I’ve lived in Lake Oswego for over 30 years and been a Realtor here for just as long. And yet, this past year, after exploring Lake Oswego on foot during my daily walks, I’ve discovered things about it that I never knew before.

We have a winery right in Lake Oswego. Monte Ferro Winery is located at 2240 Prestwick Road and was a sight for winded eyes the first time we hiked the Iron Mountain Trail and emptied out on Glen Eagles Road before continuing uphill to Prestwick. Lovely rows of vineyard line the front of the sloping estate; however, not enough to produce the less than 500 cases they bottle each year. For that, they source fruit from select vineyards that are salmon safe and follow low impact viticultural practices such as Stoller, Dion, Bradley and Westbrook. Resident winemakers, Bob and Mignon Ervin offer wine tastings by appointment: 503.803.9180 or reserving on OpenTable.

Lake Oswegans love hellebores. Don’t feel bad if you don’t know what they are. Neither did I until my wife and I kept spotting so many of them in gardens all around Lake Oswego that we looked them up. Seems after our sometimes-too-long winters, Lake Oswegans love the hint of spring these perennials bring to their yards. The five petal bowl-shaped flowers come in a variety of colors with the most popular being white, green and a reddish-purple, almost black.

Owls like to hang out in the Beth Ryan Nature Reserve. The other day while my wife and I were walking through the Beth Ryan Nature Reserve, I spotted one owl flying off in the distance before finding another perched on a tree branch right in front of us. A woman who lives in the area passed us by and explained that you can hear them hooting at night when they’re around. Seems they had been traveling for a while but have returned to one of their favorite spots. The entrance to the nature reserve is at 1909 Summit Drive.

There is a great lookout located at the Prosser Mine Site along the Iron Mountain Trail just between Glen Eagles Road and the fork in the trail about 300 yards down. There are interpretive signs at the mine, shining some light on the mining that took place there back in the late 1800s. And across the way is platform that looks out over the Oswego Hunt and much of Lake Oswego. It’s a welcome reward for hikers who venture to the top of Iron Mountain.

Walking around Lake Oswego never gets boring. Since the pandemic hit, my wife and I have walked at least 3-5 miles every day, usually starting from our home and venturing out to a different route each day. In spite of that repetition, it seems we are able to find new things to keep our walks fresh and interesting. Whether it’s the changing landscapes from the spring daffodils and camellias to summer’s hydrangeas and impatiens or the alternating seasonal displays from Easter bunnies to red-nosed reindeers, there is always something different to catch our eye.

Oswego Lake is not the only water feature in Lake Oswego. There are ponds and babbling brooks that, during the winter morph into rushing streams. Running across one of these on a walk is like getting an added bonus – it adds a soothing soundtrack to the natural beauty your eyes are taking in. It was quite a sight to watch our drained lake fill up naturally from all the waterways feeding into it.

There is a new pathway running through Iron Mountain park that doesn’t have the elevation of the other trails but parallels Iron Mountain Road and keeps you sheltered under the shade of the magnificent trees that blanket the mountain. Entrances are either at the intersection of Iron Mountain Road and Summit Drive or off the Iron Mountain Trail beginning at Brookside. It takes you behind the new park and Oswego Hunt.

Neighbors like to find new ways to keep us walkers entertained. There is the woman on Dogwood Drive who writes a new message on her outdoor chalkboard every day that runs the gamut from humorous to philosophical. And just last week we discovered someone on Woodside Circle who hangs a binder from a light on their garage filled with what they call “Trouble Making Glimmers from the Reckless Ramblings of a Restless Mind.”

Of course, my wife and I have found ways to keep ourselves entertained too. Lately, much to the embarrassment of our kids, we have started counting the number of porta potties we pass. It came as a result of an off-the-hand comment I made one day that there were probably over 100 porta potties in Lake Oswego due to all the construction and remodeling going on. My wife challenged me on that and the hunt was on. To date, we have counted 153.

Lake Oswego is more walkable than I thought. When we think of the First Addition, we think of walkability, with easy access to downtown restaurants and shopping. But I live in the Bryant neighborhood and my neighbors and I have discovered that our area is walkable too. We have found ourselves walking to the grocery store, the post office, the bakery, restaurants and the coffee shop. Before the pandemic, we would have probably hopped in our car to run those errands, but now we often incorporate them into our walks and realize how doable it is.

The weather isn’t an excuse for not getting outside. The only weather that kept us in over this past year was the ice that paved our streets back in February. Granted, my wife invested in heated socks, and during the winter we venture out in puffy jackets, gloves and occasionally, an umbrella but we’ve both remarked how surprised we’ve been by how often we’ve been able to get outside. And we are not alone out there. It seems dog owners don’t have a choice—they’re walking rain or shine, but even the canine-free among us, bundle up and get our steps in. If you had told me a year ago, that I’d walk outside every day for a year, I wouldn’t have believed you. Another thing the pandemic has forced me to do, and I have to say, I’m better for it!

I’d love to share everything I know about Lake Oswego if you are thinking of moving to Lake Oswego. Just give me a call at 503.939.9801, email me at costellok@hasson.com, and/or check out my website. I’ve been a Realtor in Lake Oswego for over 30 years and I would consider it an honor to introduce you to this city that I love and have been helping others fall in love with too.