Last few days

We had decided to do a bit of sightseeing so on the Monday went to Gottingen and had a bimble around this attractive old university city. The next day we went up the Brocken in the steam train that puffs round and up the hill, through the forest. The area is shrouded in fog most of the year and it made no exception for us but it was fun. By the time the train reached the top the forest had petered out and there was little vegetation. It cannot have been a fun posting for the Russian soldiers who were the only people there for years. It was cold and windy but still with a surprising number of people, many of whom had walked up, wandering around and queueing for beer and sausage. Obviously, we joined them and found a sheltered spot for lunch though we still had to hold on to the food. We didn't explore at all as visibility was poor and it was a bit too nippy. Earlier, in the village I had had the most delicious black forest gateau you ever ate. Nothing like the travesty so popular here in the seventies. Another recipe to try.

The next day we visited a falconry near Bad Sachsa and saw a very impressive collection of birds, many of which are used in free-flying demonstrations. In Bad Sachsa itself we had a terrific lunch at the Lindenhof which had one of those menus that would be nice to work systematically through. Another time.

At some point we went to Herzberg and its schloss which had an interesting museum even though, as usual, women obviously didn't exist in the town's past. In the small town itself was an excellent ice-cream caff which we tried and were not disappointed.

The journey home was uneventful although it was the only time in all the years I have flown that my boarding card wasn't checked on leaving the departure lounge or on entering the aircraft. I cannot imagine that this is correct Ryannair procedure but anyway I still arrived safely back in Stansted.

Day 10, Poehlde to Wulften, a bit over 7 miles

In spite of the forecast this was a good day's walk through sometimes spruce woods and sometimes beech. We didn't get lost and the surface of the path was good. There was twice a bit of a palaver when horses came by as although Angelo couldn't care, less the horses made a lot of fuss and the riders eventually had to dismount and lead them past.

Just when we thinking that lunch would be a good idea we stumbled across a hunting hut which looked like something out of Hansel and Gretel. It was just a wooden shelter with benches and a table but beat trying to find a log or something to sit on as the ground really wasn't an option for picnics. Partly because I might not have managed to get up again but also because of the wet. Angelo surprised us here though when he began to eat the hut and had bitten chunks out of it before we stopped him. This is very much hunting territory and occasionally there would be a tower about 8 foot high on which I suppose people sat to look for whatever they were shooting. We also passed a couple of fenced-in areas which seemed to serve no purpose. I trust they weren't for beating the game in so that they would be easier to shoot.

We had a lovely welcome on arrival at the Ponyhof and handed Angelo over as healthy and fit as when he left. It was sad to say goodbye to him as he and the walk had been the focus of our lives for ten days in which we had lived in a completely different time-zone. The only purpose in life had been to walk to the next place and ensure Angelo was OK: no newspapers or television, nothing but fields and forest, and small, pretty villages and towns. And food and beer.

Day 9, Bad Lauterberg to Poehlde, over 10 miles and mostly lost

Angelo getting his morning grooming

This was a long and confused stretch as we went wrong on leaving Bad Lauterberg and consequently walked for longer than intended. We were also late setting off, after 11.30, as the reporter wanted more pics - this time without rain. Apart from a light shower earlier we didn't get any rain until another downpour as we walked into Poehlde.

As we left Bad Lauterberg a voice called from a garden high above the road and a man said he had apples for Angelo and promptly began to throw them down. He then joined us and said he had read about us in the paper and gave us even more apples. About an hour after this we realized we were not on the right road so Jack got out his compass and we took an apparent Wanderweg going west. Later we got directions which we tried to follow and then Jack suddenly plunged down a rough tractor line downhill, round a field, but definitely west. I stumbled along behind hoping that we would be able to get out at the bottom as I certainly couldn't climb back up. Amazingly, just as we finally fell onto an empty tarred road a car came by. Jack quickly flagged it down to ask directions and the people inside had read all about us and even rung Barbara to offer stabling for Angelo if needed.

