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.

Day 4, Riefensbeek to Altenau, 5.5 miles

This was an easy walk; there was no one about and although we had to travel a bit on the road into Altenau there was little traffic. We also walked through some lovely woods with more wildflowers such as foxgloves and the ubiquitous rosebay willowherb though this was not so abundant as on the more open, arable land. We stopped for a while and watched fritillaries on clumps of a fairly tall yellow flower. This may have been yellow gentian or, perhaps, arnica (same thing?) and was all over the place. In Sankt Andreasberg later there was an Arnikastrasse so I think it is, or has been, important to the area.

We treated ourselves to a proper lunch in the garden at Sperberhaier Dammhaus which is right on the road to Altenau and useful for people walking the Hexensteig. We were considering this but later decided against as we didn't think Angelo would go for it.

Arriving in Altenau we stopped at the first likely-looking place and sat outside for a beer, tieing up Angelo nearby and giving him some carrots. He was fairly good but did bray at one point which we tried to ignore. As we set off again a young boy (Fabian?) turned up and said his mother worked at the place we were booked into, Landhaus am Kunstberg, and he would guide us there. Two of his friends on bikes arrived too so we were quite a little group. Angelo refused point blank to go up the step and through the alleyway to the back where there was plenty of grass so instead he stayed in the garden next door. One of the children thought it was 'cool' having a donkey for the night and during dinner we could hear Angelo's new fan club talking to him. The family here was incredibly kind and helpful and didn't seem to mind the bare patch left in their lawn after being nibbled all night.

Day 3, Osterode to Riefensbeek, 9.5 miles - it felt like much more

We got away by 10 am which was to be the usual time, sometimes earlier. I asked if Angelo had brayed and Frau Linnemann told us that indeed he had, late at night, bringing round the neighbours to complain. They thought it was the children with a trumpet but on being introduced to Angelo were delighted with him and said no more about the noise. All the family turned up to give us a good send off. The weather was still very good and lots of people stopped to chat.

The first part of the walk was through the forests above the Soesestausee. We passed a beautifully-situated campsite so stopped for a coffee. In front of the caff was a buddleia which lived up to its name with red admirals, fritillaries and cabbage whites flying around.

We also learned something of Angelo's dislikes. Small wooden bridges being one of them. We had just been talking to a man, Herr Linke, in an electric wheelchair who had been buzzing about and said we should be in Riefensbeek in no time. When we were almost in view of the rooftops we came across a small wooden bridge at which Angelo absolutely refused to budge. We tried everything, love, hate, bribery, threats. We also found out later, rather embarrassingly, that a man who had jogged near us during the pantomime was a friend of Barbara's who had phoned her to describe me on the other side of the bridge holding tempting handfuls of grass out and Jack trying to push the beast. All to no avail. We had to turn back and go down to the main road and come in that way. It wasn't the first time we had had to turn back that day as Angelo had also refused the narrowest concrete drainage runnel across a path you ever saw as well as a tiny brook which is why the walk was longer than expected. Herr Linke found us on the road as he had been concerned when we didn't turn up so came looking.

We finally got to Landhaus Meyer and a lovely welcome with lots of help from the Meyer grandson. Also some very welcome beer as we waited for a friend of Barbara's to turn up to show Jack Angelo's quarters up the road in Kamschlacken. Herr Linke came and stayed for a drink and a chat. He told us he had been a woodsman until nine years ago when he had fallen at home and become paralysed from the neck down. It made us particularly careful in the showers in all the places we stayed as often they necessitated a bit of an awkward high step up and into the tray which was rarely non-slip. I always put a small towel down for security.

The evening was warm enough to eat on the terrace and our delicious dinner was venison for Jack and wild boar for me. There were never many puds offered in Germany, usually you can have anything you like so long as it is ice-cream, but I had something called rote gruetze (a kind of red fruit compote) with ice-cream which was extremely good and which I plan to try. It seems that we were lucky enough to hit on a place with a reputation for good food.

