Water tree trail (Wasserbaum-Weg)

On Monday the cloud cover just didn't want to lift, but since I was already there, I still went for a nice walk up to the Ith ridge (just without visibility), You have 3 parking spaces to choose from along the route: 1. in Ockensen near the cemetery, large and easily accessible, I started running from there (even if the track starts at a different location/parking lot 2) 2. above the water tree at the edge of the forest, where the steep climb to the ridge path begins (quite small) 3. in Harkenrode (only 2 parking spaces) In Ockensen you can stop off at the barn café at the cider factory from Thursday to Sunday; on Monday there was no place for me to stop. The climb up to the Ith ridge is demanding and really steep at the end; if the ground is slippery you have no chance without poles. Once at the top, you are usually rewarded with wonderful views on many cliffs, but not so on Monday. The atmosphere was slightly mystical and I had the great ridge trail all to myself. The highlights are always the rock formations, like the “Hammerslust” and the path like that. A constant slight up and down and being careful where you step. Then a ray of hope in the fog: an area with blooming March cups! I had to climb over or walk around many trees along the way. Since it is a nature reserve, you have to accept this, but it prevents MTB riders from sending you into the bushes along the paths. The descent towards the Harkenrode car park is much more pleasant than the climb. At some point you turn left towards the Wasserbaum, the other highlight of this round. A resourceful sawmiller who had his business below the water tree had ponds up there that he used to power his sawmill. In order not to always have to run up to the ponds to check the water level, he had the idea of placing an overflow valve there that would let water gush out to show him when the water level was sufficient. This is the “water tree”. I'll link a short video about the water tree here tomorrow; you can share in my joy with the Märzenbecher below.

Midsummer, 19 degrees, sun, Weserbergland idyll, no traffic noise: it was beautiful. Occasionally there was no path where the Weserbergland app wanted to send us and once we missed the turnoff. In some places the path leads through tall nettles. You should be sure-footed on the sometimes steep paths.

A tough climb right at the start with a gradient of around 25 percent, which really got my circulation going, a ridge path partly overgrown with nettles, which cost me a lot of nerves, beautiful views of the valley that made my heart happy, and a tree bubbling out of water - yes, that probably sums up the hike quite well. 😄 A small recommendation from me: If you are out and about in the Ith in the summer months, you should definitely cool off a little in the beautiful Bruchsee (Duingen) after your hike - if the temperatures allow it, of course. ☺️

Today we went steeply up from Ockensen onto the Ith ridge. In the best hiking weather, we went along the edge of the forest with great views, through wild garlic meadows up to the ridge. In the forest, there were then only narrow paths before we came back to the meadows and fields. A stop with great cake at Hofcafe Ockensen, as always, very good.