Saturday I made my first trip to Whipp’s Ledges in the Cleveland Metroparks. It was 70 degrees, an abnormally warm November afternoon, when my friends and I headed out to the Hinckley Reservation (just about a 40-minute drive from downtown Cleveland) where the buzzards return each year. The area is named after the land’s former owner, Robert Whipp, a successful sheep and “cattle baron” who came to America from England in the 1800s to make his fortune.
While I am really glad we made the trip and everything was beautiful, an abundance of fallen leaves obfuscated the trail and made our descent a bit slick. By no means am I either a coordinated individual or an outdoorsy person, so I think I’d like to trek back to the park in the spring when the tree roots and loose stones one which I will inevitably trip and sprain something are a bit more visible to me.
In addition to 350 feet high Whipp’s Ledges, the reservation includes Hinckley Lake. The diverse landscape and offerings of the reservation makes it a good spot to ice skate, sled, kayak, hike, fish, bird, cycle or rock climb (with advance permission from park officers).
We fully intended to head to nearby Worden’s Ledges after our brief climb, but the youngest member of our trio had participated in his elementary school’s charitable “turkey trot” earlier that day and was completely hiked out. I’m pretty eager to go back and check it out because Worden is known for its sandstone relief carvings and sculptures made in the 1940s by Noble Stuart. –Submitted by SF
RSS - Posts
Ooh, let me know if you want to go to Worden’s Ledges (never heard of these), or anywhere else in the parks. The kiddo and I would love to join you!
By: Cleveland Mom on November 9, 2009
at 8:30 pm
My two older sons spent Sunday afternoon @ the Ledges w/friends. My sons and I spend alot of time there! While they were watching a friend climb one of the rock faces, she called out “slipping!”, so my oldest son, being the gallant one, positioned himself to catch her. Although she only goes about 100 lbs (maybe less), he calculated the actual weight in his head to be about 400 lbs of force! It was too late, she called out “falling” and fell into his waiting arms. The force pushed his face forward, and he hit his nose on the rock. She was fine, and he didn’t break his nose, but it was a bloody mess. I wish they would have gotten it on video!
By: Janice Colegrove on November 11, 2009
at 3:04 pm
Wow! That sounds painful. But your son is the sort of guy I would want around in that situation. Glad everyone is okay.
By: positivelycleveland on November 11, 2009
at 3:09 pm