A few weeks ago, a squad of loggers thinned out the woods below a landmark of Blaubeuren: The Schillerstein-monument above Gerhausen. For the first time in decades, as a neighbour told me, the specific rock ("Hörnle"), on which the Schillerstein was built a 100+ years ago, is visible again from the valley. And even better, the view from up there is not disturbed by tall trees anymore!
After three years of renovation, the "Rusenschloss" above Blaubeuren was finally reopened in October 2020. Originally, it was built in the 11th century, extended, later torn off and partly rebuilt in the 1970s. Although the castle itself is only a ruin nowadays, it is still impressing. And the view is amazing, even in the winter fog!
Summer holidays! We took the chance and our old-fashioned bicycles to bike the former military training area near Münsingen. 2005 is was shut down and turned into the biosphere area Swabian Alb. We climbed the abandonded observation towers, made rest at the former village of Gruorn and took another break at the Biosphere Center. Exhausted, but happy, we made it back home after roughly 7,5 hours and 31 kilometers - just in time for a huge sundae!
Went for a winter walk in the warming sun and headed for a place, we haven't been since 2010, when Sophia still was a toddler: The game preserve at Laichingen, not too far from our home here at the Swabian Alb.
A visit at Willi Wolf's stall in Hohenstein on the upland of the Swabian Alb, where the self-proclaimed "Swabian Cowboy" raises horses, breeds water buffalos and offers accomodation in wooden log cabins. The children, especially Sophia, love it here!
