Odenwald Hike: The Trans-Siberian Railroad Doesn’t Cross Mörschenhardt

“Die transsibirische Eisenbahn fährt nicht durch Mörschenhardt” (Andreas Balles, 1990)

This was my first thought when I arrived in this very small village called Mörschenhardt not far away from my hometown in Southern Germany.
In 1990, a former classmate  wrote this sentence while imitating Günther Eich, a famous German poet. He – the classmate – became a poet later on – at least he wrote a poetry book.

And there is so much more in this sentence. There are quite a lot of villages where there is, metaphorically speaking, nothing like the Trans-Siberian Railroad. And sometimes this is a great advantage.

Mörschenhardt:

Klinge:

Ernsttal:

 

Schloss Waldleinigen:

Location: Mörschenhardt, Klinge, Ernsttal, Schloss Waldleinigen, (from there we hitch-hiked to Schloßau) – Schloßau – Mörschenhardt / Distance: 12 km / Weather: 2 °C, cloudy & freezing

Berlin Day Hike: Unesco Natural Heritage – Ancient Beech Forest in Grumsin

Location: near Altkünkendorf – Kleiner Grumsinsee – Sperlingsherberge direction Groß Ziethen – Großer Kagelpfuhl – Großer Schwarzer See –  direction Altkünkendorf / Distance: 11,5 km / Weather: 9 °C, cloudy

Kleiner Grumsinsee:

 

Sperlingsherberge:

 

Großer Schwarzer See:

 

BTW: Do not expect the information point in Altkünkendorf to be open on Sundays. (Why would they? All tourists come during working hours :-)) And a “hikers rest area” is a fenced, windy space equipped with some seats but without a roof or any other similar amenities.

Berlin Day Hike: Golden Sunday in Spitzmühle

Yeah, the days are getting shorter and darker. But there is still this kind of autumn magic when warm sun rays hit the yellow and red trees. The golden days of autumn.

Location: Postbruch near Straußberg – Bötzsee – Spitzmühle – Fängersee – Kesselsee – and back on the opposite shores / Distance: 17 km / Weather: 13 °C, sunny

Bötzsee:

 

Fängersee:

 

Kesselsee:

Map:

Berlin Day Hike: Dramatic Skies Over Spreeauen

Location: Mönchwinkel – cross the small bridge south of Mönchwinkel – don’t follow the paths, you can easily walk the meadows/ Distance: 5 km / Weather: 8 °C, sunny and cloudy

We left a little late this saturday and we got into this weather shortly before the sun went down. This is the river Spree in its natural state. We walked alongside the river on the meadows even if there weren’t any paths on my map. Sometimes you have to detour because of animal fences.

 

Map:

 

Odenwald Hike: Freudenburg

Location: Freudenberg am Main – Freudenburg – Short Trip trough the forest along the Nibelungensteig – Main – Freudenberg / Distance: 10 km / Weather: 23 °C, sunny / After the hike we stopped for a bite in Miltenberg

The ascent to the castle:

The castle:

On the Nibelungensteig:

 

Along Main River:

 

Miltenberg:

 

 

Berlin Day Hike: 50 Shades of Green near Liepnitzsee

Location: Wandlitz – Drei heilige Pfühle – Regenbogensee – Liepnitzsee – Bogensee – Wandlitz / Distance: 15 km / Weather: 27 °C, sunny / Animals spotted: frogs an shiny bugs / Special feature: Bogensee is a historical site in the middle of the forest. Read more about it here / Beware of ticks!

Lake Lights:

Forrest Lights:

Frog and Bugs:

 

 

The tour group:

 

Bogensee:

 

Regenbogensee:
(Same lake in winter)

 

Tour:

 

Berlin Day Hike: The Lustrous Clay Lakes of Zehdenick

Location: Burgwall – Mögelinstich – Ziegeleipark – Döbertstich – Radkestich – Campingplatz Wilde Heimat and back on the other side / Distance: 15 km / Animals spotted: a lot of horses and a slowworm / Special feature: Frequently you walk an a small land crossing between two lakes. Make a stop at campsite “Wilde Heimat”. It’s a wonderful place. 

The lakes:

 

The industry museum:

 

The tour group:

 

Landscapes:

 

The slowworm:

 

And the sunset:

The tour: