Up a gravel drive off a back road in Pittsylvania County (Va.) is a parcel of land with hills and valleys, streams, diverse vegetation and the remains of a pool deck from a house that burned down in 2015, according to the Cardinal News.
Right now, downed trees lie in piles, brush is being cleared and walking trails are being built as work progresses on a small, nature-focused resort called Echo Valley that will offer glamping, gardening and outdoor activities.
Bethann James and her family built what they thought would be their “forever home” on this land, which has been in her family for 136 years, in 2005. A decade later, it burned to the ground.
Earlier this year, James talked with her family — her cousins, who are co-owners of the land, and her three sons — about what to do with the property.
They came up with the idea to build a micro-resort on the land, which is in the Dry Fork part of the county, and offer a place where people can stay, be surrounded by nature and participate in outdoor activities.
Unlike hotels, micro-resorts don’t host dozens of guests at a time. They’re small-scale and usually high-end lodging options, often in natural settings, that house guests in modular units, tiny homes or cabins.
