Washington Irving's classic, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" has always been one of my favorites.
As I travel a hiking trail near my home, I became vividly aware of the tale's haunting depictions. Armed with only my camera I attempted to capture images worthy of Irving's verbal setting. Before me loomed the iconic bridge described in his words:
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| ...This road leads through a sandy hollow shaded by trees for about a quarter of a mile, where it crosses the bridge famous in goblin story; and just beyond swells the green knoll... |
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| Over a deep black part of the stream, not far from the church, was formerly thrown a wooden bridge; the road that led to it, and the bridge itself, were thickly shaded by overhanging trees, which cast a gloom about it, even in the daytime; but occasioned a fearful darkness at night. Such was one of the favorite haunts of the Headless Horseman, and the place where he was most frequently encountered... |
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| ...In the center of the road stood an enormous tulip-tree, which towered like a giant above all the other trees of the neighborhood, and formed a kind of landmark. Its limbs were gnarled and fantastic, large enough to form trunks for ordinary trees, twisting down almost to the earth, and rising again into the air.... |
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| ...About two hundred yards from the tree, a small brook crossed the road... |
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| ...He saw the walls of the church dimly glaring under the trees beyond... |
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| An opening, in the trees now cheered him with the hopes that the church bridge was at hand… "If I can but reach that bridge," thought Ichabod, " I am safe." |
Maybe my imagination had gotten the better of me but as I hiked that trail, I could almost hear the horse's hoof-beats or maybe it was just the fact that the trail allows equines. Either way it made for a fun and exciting afternoon. Once safely across the bridge and back at my computer, I noticed in one of the photo's I'd snapped, an actual cemetery rested against the peaceful hillside.
