The Hiking Moose

Het Gerendal (NL) - 20 km

2008-05-11T01:21:00Z

Gerendal is also know for its wild orchids which flourish well on the chalk grasslands; the only place in The Netherlands actually where they still exists. The Orchid Garden, maintained by Staatsbosbeheer, is open to the public during May & June and really worth a visit when you are in the neighborhood.

After visiting the Orchid Garden our track brought us via small forests and agricultural areas to the small river De Geul that meanders through the landscape. Oh....maybe you can discover our naughty Moose in one of the pictures. He wanted to prove to you that he was indeed with us all the time.

Via a small township called Stokhem we had to climb up a hill again which provided a nice view over Wijlre and its surrounding areas. This path eventually took us to a track that is part of the St. James Way (or St. Jakobsweg in Dutch), a pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela (el Camino de Santiago) in Spain.

After stopping at a cafe in a town called Scheulder to get some ice-cream (yum yum, very refreshing with this heat), we returned to the Gerendal, but now seen from the other side of the valley. This cow wanted to have my ice-cream I believe, but I was much quicker than she was.

We are almost there.......and then saw this very peculiar fungi. If anyone knows its name - we tried to look it up but this turned out to be more difficult than we thought it would be - then please let us know. With a last look on the landscape, we end this walk. Hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.

Meinweg National Park walk (NL) - 10 km

2008-04-20T13:19:00Z

De Meinweg is the only nature area in the Netherlands where a population of wild boars is allowed to roam freely. The adder also occurs here. De Meinweg National Park forms part of the German-Dutch Cross-border Park Maas-Swalm-Nette

After a couple of 100 metres an Anguis Fragilis or better known as slowworm/blindworm crossed our path. In Dutch this creature is called a Hazelworm. It is a limbless reptile, which is active during the day (diurnal) and occasionally basks in the sun, but is more often found hiding beneath rocks and logs.

Slowworms are often mistaken for a snake, but have some distinctive features which differentiate them from snakes:

They have very small eyes with eyelids that blink like lizards and even have visible ears. They shed their skin in patches, instead of the whole skin as snakes do. A slowworm can reach an age of about thirty years and in captivity can even live much longer (around 50 years).
In The Netherlands the slowworm has been granted protected status, so they are rather rare and thus we were lucky to see one.

Oh...forgot to mention that Elgar the HikingMoose itself was not with us on this trip. Why? Because he did not fit into the backpack anymore. But as you can see when looking closely at this picture we do wear the one and only HikingMoose T-shirt. Along the track there is ofcourse lots to see. Underneath also a few highlights of this walk.

And this picture shows the biggest bog pool called Elfenmeer (Lake of the Elves). This sunbathing butterfly, the Peacock Caterpillar (in Dutch the Dagpauwoog) enjoyed the warm sunbeams as much as we did. Spring is now really coming fast.

With a last glimp of one of the smaller bog pools, we go back to our car. Definitely worthwhile to go back here when summer has arrived.

Roe deer in the field

2008-04-07T20:18:01Z

Easter Monday ……snowy and cold

2008-03-24T19:25:00Z

huh......that is not a Chaffinch....no... it is a Brambling (male). In Dutch this bird is called a "Keep".

And not just one, but a couple: Mr. and Mrs. Brambling. Underneath the picture of Mrs. Brambling

The Brambling, Fringilla montifringilla, is a small passerine bird in the Finch family and

is similar in size and shape to a Chaffinch. But the plumage of Brambling is definitely different: the breast is orange and constrating with their white bellies. Their rumps are white. The head of a male Brambling is more dark blackish coloured.

Bramblings feed almost exclusively on seeds in winter, preferring beechmast. So as our feeding station which was full with lots of seeds this was the ideal spot for them to have their Easter lunch.

Walk at Rothenburg o.d. Tauber (Germany)

2008-02-15T17:58:00Z

We did not start this walk in Rothenburg itself as we had our overnight stay at a lovely old mill outside of Rothenburg, which can be very crowded during high season.
Pension Fuchsmuehle, here you can see the B&B on the right handside (blue colored house), is ideally situated: it is quiet and peaceful and Rothenburg is at walking distance (15 minutes). From the windows you look up to the walls & towers of Rothenburg o.b. Tauber.

The rooms are clean and spacious and the owners are very friendly. We can truly recommend this Pension (B&B). Information about their pension can be found at: Pension Fuchsmuehle.

Press the Read More tab if you want to see more of this walk.

Just opposite of Pension Fuchsmuehle you will find the "Topplerschlosschen" (build in 1388). It was the holiday residence of a former mayor of Rothenburg. It can be visited in the weekends and is really worth it. The house is strangely build as underneath picture shows you quiet well. Inside it is nevertheless rather spacious for that time and it gives you an idea about people lived in those years.
Across the street there is a path going up on a hill. It is pathway 6A and brings you to the top of the hill (and finally to walk W7). Don't forget to click on the pictures to enlarge them.

