A long drive eastwards from Asheville to Elizabeth City. Only the very first bit was a designated scenic drive, and this was quite exciting along a very winding road. We started by going to Chimney Rock.

Chimney Rock is interesting in itself – a separate round pinnacle stands out as a small stack away from a very sheer cliff. Being America, someone drove a tunnel into the cliff face and then an elevator shaft (equivalent to 26 storeys) to the top of the main cliff. You come out of the elevator into the gift shop and café and then walk across a bridge and after that up a flight of 40 stairs across a chasm to the Rock itself. Really good views over the River and (manmade) Lake Lure into which it runs.

After the rock we drove along the Broad River and Lake Lure, and found a great restaurant overlooking the lake. Shortly after that it was freeway all the way to Gastonia, and the next day about 200 miles on the freeways to Raleigh, the State Capital of North Carolina. In Raleigh we went Downtown as it was Saturday morning and not  very crowded. We saw the Capitol building and the war memorials outside, and were able to go inside the Capitol. The House of Representatives and Senate now meet elsewhere, but the Governor still uses it.

Approaching Elizabeth City we went to Edenton -  a waterfront town near where the Chowan empties into Albermarle Sound. No longer a thriving port it's now a quiet picturesque place.