Hiking in Altmueltal

6 April 2006

Welcome to the Altmuehltal! Sunshine called us out of doors for a hike in the lovely forest and national park about an hour's drive south of Nuernberg. We stopped first at Eichstaett, home of Germany's oldest catholic university. After a late lunch in Eichstaett and a visit to the information center, we headed for the hills - so to speak!

In the south of Franconia, the Altmuehl River very gently meanders through a region of little valleys and hills before joining the Rhine Main Canal and emptying into the Danube at Kelheim. In 1969, a 3000 sq km area was set aside as Germany's largest nature park; its main information centere is in the city of Eichstaett, a charming town at the southern end of the park that makes an excellent base for exploring... - Germany, Lonely Planet

We stepped out into a forest blanketed in a yellow powder of pine tree pollen. It was an allergy's worste enemy, and everytime we took a step, pollen puffed up from our feet. The sunshine and early spring flowers were great though! We wandered for hours and were very glad that Arnaud had brough along his GPS!! I thought we would NEVER find the car again! We liesurely drove back via small valley villages as the sun sparkled on the river.

Sure wish you'd been there!

- Tiffany