We decided to give up again on Wanderwegs and follow the road to Poehlde although later we did strike off across country once more and finally reach our destination in pouring rain. The walk had all been through open country and, thank goodness, mostly flat. This time there was lot of what I thought must be giant balsam around and by ditches particularly it grew to 5 or 6 feet. Poppies too appeared as well as plenty of clover and lush grass for Angelo and, strangely, lots of slugs on the tarmac. Perhaps they liked the warm surface as it was a nice day again. Mostly. There were few birds, as usual, but we could hear buzzards mewling around us so there was wildlife about. Some fields had a crop of some kind surrounded by a border of a blue flower which looked like statice but probably wasn't. What purpose this served I don't know. Pest control? Just pretty? Another crop?

As we walked through Poehlde looking for our Gasthof a man joined us and showed us the way to Gasthof Andreas, stopping at his house so that his children could admire Angelo. Again, we seemed to be the only people staying at the Gasthof and only one person looked in at the bar. We had a good meal though and crashed out, as had become usual, soon after 8pm. Jack, very bravely, went out in the rain and found that Angelo had somehow shaken loose his raincoat but as it was too dark and stormy Jack just removed it altogether and left Angelo under a tree.

When Barbara arrived the next morning it seemed she had been worried about us as Wulften had had a terrible hail storm. So bad that Barbara had had to get out the snow shovels to clear the hail stones. We were glad we had cut short the walk as something like that while lost in a North German forest would not have been much fun.

Day 8, St Andreasberg to Bad Lauterberg, nearly 7 miles and completely shattered

Until we reached the outskirts of Bad Lauterberg the walk had been very enjoyable and quiet. More wildflowers including this time some scabious and harebells. Then it rained. An absolute downpour so we sheltered under a tree for the worst of it with Angelo getting more like Eeyore by the minute. Once it let up we set off again as we thought we were close to our hotel. However, Bad Lauterberg, like many of the places we stopped in, is very strung out along the valley floor and it was absolutely ages before we tottered into the hotel.

Angelo didn't need his electric fence as he had a closed in, grassy area, at the side of the hotel which also had a shelter. We sat outside the Hotel Riemann with coffee while a reporter from HarzKurier interviewed us. The owner of the hotel also joined us as well as her daughter. I was a wreck after the rain and long walk; the owner was perfect in pale blue, carefully coiffed and made-up, and pearls. I felt just great when it came to picture time.

They had hoped to have a barbecue that evening and Jack was going to play his smallpipes but as it began to rain again this had to be cancelled although Jack did play a bit. Angelo had a fan club as usual and during dinner a little boy even came in to ask if it was OK to give him carrots. People did always ask which was reassuring since we didn't want him fed all sorts of rubbish.

Because of the weather which seemed rather on the turn we decided to cut out a few planned stops and shorten the walk. We were, after all, doing it for fun, not as a survival test.

Day 7, Oderbrueck to Sankt Andreasberg via Sonnenberg (shut). A long 9.2 miles.

Hmm... I wonder where we could be.

This stretch was longer than usual as we managed to go the long way round Oderteich (oldest reservoir in Germany) and make a false start on a path pointing to Sonnenberg which came to another sign pointing also to Sonnenberg but back the way we had come. Signposting of cross-country paths, or Wanderwegs, is not a strong point here. However, the first part of the walk was particularly pleasant being on forest paths which only occasionally gave a little trouble to Angelo. He doesn't jump over logs across the path. Angelo did surprise us though at going like a lamb over quite a difficult bridge made of rough logs. We had expected to have to turn back when we saw it but mindful of Barbara's instructions to act calm and confident and not to look Angelo in the eyes we simply walked across it and he came too.

By the time we finally found Sonnenberg we were desperate for a drink but were somewhat miffed to find the entire place shut. It only seemed to consist of a few Gasthofs but not one was open so we had to press on.

