I don't mind walking, but we didn't do it frequently in the States. Our communities aren't built for it; we drive everywhere (a fact my children, then 4.5 and 2, noticed immediately when we moved home in 2014). One nice aspect of being back in Europe is the walkability. Almost all roads have sidewalks, and paths (paved, dirt, gravel, grass) cut through neighborhoods, farmland, and forest. It's wonderful, and we decided to take advantage of it. We walked to Eppstein Castle, an 8.5-mile trek.
To prepare, we relied mostly on Google Maps. (We downloaded a few hiking apps, but I wasn't familiar enough with them to find value.) We got Google's opinion, made sure our phone was fully charged, and set off.
The beginning was easily done, hiking known paths through town and local farms. We encountered a nice WWI memorial, too (see below). But from there, we had to deviate from plan. Google Maps sent us on a narrow road with no sidewalks; that was unacceptable, so we turned off at the memorial and looked for a suitable alternative.
We quickly found a biking path that seemed suitable. We elected to follow that and ignore Google for the time being, crossing fields and under train tracks.
After crossing a stream, we faced another choice- continue following the bike path (which was well-mapped but 1-2 miles longer), or veer off through the woods. Throwing caution to the wind, we did the latter. We ended up on what appeared to be an old highway (a kilometer marker gave away its old purpose). Long abandoned to the woods, it was difficult in places, but passable. We consulted Google occasionally, which gave us a general idea, even when it couldn't detect nearby paths.
We ended up on a logging trail, came out at a clearing, and headed downhill by a graveyard (love those German cemeteries) into Medenbach. Through that, we crossed under the A3 and were well on our way; the path went from paved to grass and had us soon heading through picturesque fields.
The path turned back to paving quite suddenly as we came to Wildsachsen. Trekking through that, past a goat pen, and into a larger stretch of forest, we were getting quite close.
At this point, we had to abandon Google Maps completely and rely on a hiking app map that wasn't great, but gave us sufficient idea of how to make the final approach to Eppstein on the myriad hiking trails in the area. We stumbled onto this weird castle-like structure that looked like something out of a fairy tale; it appeared to be a restaurant with limited opening hours. We walked quickly by the foreboding structure and soon came upon a nice gazebo.
Eppstein in view! At last, our journey neared its end. I chose the route, in part, because I expected a breathtaking sight as we crested the final 'mountain' to the town. Alas, looking down on the castle was less impressive than I expected . . . it made me wonder why they put the castle in the valley in the first place (heights are better!). But it was still nice.
The final challenge was how to get out of the woods and across the railroad tracks. Thankfully, we spotted a bridge east of the castle, and were now in town. The below captures our route; from the satellite image, you can see the variety of terrain (town, field, forest) we traversed.
The overall experience was enjoyable and highly recommended. Not as draining as I anticipated, we took our time (3.5 hours for the 8.5-mile hike) to both verify proper orientation and simply enjoy the experience.
Some observations from the time:
- Google Maps isn't perfect; technology is wonderful, but no substitute for observation and human reasoning. Our path ended up being much straighter, safer, and scenic than Google's recommended route.
- German paths are plentiful but will change- at times in odd places- from pavement to grass or vice-versa. Wear appropriate footwear.
- Nearly every home we saw was excellently tended. The Germans care about their properties, and (I believe) they show the same concern in all aspects of their society. Societies thrive or dwindle based individuals taking personal responsibility to make their sphere beautiful in every way . . . and I see that in Germany.
- Walking is an excellent workout, and certainly gives an appreciation for modern transportation. To think that 8 miles used to be a considerable effort.
To prepare, we relied mostly on Google Maps. (We downloaded a few hiking apps, but I wasn't familiar enough with them to find value.) We got Google's opinion, made sure our phone was fully charged, and set off.
The beginning was easily done, hiking known paths through town and local farms. We encountered a nice WWI memorial, too (see below). But from there, we had to deviate from plan. Google Maps sent us on a narrow road with no sidewalks; that was unacceptable, so we turned off at the memorial and looked for a suitable alternative.
We quickly found a biking path that seemed suitable. We elected to follow that and ignore Google for the time being, crossing fields and under train tracks.
After crossing a stream, we faced another choice- continue following the bike path (which was well-mapped but 1-2 miles longer), or veer off through the woods. Throwing caution to the wind, we did the latter. We ended up on what appeared to be an old highway (a kilometer marker gave away its old purpose). Long abandoned to the woods, it was difficult in places, but passable. We consulted Google occasionally, which gave us a general idea, even when it couldn't detect nearby paths.
We ended up on a logging trail, came out at a clearing, and headed downhill by a graveyard (love those German cemeteries) into Medenbach. Through that, we crossed under the A3 and were well on our way; the path went from paved to grass and had us soon heading through picturesque fields.
The path turned back to paving quite suddenly as we came to Wildsachsen. Trekking through that, past a goat pen, and into a larger stretch of forest, we were getting quite close.
At this point, we had to abandon Google Maps completely and rely on a hiking app map that wasn't great, but gave us sufficient idea of how to make the final approach to Eppstein on the myriad hiking trails in the area. We stumbled onto this weird castle-like structure that looked like something out of a fairy tale; it appeared to be a restaurant with limited opening hours. We walked quickly by the foreboding structure and soon came upon a nice gazebo.
Eppstein in view! At last, our journey neared its end. I chose the route, in part, because I expected a breathtaking sight as we crested the final 'mountain' to the town. Alas, looking down on the castle was less impressive than I expected . . . it made me wonder why they put the castle in the valley in the first place (heights are better!). But it was still nice.
The final challenge was how to get out of the woods and across the railroad tracks. Thankfully, we spotted a bridge east of the castle, and were now in town. The below captures our route; from the satellite image, you can see the variety of terrain (town, field, forest) we traversed.
The overall experience was enjoyable and highly recommended. Not as draining as I anticipated, we took our time (3.5 hours for the 8.5-mile hike) to both verify proper orientation and simply enjoy the experience.
Some observations from the time:
- Google Maps isn't perfect; technology is wonderful, but no substitute for observation and human reasoning. Our path ended up being much straighter, safer, and scenic than Google's recommended route.
- German paths are plentiful but will change- at times in odd places- from pavement to grass or vice-versa. Wear appropriate footwear.
- Nearly every home we saw was excellently tended. The Germans care about their properties, and (I believe) they show the same concern in all aspects of their society. Societies thrive or dwindle based individuals taking personal responsibility to make their sphere beautiful in every way . . . and I see that in Germany.
- Walking is an excellent workout, and certainly gives an appreciation for modern transportation. To think that 8 miles used to be a considerable effort.
No comments:
Post a Comment