It was a busy week for both of us without any kind of workout, so after 'enjoying' a 5km run on Saturday we decided to do another hike in the nearby area that has a vast selection of steep hills to offer.
Sonja had brought home a flyer regarding a relatively new look-out tower on a hill called 'Urenkopf' which sounds like 'clock head', but indeed originally was derived from an old German word for swamp. The area must have been pretty much tree-less in older times, and very muddy.
The start of the hike was extremely steep, but after a few hundred meters the slope started to get smoother.
We passed a couple of historic buildings, like the 'Chapel at the Holy Spring' or a hut that was built by a recluse painter two hundred years ago.
Strengthened by our meal we climbed the 180 steps (33 meters) and were rewarded with a breathtaking view over the Kinzig river valley.
Beautiful scenery especially with the pano shots! I think hills are the best way to get a workout. Uphill that is. Down is hard on the knees...
ReplyDeleteThanks Richard, you are right about the downhill knee troubles. Uphill, although strenuous, wasn't that hard on the joints.
DeleteAnother beautiful view from the tower. You two are looking well, all that hiking and running must be agreeing with you.
ReplyDeleteThanks Brandy, well we feel in fairly good shape but our diet is a bit compromised right now due to the usual social events that come with the holidays...
Deletewhat a fantastic view! looks a bit chilly :-) looking forward to hiking season again, right now lots of rain and many storms (and with that lots of power outages around Vancouver)
ReplyDeleteIt was fairly windy up on the tower. Rain and storm, eh? Typical west coast winter weather... I kind of miss it anyway.
DeleteIs the tower strictly a structure for viewing the lovely surroundings? Looks completely open on top.
ReplyDeleteCoop, it has indeed been build solely for the enjoyment of the people, and was sponsored by a handful of regional companies. it doesn't have a roof or weather protection of any kind.
DeleteHills are the best! Walking hills actually helped me with a lower back problem I was having once. I felt the use of different muscles and improvement quickly.
ReplyDeleteFantastic view.
Absolutely, Martha, it is an excellent workout for strengthening your back muscles, although downhill my knees always start complaining...
DeleteGreat panos and header!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a lot of effort, but the views make it worth it.