ADAIRSVILLE, Ga. – It’s often been said that riding a horse is a little like riding a bike. Once you’ve mastered the ride, you don’t forget how to do it. That’s what I experienced on a recent trip to Barnsley Resort, a 3,000-acre luxury resort destination in the foothills of the Appalachians.
As I settled into my saddle and familiarized myself with the gate of my chestnut mare, Ruby, we forded fast-moving streams, swollen from recent rains; skirted the green of No. 14, the most-challenging hole on the Barnsley’s Fazio-designed golf course; and trotted through an open field, its trail well-worn from previous rides. Taking a horseback ride around the property is perhaps the best way to gain perspective of this massive retreat and get yourself oriented.
Barnsley Resort, known as The Woodlands to its original owner, Godfrey Barnsley, is a manor-type home built in the 1840s. Barnsley built it for his wife, Julia, who died before its completion. The home remained in the Barnsley family until a tornado ravaged the Italianate-designed structure in 1906. Bavarian Prince Hubertus Fugger bought the estate in 1988, and, with the help of Barnsley historian Clent Coker, saved and restored the ruins and uncovered the historic gardens. He then added cottages and opened it as a resort in 1999. The ruins now stand as testament to the love story of Godfrey and Julia Barnsley and are a place for weddings and other private events. They are open to the public for tours as well.
Stay the night
The past year has seen remarkable growth for Barnsley Resort, a piece of history that’s come of age. The Julian Saul family bought the resort in 2004 and soon announced plans for expansion. In March 2018, construction was completed on the new Georgian Hall, a 9,000-square-foot special-event venue with a large ballroom and separate meeting space. During the same month, the resort celebrated the opening of the new Barnsley Resort Inn with English-inspired architecture matching Andrew Jackson Downing’s design found throughout the resort. The inn has 55 rooms with king and double-queen beds fitted with luxury linens and all the amenities one might expect of a resort of this caliber. The inn also features two large suites.