touted the region as “D.C.’s wine trail,” noting the prevalence of vineyards, cideries and breweries. Bear Chase Brewing Co. in Bluemont, west of Purcellville, won a silver medal in the 2024 World Beer Cup Awards for its Kodiak Kölsch. Vino9MARKET also has an extensive selection of wine and beer.
Be sure to stop at the Georges Mill Farm store in Lovettsville. This 24/7 store is true to advertising, open at all hours thanks to an honor system that accepts payments via cash, check, Venmo and PayPal. Refrigerators are stocked with in-season produce and locally crafted meats and cheeses. Roasted coffee, artisanal woolen and wooden products, and farm-made soap also tempt.
For dessert, head to Purcellville’s Sweet Rose Bakeshop for melt-in-your mouth chocolate-chip-pecan pie, cupcakes and turnovers. If someone in the family wants soft-serve ice cream, Gruto’s is nearby.
Finding Your Way Around
As you make travel plans, think about a home base. Loudoun County is filled with bed-and-breakfasts and other rental possibilities, each with distinctive amenities and price points. You can stay in a wooded treehouse, a winery’s farm cottage or a 250-year-old stone house — or something completely different. If you want or need a traditional hotel experience, look in Leesburg.
Save the Dates
Fridays through Sept. 6, Hillsboro’s Music in the Gap brings a variety of performers to the Old Stone School lawn.
