Bad weather at Pentecost? – No problem for the RG Bonn!

A mix of sun, wind, clouds, and the occasional brief shower made for perfect hiking weather. The dense deciduous forest kept us dry — only the planned picnic had to be eaten standing up.

The uphill ride on the old Kasbach Valley railway was the first highlight of the day, followed by lots of “oohs” and “aahs” upon arriving in Kalenborn and heading toward “Little Britain.” This open-air museum, lovingly created by an Englishman after Brexit, offered something for everyone. While the ladies enjoyed posing with Queen Mum or Mr. Bean, the male companions were more drawn to the vintage cars.

The 7 km downhill trail, despite the rainfall in the days before, was easy to manage. With fellow hikers constantly changing places — a charming feature of these group walks — we all got to know each other better. There was plenty of laughter and conversation. The forest animals apparently found us too noisy; apart from a few beetles and lots of slugs, no woodland creatures made an appearance. Some of our international guests were surprised — and impressed — that there were no thieves, dealers, or shady characters in the woods, and that they could feel so safe here. Something we take for granted — it’s worth appreciating!

At the “Alte Brauerei” halfway to Linz, we were warmly welcomed and even got to sit outside in the sunshine. And finally, we did encounter some animals: geese, donkeys, and goats made their presence loudly known as we waited for the Kasbach Valley train to take us back to Linz. The farewell in Beuel was warm and heartfelt, and some are already looking forward to the next hiking adventure.