Because of being unsure about the Wanderwegs we carried on by road which fortunately wasn't too busy. It was on this road that we had our only really unpleasant experience. Some workmen were putting in metal side barriers and their truck made the roadway single carriage only. They were using a pile driver thingy to put in posts. Very, very noisy. Even though they saw us coming and stopped the work, just as Jack passed with Angelo - on the wrong side of the road to get round the truck - they started up the pile driver again and Angelo took off. I don't know how Jack hung on to him and I was too far away to help. We don't know whether the workman was malicious or just stupid but if there had been any oncoming traffic it could have been the end of our walk. We got Angelo's head into some nice grass while we all recovered although I think Jack and I took a lot longer than Angelo did. There were lovely views on the walk though and plenty of clover for Angelo.

By the time we got to Sankt Andreasberg we were pretty shattered and ready for a beer although, as usual we first had to get Angelo unpacked and settled. An arrow pointed to the town centre as being 2 min away but I think they meant to say 2 miles. And all steeply downhill. And also steeply uphill. I read that St Andreasberg is the highest town in Germany and has the steepest main street. It had been very much a mining town and tourism centres on this with a silver mine and mining museum.

We found a money machine (which decided us to get a cab back) and a nice Konditorei for a drink. There was a couple there with a baby who blew raspberries all the time. I am not sure whether it was an early comment on Life or whether she just liked the noise but it made for an unusual background to conversation. The day was topped off with a good meal in an unusual restaurant in an old chapel (Zur Kleinen Kapelle) - trout for Jack and schnitzel with mushrooms for me. The waiter called a cab for us which had to come from Braunlage but by this time we didn't care how far it had to come.

Day 6, Torfhaus to Gasthof Oderbrueck, only a couple of miles

We had decided to have a relaxed day and not walk very far. This was lucky as after a leisurely start and the short walk it began to rain for the first time although I already had on my anorak as it was quite cold in Torfhaus. We were also glad it wasn't far as the road went to Bad Harzburg so was quite busy.

We had lunch of schmoerswurst which Jack likes but I found it too salty. Most food is quite salty here and you get such big portions. Too much for me. We went for a walk without Angelo and got caught in more rain. In the evening I had shredded pork with bratkartoffeln and sauerkraut. Very tasty but I could eat hardly more than half. The amount of meat eaten in Germany must be phenomenal.

We were the only people staying at the place and the staff didn't live in. However, both Jack and I had heard footsteps during the night so are not quite sure whether the place was as empty as it was supposed to be.

Angelo had a fenced off bit of long and lush grass at the side of the Gasthof. He had so much to eat it's a wonder he could move in the morning especially as the chap at the hotel had taken him some carrots too.

Day 5, Altenau to Torfhaus, 6 miles and Up all the way

View from the Gasthof

Uneventful walk along quiet road. We climbed 400 metres in 8 km so it was quite a haul but not to worry, have inhaler, will travel. The road climbed up through forest which gradually petered out, trees getting shorter and scrubby. It also got a bit colder. We stayed in the Torfhaushuette which is advertised as the highest Gasthof in northern Germany. It was basic but comfortable and my room was a bit like Heidi's must have been: all wood and red gingham. Across the road was an extremely lively and very large barn-type restaurant providing the most delicious hot chocolate. They even had a fire, imitation, but nice all the same.

From Torfhaus many people make the walk up the Brocken which is the hill in the pic above, and which during the Russian occupation was in the militarized area along the border and so was closed for everyone except Russian soldiers. It plays an important part in the legends of the area and is the reputed haunt of witches. The mountain can be seen from all around and 'Brocken Blick' became something of a joke between Jack and I. We had even considered walking up it ourselves but thought better of it. Angelo would certainly have put his four feet down at the suggestion.

Angelo was on grass at the side of the Gasthof. Barbara set up his electric fence as by now it was decided that she would give us daily support because Angelo could not carry everything. This helped enormously since it meant she could check his hooves properly and we didn't have to carry anything except lunch and wet weather gear. She also showed us how to persuade Angelo to go where he was disinclined and after that we had no more problems. Angelo brayed more than usual but he was wearing his new raincoat so was OK.