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Weirdness in the Wissahickon

There aren’t many places in this city where I can go to escape, but those places do exist. Last Sunday I needed such a place. Since this spot is so fucking cool, I’ve posted about it before. Since it’s a secret, I’m not giving directions. What I will tell you is this.

Through the city’s northwestern neighborhoods runs the Wissahickon Creek. The creek snakes through the valley that divides Roxborough and Manayunk from Germantown, Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill. Somewhere in this valley is a small tributary stream. Somewhere along that unnamed creek, obscured from all paths and invisible from every trail is the spot. It’s where I go to think and write. It’s where I spread the ashes of my dead cat. It’s where I’ve done things that are too personal to write here. I like the place.

A few years ago, 2 friends of mine started building a series of terraces on a natural ascension in the land next to the small creek. They’ve worked seriously and carefully since then, expanding the original terrace to several more, adding staircases, planting ferns and damming the creek. I can’t say much more that can’t be better described in this series of photos. Enjoy:

A photo from the creek in front of the spot.

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Approaching

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And here it is

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The western wall

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4th and 5th level terraces

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4th level terrace. Look at the detail in the stone work. It fits together like a puzzle.

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Puzzle pieces on the western staircase

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Ground level

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A chair built into one of the walls caught the sunlight, so I sat in it.

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The view from the chair. This is a good place to sit, think and relax.

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The End