Day 115: warming up
Idstedt to Berkendorfer Forst
Distance: 30km
A good night's sleep, no wind and a bit of sun: it doesn't need a lot to make walking much more enjoyable. The early morning sun is even encouraging me to jump into Idstedtersee. Much colder water than I expected. Much colder even than my favorite Alpine lake in Celerina, where I usually go swimming when I am not on a long distance hike somewhere far, far away. So it's more a quick, refreshing dip into the water rather than a proper swim.
The trail takes me through forest and the castle of Schleswig. If someone is into art, one could spend hours there. I use its nice park for a late breakfast only.
Shortly after leaving the castle, I meet a cyclist, who is asking me for directions to Flensburg. I suggest him to follow the white "X"s as I know for sure the will get him there. From there he will continue north all the way to Nordkapp he says. He will enjoy it a lot, I reply.
While my hike south is probably not as spectacular as his ride north, the kilometers that follow, along lakes and ancient Viking settlements, are rather enjoyable.
Eventually, my legs start getting tired. I definitely have not yet arrived in my hiking rhythm. It's only 15:00 when I spot a nice shelter in Benkensdorfer Forst, right beside a small tarn. Should I stay or should I continue? Only 30 kilometers is not a lot... However, my legs don't feel like walking anymore...
It seems to be a popular spot, so I have to wait a bit until I can get myself too comfortable. And maybe I find the motivation to do a couple of more kilometers before I settle down for the night. Or maybe not.
On a little pier I do a bit of stretching. Something I want to do regularly on this hike to counteract the stiffness caused by all the road walk.
Now as I am writing these lines, a late afternoon thunderstorm is passing through, cooling down the air significantly and hopefully also reducing the people walking the paths around the little lake.
Write a comment