Nature

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Over the last few years vacations for me and my husband have often been a bit of what is referred to locally as a 'busman's holiday'; we have often shuttled to and fro sorting out an elderly/poorly family member on either my side or my husband's side of the family.

We were fortunate enough, or maybe just plain selfish, to sneak off for a break in August without telling anyone, thus neatly avoiding helping with sorting out their gardens/repairing houses/dealing with tradesmen/picking up bills/cleaning/cooking/nursing....

We rented a small house just for us (and the little gardener of course), withing spitting distance of a massive nature reserve. Our prime concern was outside space for the little gardener to roam and play, great scenery, good walks on our doorstep, comfort when we returned.

For once I left my tools behind and did not scale ladders to prune wisteria or trim hedges. The poor acidic soils in the local woods of our vacation home host heathers

and are full of wild blueberry bushes. Foxgloves add some bright splashes of colour and whilst they had already gone over in England, here in shady spots they were still flowering.
 

Rather than having gravel or concrete underfoot, the paths were often sandy, narrow and twisting. Care was needed to avoid tripping over numerous tree roots but who could not be enchanted by these wonderful walks through shady forests?

 

I was surprised how well the little gardener took to rambling and after a few outings we ditched the sandals and bought her proper boots.

Our rambles took us to a tiny forest chapel where we could ring the bells (Winterkirchel),

a deer park where we watched wolves being fed (watching from the relative safety of a viewing platform)

Deer roamed freely through the park and were tame enough to come close up.

 

The little gardener was impressed by the ruins of castles and settlements built in the 10th/11th century AD and although a shadow of their former self they are still impressive today.  

The area is dotted with follies, usually towers built just over 100 years ago whose solely purpose is to give wonderful views over the canopy of trees and the surrounding countryside.

On a clear day they afford some stunning views of the Rhine valley on one side and the leafy hills of the Palatinate on the other.

The local rambling clubs operate a serious of basic inns/huts throughout the area. I remembered these from my youth: as a student we would often go trekking during the summer months and these inns provided cheap accommodations and excellent and cheap food. I was delighted to see that the old tradition of hospitality is still in evidence. Food though basic was fresh, plentiful and service was always full of smiles. Many of the huts have been upgraded and now offer not just seating for the weary walker but outdoor playgrounds for their offspring.

For me this was partly a trip down memory lane and I was lucky that my husband enjoyed this break as much as I did. As for the little gardener, she was most taken by the lure of fresh Italian ice cream as a daily treat, stories of knights, dragons and castles and frequent stops in playgrounds. And the opportunity to ride her bike through vineyards where cars were few and far between.