Out here.

Come walking the dog with me!

www.waeschenbeuren.de

We do get a good quantity of snow in some years (this was in February 2009).

There are many who reckon Waeschenbeuren being part of the Swabian Mountains. This does not hold true to whoever takes a closer look. It is part of what is called “Schurwald”. And in some sort of way the “Hohenstaufen” means to Waeschenbeuren what Ben Nevis means to Fort William. Well it means to the near town of Goeppingen the same. But as Hohenstaufen as a mountain is big and round there is enough mountain for everybody.

This is what you see looking out of the studio’s windows. Infact there are even more mountains around here. It is the group of the three so called Emperor’s Mountains: Hohenstaufen, Stuifen and Rechberg. It is only geographically that we are in “Schurwald”, historically we are in “Stauferland” which means that around here the old Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa (1123-1190) and his mates came from.

So of course we have to have a castle here. It is called castle “Waescherburg” and houses an exhibition on Frederick I Barbarossa. Surrounding the castle there is a nice forest to go for lovely walks. A couple of years ago storm Lothar blew to pieces 18 times as many trees in only one and a half hours as would have been cut in a whole year. By now the forest has grown quite nicely again.

We do not have snow throughout the year. But when there is snow the landscape looks marvelously. You need not come only because we have a beautiful scenery. You can visit the village, where some 3.800 people live, for watching carnival which is celebrated quite lively here. And we have a big fair on Whitmonday when a a great many people visit the village (infact on that single day there are three times as many visitors in the village then people live here). So it would be best if you came afoot or by bus.

You can go for lovely walks around here even if you don’t have a dog. There are many signed paths so you won’t be lost. This is “Waescherburg’s” yard. In winter it is nice and quiet. However, if you come in summer your eyes wont’ trust what your ears will tell them. During summer all the bands playing mediaval rock music come and play here: Corvus Corax, and  Geyer’s and even Caledonix and others that are into Celtic music.

And walking on down the small road covered with humps you will come passed Cafe “Beutental” where you can drink Most, which is how Swabians have their cider - being served from Tuesdays to Sundays between 11 and 19 hrs.
The road will take you further down into the valley of the river Rems and ascending on the other side you can visit the old monastry of Lorch.
 

Apart from the monastry there are even more exciting things to find, especially during summertime ...

Waeschenbeuren is along the Federal Highway No. B297 right in the middle between Goeppingen and Lorch. Thus it is situated between two valleys. River Fils passing south heading to Neckar through a region full of industry. River Rems in the north heading to Neckar as well but on its way passing lovely vinyards.

We admit: there is nothing like the cliffs in the west of Scotland around here. Neither are there sheep crossing the roads nor single track roads with passing places. However, there are ruins of old castles and wonderful sights. On the left you see the old castle on Rechberg, on the right the Emperor’s Mountains seen from east.

Finally we can proudly present our “lighthouse” (left). It is probably the only one in a large area as we don’t live at the sea (apart from that there used to be an ocean in prehistoric times - the sort of ocean with dinos swimming in). Our “lighthouse” of course is a former tower used in the local water supplies. It went out of use and has been altered into a view point - you actually can get married up there!
Nothing to compare with the Scottish Stevensons’ lighthouses (right), however. It is beautiful. It is located between the villages of Boertlingen and Breech - surrounded by  fields and forests.