Day 2, Schwiegershausen to Osterode, about 7 miles

We walked, via Feldbrunnen, on side-roads through very quiet open countryside and hardly saw a car or person. In fact we saw more horses than people. Several times groups of horses would see us and come galloping down to the fence and then go along the fence with us as we walked. Angelo wasn't interested but the horses seemed curious. The day was hot and sunny so it was all very pleasant.

The only time during the entire walk that I felt a frisson of embarrassment was when we arrived in the centre of Osterode which as it was a Saturday was filled with people just sitting about in caffs watching the world go by. We became the focus of attention as people wanted to stroke him (yes) or ride him (definitely no). Some children were obviously longing to touch Angelo but in the end were too fearful and others had no inhibitions at all, showering him with embraces as though he didn't have large teeth and hooves to kick with. We came through that way as Jack wanted to show me the statue of a man with a donkey who had brought salt to Osterode long ago and is part of local history.

Jack had booked for him to stay at the local youth hostel as they had space for Angelo, and me to stay in a hotel. When we got to the hostel a man, Herr Linnemann, appeared and said the arrangements had changed and Angelo was now staying with them. After some clarification it turned out that the family had read the story in the local paper, rung Barbara, and offered their garden for Angelo for the night. Jack was a bit relieved as it meant that he could now stay in the hotel too as the hostel had forty Polish children staying there. No doubt lovely children too, but ...

When we got to their house we were offered delish coffee and kuchen with sahne and then beer which was all most welcome. Friends of theirs arrived too and someone turned up with hay. A reporter arrived from Der Eseltreiber who took pics and asked what we were doing - story dated 23.08. and titled 'Mit dem Esel durch den Harz'.

Once Angelo was settled inside his fence we were given a lift to our Hotel-Pension Boergener which was labyrinthine but very comfortable. Coming back from dinner in the stadtmitte we managed to get lost in the dark, no one around, but eventually got back on track again.

Day 1, Wulften to Schwiegershausen, an easy 5.5 miles or so

Angelo doing what Angelo likes best

Angelo's load was packed under Barbara's close supervision and instruction and Jack got a final recap on hoof maintenance. Definitely a job for a chap. As the load contained the electric fence for Angelo, with battery, there wasn't much room left for our stuff. Then we set off down the hill not quite knowing what to expect. Before getting on to a bicycle path we had to go two hundred yards along a fairly busy road - me in front with flag and Jack some twenty yards behind with Angelo. Walking into traffic is very scary but throughout our walk all the cars behaved well and the trucks particularly gave us a wide berth when possible. During the whole time only two nitwit drivers gave lots of toots as they passed which made us nervous but left Angelo unimpressed.

Thankfully we got safely on the path which was lined with great numbers of wildflowers: meadow sweet, thistles, bull rushes round a pond, golden rod, rosebay willowherb, a small blue thing, a long purple spike thing, ragwort and plenty of clover which we discovered Angelo likes best. He kept plunging his head in the clumps of birdsfoot trefoil too which also was plentiful.

Not many people came along the path although two of them said they had read about us in the papers and stopped for a chat. Lunch was what was to become our usual: beer, cheese, salami, tomatoes and rolls. And very nice too. I offered a cherry tomato to Angelo but he spat it out again. Later Angelo managed to get a stone in his hoof which Jack actually got out OK. Where's a boy scout when you need one?

Barbara met us in Schwiegershausen as she had decided that it was easier to take Angelo back to his stable rather than leave him with us the first night. The B&B was excellent and the house, whilst seeming quite small on the outside, was, like the one in Hoergen, like a tardis. All the houses seemed to be like this. The people were enormously welcoming and everyone as usual made a fuss of Angelo although we had to say no to a bun for him. We found a nice meal in a local place and felt our first day had been rather a success and the whole enterprise was going to be a doddle.

Getting there, 14th August

Back of B&B in Hoerden

Considering the number of changes to get from New Southgate to Wulften via Stansted and Leipzig - train, tube, train, plane, bus, train, train, train - it was remarkably trouble-free. The only point of tension being getting to New Southgate station with only one and a half minutes to spare.

