High above Hildesheim: A roadhouse hike
Today I show you how I turn a 16km-walk into a 22km-walk. Besides you can learn about the development of my bird and plant identification project. And finally I will let you know why the lust for live needs to return to Germany.
When the forest blooms
We park our car close to the Feldstraße of Hildesheim. At first we reach the war memorial on the Galgenberg. The overdimensioned soldier, representing the many victims of World War I, catches one eye immediately. I will never understand that kind of hero worship of „poor sods“ who had to die in senseless wars. That’s why we send this statue to Coventry and turn into the municipal woods instead. We walk on a narrow path and listen to the birds singing for a while. At that moment I make my „shot of the day“ and I mug a beautiful robin.
After a short pause we concentrate on the tree population. What do we see? Are these beeches? No, because we do not see any beechnuts on the ground. Are these oaks and what kind of pines are growing? We are looking for tree fruits. Well at least we can indicate the cones of the pines.
Moreover it’s blooming around us: We can recognize cherry blossom, primeroses and wood anemone.
Walking the extra mile
After leaving the municipal forest we reach the Vorholz. We walk on the border of the forest having a panoramic view on Hildesheim and its surroundings. After a while we reach the Fischteich at the spinney Querburg with its foundling, which is said to be used as „open air church“. Suddenly Frederik hurries me along. Allegedly we are dawdling and are not even midway. Really? I take a look at my app. It tells me that we already walked 7.1 km. So, with a distance of 16 km altogether that is almost half of it. Well, at this point we do not know that this hike will be artifically prolongated in a few moments.
At first we reach the switchback that leads us to the ridge and thus back to Hildesheim. On top of the ridge we discover a signposting which misleads us. We wonder whether the signpost tells us to go either left or right to the „Brockenblick“. I claim that the sight Brockenblick is part of our tour, Frederik counters. In retrospect I burn. I should have put some Dogecoins on it and I would be rich by now.
We decide to put up with some extra miles to enjoy the Brockenblick. On the way I become doubtful. Frederik however says we only have to climb that hill and then … Well, what we see by now has nothing to do with a view or a Brocken. We look at the roadhouse „Hildesheimer Börde West“. We make the best out o fit and get some coffee at the petrol station.
S or XXL?
As Frederik wrecked his face mask on the way I have to buy the coffee. I enter the place and see a smoking and annoyed employee. She says „hello“. Hm, is this some kind of strange quarter? I ask for coffee and the lady points to a vending machine. Oh well, I hope it accepts banknotes. I take a look at the selection. The clerk sees my thermo cup: „You should not have this with you!“ „Up yours“ I think to myself. I take a look a the paper cups, why do they only offer size „S“ and „XXL“?
I am still struggeling with „S“ and „XXL“ and try to make a rational decision. Actually XXL is by far too big for me but, size S costs 3,00 Euro and size XXL is 3,80 Euro. So to keep things in proportion I choose XXL for us. I pour my liquid into my thermo cup and walk out.
I open my flap
With the hot beverage in our hands me move on, back to the crossing we came from. Suddenly the sun finds its way through the clouds and bathes the scenery in a warm, bright light. That helps to overcome the unintentional detour to the petrol station. However, we are still looking for the Brockenblick. We ask one of the numerous Mountainbiker we see today. We are pretty close. Cross-country we cut a corner and finally reach the Brockenblick that is not one.
A bratwurst stand is in front of the closed hotel and restaurant „Brockenblick“. The snack bar open its flap on the weekend and sells also beverages and waffles. However the calm of the forest is disturbed by blustering music coming from this mobile sales booth. We move on and spot the „Gelber Turm“ from a distance, it is the observatory of Hildesheim. I want to climb this tower to enjoy the panoramic view from above. With a heavy heart I have to move on. I take a look a my app – wow, 18.1 km already. We continue towards Hildesheim. Suddenly a beautiful building appears at the roadside. What is it? I take a closer look at the site. It is a restaurant called Lewenslust, but I read „Lebenslust“ (lust for life). Oh yeah, that is the withdrawel syndrom, for sure.
One of Germany’s 146 Bismarck towers
At the end of our tour we pass by the Bismarck tower of Hildesheim, one of the 146 buildings of this kind that still exist in Germany.