At the top of that hill you will be rewarded with a splendid view towards Rothenburg. You can see almost all the churches, the towers, the walls, old buildings. And......a friendly moose . Really a very nice viewpoint where you can have a short break before going further along walkingtrack W7.

Walking through some woods you finally end up on a track in an open field. Many buzzards or other bird species can be seen here. Even some deers crossed our paths here.
The right picture shows a beautiful Yellowhammer which can be seen eating in huge flocks.

The panoramic views up here are amazing. Looking back now and then you can see the contours of Rothenburg. And when looking the other way, you will see endless fields.

Finally you will reach a small village called Leuzenbronn. And you won't believe it but there is a very good and cheap local restaurant in this village, Gasthaus Zur Krone. You can also stay the night at this guesthouse. We have taken a small lunch here. If you want to avoid the crowdiness of Rothenburg this is the ideal place to stay the night.

As the days are relatively short it was already getting a little bit darker and hence we were unable to take some more shots of the panoramic views, also towards Rothenburg but than seen from another angle.

The small detour with walkingtrack W8a, brings you along some cliffs, some panoramic views, and finally at the end to the "Himmelsleiter", a lot of steps bringing you back to the bottom of the valley. People who started the trip from Rothenburg now have to climb up again to get back to their startingpoint. We are more lucky, we just have to follow the Tauber to reach our Guesthouse again.

This is a very nice and rewarding walk. Definitely worth an extra day in Rothenburg o.d. Tauber.

New look for the HikingMoose

2008-02-14T22:10:00Z

A Greenfinch (Groenling)

2008-02-02T21:09:00Z

Teal (NL: Wintertaling)

2007-12-27T23:47:00Z

Eurasian Kestrel

2007-12-26T15:36:00Z

Finally some winter in the Netherlands

2007-12-22T21:47:00Z

As you can see from underneath pictures it was really a winter wonderland. And remarkably not many people were up. All running around like a madman to get all the groceries in for the upcoming Christmas days, to buy the last Christmas presents and you name it. We just enjoyed the views presented to us.

One more picture to finish this winterfeeling.

O....nope....here is just one other picture. Taken by our parents, who live about 200 kms away from us. They even had more frost than we did.
Sometimes it is just not fair . But this one looks just great, doesn't it?

Do you remember me?

2007-11-24T09:01:00Z

An UFO or what?

2007-11-18T18:40:00Z

Rogie Falls in Autumn (Scotland)

2007-10-15T00:36:00Z

Walk around Rimburg (Limburg, NL)

2007-10-02T12:37:00Z

The first kilometer goes through cultivated farmland and at a corner there is the "Waardekapelke", a chapel originally constructed in 1913. After World War II it was renovated and it is being looked after very well by the locals. Fresh flowers, burning candles, just as it should be in a chapel.

Then the track goes through a forest and one encounters this huge tower. It is a so-called watertower which was used to provide water for the surrounding villages between 1923 - 1974. Since that time it has fallen into disrepair but there is a project on the way the restore the watertower in all its glory. The view must be breathtaking from above. Hopefully one day everybody can enjoy that.

Meanwhile it was getting warmer and warmer. Just look at the bright blue sky and the bright green colors of the meadows. It also triggered a few buzzards to practice their flying skills. As you can see clearly on the picture, the buzzard on the righthandside is a youngster. He/she was 'shouting' of joy the whole time. His father/mother was watching him very carefully.

Then the walk goes up a little hill and there is yes.......again another chapel. In the middle of nowhere actually. It is the St. Jozefkapel (St. Jozef chapel, Rimburg) which was erected in 1951 by ex-warriors, for the occasion of their safe return home after World War II. Rimburg has been a battle zone as it is situated exactly on the border with Germany.

Finally we leave the forest and arrive at the little township Rimburg. The oldest record of the castle which still can be found in this village (Castle Rimburg) dates back from 1278. Excavations also have shown that the Roman Army have crossed the bridge over the "Worm", a small river which now acts as the border between the Netherlands and Germany. Near that bridge, at the spot where now the castle is situated, there used to be a Roman fortress, all being part of a "Heirbaan" (or Heerbaan), a so-called long distance road, stretching from Cologne, via the Wormdal to Heerlen, Maastricht and Tongeren (in Belgium). So a very historical and picturesque village.

As you can see, the white colored house dates back from 1718. Further along we cross the bridge over the "Worm" to Germany. Just imagine that in past times Romans have walked here as well.

The picture on the right shows a very old water wheel, obviously no longer in use.

In the meantime the sun is burning very strong and it is time to slowely get back home. We cross again some agricultural farmland and yes........the farmers are working very very hard to get everything done today before the heavy rain, predicted for this afternoon/evening, comes pouring down.

Although we walk in this area a lot, and have seen all the chapels and buildings before, we never really did have a good look at them. So in that respect this weblog teaches us to look with different eyes to things than we normally would do.

Slugs enjoyed the weather this year

2007-09-17T01:31:00Z