Cameras should be poised for the serious photo opportunities available at Sycamore Hill, a ranch-style house seemingly dropped from the sky onto the crest of Menefee Mountain. Winding through the mile-long approach from town, many a visitor may doubt there could be a lodging at road’s end. But eventually the forest gives way to Kern Wagner’s extensive gardens, including a vast perennial bed featuring peonies in spring and mums in fall, and the Virginia fieldstone house, wrapped by a 65-foot veranda.
The view from this spot is the raison d’être of Sycamore Hifi—there’s Old Rag to the right, Tiger Valley, and Red Oak Mountain. And the 52-acre lot is a certifled wildlife sanctuary. With its views and gardens, this is a spot for the nature lover. The best view is from the 6-foot picture window in the master bedroom, which has a queen-size four-poster bed. Kern Wagner is an energetic hostess who treats her guests like friends, aided by her husband, Steve, an artist whose fascinating magazine covers line the walls, and by a shaggy white mop of a dog named Molly Bean.
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