Leipzig Hauptbahnhof is a large shopping centre with trains that happen to be attached. A nice new express took me to Halle from where I got a double-decker train so just had to lug my rucksack upstairs. It was like travelling in an attic as the sides slope sharply in and you have to watch your head. From Halle there were an enormous number of allotments by the rail side and many had small wooden buildings on them which were far superior to the usual English ramshackle shed. I think people use them for weekend accommodation and the allotments were not just packed with rows of vegetables and fruit but had play areas, barbecues and so on.

Drifts of rosebay willowherb also lined the track. One drift would still be very purple and next to it would be all white, fluffy seed heads. You would think they would all mature at the same time. There were also many clumps of what looked like golden rod so the view was quite colourful. The countryside was open and undulating until after Nordhausen (another change) as the train neared the mountains and forest.

Jack met me at Wulften but so that I actually could get into the car he had to take several longbows out first and then put them back in round me. As you do. We then went to meet Frau Barbara Kuppers, Angelo's owner who runs and owns the Ponyhof in Wulften then went on to Hoerden where we had B&B with Frau Minde. Her house has more solar panels on it than I have ever seen and a nice summer house where we had dinner.

Eine wundebare Urlaubsreise im Harz

Jack, Angelo and Barbara (Angelo's owner)
Photo from HarzKurier

I got back on Friday after a great holiday with Jack and, of course, Angelo. It wasn't possible to update the blog at the time so I'll do a summary now and post the diary afterwards.

First, the weather We were not too hopeful but in fact it was good throughout apart from some rain after the first week. We were very lucky.

Then, Angelo Neither of us knew a thing about donkeys apart from riding them at the seaside (and the one that bit Gael in Blackpool) but with Jack's pre-walk training and Barbara's support we had very little difficulty. The first couple of days Angelo refused cute wooden bridges, pretty (and very small) babbling brooks, narrow drainage runnels across paths and, above all, steps. However, after Barbara had shown us how to cajole him we had no further problems although we gave steps a miss. Another thing we learnt about was donkey braying. It's extremely loud and ends in a few snorts which have an unfortunately damp effect on the surrounding area but you only get caught in a donkey snot shower once I can assure you. It gave rise to lots of terrible Jack jokes along the lines of 'snot fair'. Angelo also had a tendency to tread on feet if you were not careful and many the time did the mountains ring to the sound of Jack's howls. I was OK as the boots I got for NZ have very strong toe-caps.

And then, the people I spoke to more people in that fortnight than in the past year. Everyone loves a donkey and many had read about us in the local paper and stopped to admire and pet Angelo. Kisses on the nose he took as his due. Most evenings saw him regally ignoring a fan club although he would condescend to notice if anyone had an apple or carrot. It helped a lot, of course, that Jack speaks such good German. I was able to chip in occasionally but tended to only get the gist of anything which, combined with my usual hearing mistakes could lead to a bit of confusion and blank looks. Everyone was very nice and chatty, interested in what we were doing and enormously helpful. All the places we stayed in whether B&B or small hotel were helpful and welcoming although the Germans don't seem to read in bed any more than the French do so bedside lights were mostly useless.

Finally, the route Jack had worked hard to figure out a circular route from Wulften, booking into local B&Bs, small hotels and suchlike which were happy to have a donkey in their garden. Only one tourist information person began to crack up ringing a hotel and asking for 'two single rooms and a meadow'. We used roads, side-roads, bicycle paths, footpaths and so-called marked paths across country. The last gave us a few problems as maps and way-marking didn't always seem to coincide or be very clear. Angelo was surprisingly happy in traffic although I was a touch terrified at first as I was the idiot who had to walk in front, into on-coming traffic, holding a very bright flag. It is not something I am used to and although Angelo didn't blink when large trucks hurtled past I certainly did. Fortunately most roads were very quiet and there was often a verge we could use.

All in all we had lots of fun and were so glad that we tried our Walk with a Donkey.