Southern Africans Find Their Nest in the W.Va. Wilderness

By JOANN C. ELMER
jelmer@statejournal.com

UPPER TRACT — Tucked between the recesses of the Monongahela and George Washington National forests sits a mountaintop retreat full of furry creatures and two quirky storytellers.

The Wildernest Inn, located near the border of Hardy and Pendleton counties, is not the typical bed and breakfast. It also serves as a wildlife sanctuary, giving guests rare opportunities to spy unusual birds, herds of deer and the occasional curious black bear. The inn also offers something else that’s a bit unusual — its hosts.

Kathy and Stewart Hornby are not natives of West Virginia or the United States. Stewart was born in South Africa. Kathy was born in Rhodesia, which, in 1980, became Zimbabwe. Kathy and Stewart, who’ve been married for 34 years, left Zimbabwe in 1995. After living in a few different places, the Hornbys decided they needed a change.

Kathy started researching the 48 continental states. After close looks at each, they picked West Virginia.

Kathy keeps a book about Zimbabwe at the inn. In it, she likes to show guests pictures of the mountains that landscape her native country. She points out how much they resemble the Appalachians in West Virginia. For her, the Mountain State just felt a little more like home.

They found the bed & breakfast online, after it had been put up for sale. The couple decided to check it out and made their first trip to West Virginia in September 2001.

“We hadn’t even looked around the place when I saw a female bear and her two cubs playing in the lake down on the property,” Kathy said. “That was it for me. I decided right then we were buying the place. The bears were it.”

The couple was accustomed to African wildlife. They can tell stories about lions and leopards like Americans might discuss deer or coyotes. Stewart spent several years as a police officer in Zimbabwe, primarily focusing on anti-poaching enforcement. As for Kathy, she is a self-proclaimed animal lover. But in all their years of observing wildlife, neither had seen a black bear until that day in 2001.

“I became obsessed right away,” Kathy said.

The couple purchased the inn and set out to learn everything they could about West Virginia. They studied with a bear biologist in Minnesota. And by the time they reopened Wildernest Inn in April 2002, the couple was eager to share tales of their two new loves — West Virginia and the black bear.

Today, the inn pays homage to the bears, along with many other creatures found toiling on the 80-acre property. On any given day, guests steer their way up the long and winding driveway to the inn, only to be greeted by a herd of deer.

The innkeepers maintain bird feeders near windows at the inn, attracting all kinds of birds for guests to observe. Rabbits and opossums often mill around, but only stay long enough to check out the latest clientele. And occasionally, black bears stop by just to take a dip in the lake that rests at the bottom of the property.

But if guests grow weary of the wild animals, Kathy and Stewart have a few extra four-legged friends to entertain guests — two Jack Russell Terriers and three cats. One of the dogs, just like his owners, is an immigrant from Africa. The other is one the Hornbys adopted in Tennessee. Stewart, always the storyteller, said that dog barks with a drawl.

But if wildlife doesn’t interest guests, the inn offers much more. Stewart, himself, laid 11 miles of trails along the property for hikers. Nearby Petersburg has a golf course and several areas offer canoeing. Fishing also is an option. Plus, two national forests are within a short drive.

Durbin and Mary Kerr, of Columbus, Ohio, vacationed at the inn during the first week of May. The outdoor enthusiasts said it was their first time at the inn, but it has easily become their favorite wilderness destination.

“We love bird watching,” Durbin Kerr said. “I’ve stayed at a lot of places in West Virginia. We’ve camped out at Seneca Rocks. We’ve just been all over the state. But this place has it all. It’s quiet. It’s comfortable. And there’s plenty to do in the area.”

The inn offers six guest rooms that include private bathrooms and spectacular views. The Great Room houses oversized leather couches, recliners, a fireplace and Direct TV.

Guests also can relax on a large deck that overlooks both the lake and the mountain ridge from a 2,200-foot perch. Besides seating areas, the deck also sports a hot tub.

If the six-room inn isn’t big enough, Kathy and Stewart also help maintain a nearby cabin that can house up to 20 guests. Between the two properties, the Hornbys even have hosted four weddings with as few as two guests to as many as 125, including some who spend the night.

For dining, the inn offers breakfast and dinner services. Many of the dishes are creations concocted by Kathy.

“Sometimes I just wake up at 2 in the morning and think this would be good together or I should try that,” Kathy said. “The next day, I try it and it usually works.”

Stewart said the favorite dish is Kathy’s Peri Peri Chicken, created with a unique African spice. As for the Kerrs, who are vegetarians, both said they loved Kathy’s mushroom ravioli.

But when it comes to the Wildernest Inn, the hosts may be the hidden attraction. The former Africans have traveled all over the world. Their stories of Africa easily can keep guests entertained. And the husband and wife duo have mastered the art of storytelling. Stewart usually starts the narrative, but when he pauses, Kathy easily fills in the rest. And if Kathy thinks Stewart is telling a story wrong, she doesn’t wait for a pause to interject.

One of their best stories may be the two recalling the first time they ever woke up to snow.

“We’ve never seen four seasons before,” Stewart said. “I’m not sure what was the coldest temperature we experienced before here, but I can assure you it was above freezing. The first time it snowed here, we couldn’t believe it.”

At this point, Stewart pauses and Kathy takes over.

“That first morning I woke up at 5 a.m. and just ran outside. I got the dogs up and woke him up,” Kathy said referring to Stewart. “I didn’t even stop to put shoes on. I was that excited. I ran right out and jumped right in it.”

Stewart takes over.

“We were up here with no four-wheeler, no snow plow or even winter boots,” Stewart said. “Now we have all the toys. We’re set for winter.”

But Stewart still laughs telling guests the story of Kathy trying to make her first snow angel. And Kathy doesn’t mind, because she’s more than willing to tell a funny tale or two about Stewart. Listening to the couple, it’s apparent they’re not just running a business in the mountains of West Virginia — they’ve made it their home.

“This is definitely home to us now,” Kathy said. “We love it here. We love the people we’ve met. It’s a wonderful place.”