A Sunday Hike.

A few weeks back I was traveling (again) for work. This time I was staying in Germany however. The location was a little village tucked away in the Bavarian Alps called Oberammergau.

This town is famous for two things. It is the home of the Bavarian Woodcarving School (dozens of woodcarvers have shops in town) and the Passion Play. This play has been conducted every ten years since 1634 as a vow of the town inhabitants to God for sparing the village from the bubonic plague.

My drive from Stuttgart took a little over two hours, primarily because most of the way there is no maximum speed limit on the autobahn.

(Click on the photos to see them larger...)

100mph seems fast, but there were still folks that passed me like I was standing still

Along the way, while traveling on a windy road through the mountains, I happened to pass a beautiful alpine lake.

 

 
The village is very quaint and the architecture is very typical of the region with a great many buildings exhibiting trompe l'eoil (3d painting) on the exterior walls.

I wish I had taken better shots...

An example of the woodcarving common to the area.

One thing that was noticeable throughout the town was a small mountain named Kofel. At the peak was a cross and in the mid-day sun I could see some people up on the summit.

The view from my room window.

 I found out from the Gausthaus proprietor that there was indeed a trail up to the top. He kindly gave me directions and I decided that should the weather cooperate, I would hike up to the top on Sunday.

Morning came and the weather was clear and crisp. I prepared myself with ample amounts of water and a small brotchen with meat and cheese and then headed out for my hike.

The trail was pleasant on the eyes, but not on the legs. A series of steep switchbacks that traversed the grade up the mountain. The trail is very popular and throughout the day I passed (and was passed) by many.

 

 

 Occasionally I would look up toward the peak to see what progress I had made. Too often it appeared I had a very long way to go still.

 

Thankfully there were places to rest my weary bones along the way. 

Look close for the hiker on the trail...

Finally the trail through the woods ended and before me stood the final leg of the journey. A mountain goat trail with a steel cable secured to the rock. From here on out would be a scramble up the final three hundred feet of the mountain.

 

 

At last I achieved the summit. I scanned the horizon in all directions, the views were spectacular and the cold breeze was a welcome relief.

 

But the real object of the climb was to stand at the foot of the cross and even though the sculptor chose to capture Jesus at the moment of His sacrifice, We all know that He came down from the cross and rose in triumph over the grave.

The hike back down the mountain was pleasant and much faster than going up. A half hour later I was again at the base of the mountain heading back into town and toward my lodging.

It was still before noon and I had already had  great day.

~Andrew~