The Schönbuch

Behind our town, there is a large forested park that we've mentioned in some earlier posts, called the Schönbuch. We can be in that forest in less than five minutes from our house. There are scores of biking, hiking and walking trails that crisscross the park. We often take Gizmo for a walk along a path that's between our town and the forest.  It winds along the edge of a shallow valley just before the start of the park where a small creek runs through it.  

While walking along that path, we've seen foxes, hedgehogs, hawks, woodpeckers, colorful song birds, goats, apple trees, plumb trees, name-your-berry trees/bushes, as well as wildflowers we've never seen before.  We've maybe explored 5% of the park, so we have our work cut out for us.  

The picture immediately below shows Lori walking her bike up the opposite side of the valley with our town in the background.  The hill was much steeper than the picture depicts.  We were on our way to a biergarten, one of several that are in the Schönbuch.  People walk, hike, ride their bikes and drive to this biergarten.  The second picture shows us eating at the place and enjoying some nice beer.  It's a pretty big seating area, all shaded and deep within the woods.  It's a very family friendly place, complete with a big playground even.  So, German families come there and spend their afternoon eating cheaply and drinking good beer.

 

Lori's eating curry wurst.

 

The path near our home; early morning.

The valley with the the Schonbuch just beyond

Just after sunrise

The last part of most of our walks: steep stairs up the hill behind our house

The south side (opposite end from us) of the Schonbuch.  Sitting at a converted castle enjoying drinks

Took with my Iphone.  Random patch of sunflowers

Stairs into the valley

Wildflowers with our town in the background

Red Slug (Arion rufus)

More wildflowers.  The creek is behind the trees on the right

Beautiful flowering tree