I don’t know the trigger that irked me when it came to the town of Eslohe in the rustic Sauerland. It’s not the town itself, which is perfectly lovely. It must have been something I read.
Oh yeah, that’s right. It was all the mumbo-jumbo geographical stuff about Eslohe. I don’t know what Einstein thought that’s the way someone gets to know a town.
Sure, it’s located totally within the Homert Nature Park along the Sauerland, and surrounded by a few rivers. But, a town is a living, breathing being. All that stuff is fine and dandy — but it doesn’t show you its soul.
For real, has anyone ever said in the history of traveling, “I need to go to Eslohe because it sits 263 meters above sea level”? No, I don’t think those words have ever been spoken — do you?
People say “I want to go to Eslohe because its Parish Church of St Peter and Paul dates back to the 9th century & gosh-be-darn-it I like medieval history”. Right? Right.
Even if the Middle Ages isn’t for you, there’s still enough here for you to do (and never once utter anything about sea level).
I would say go see the 16th century Obersalwey Castle (that’s considered a National Monument), but its private property. Who cares if you can only see the outside — it’s pretty.
Then there’s the 83km Sauerland Radring, a bike trail that drives or cycles around many half-timbered houses and lots of local flora & fauna. In the area of Steltenberg many fossils have been found. Maybe you’ll get lucky and find one too.
The Steltenberg also has a 17th century chapel with wonderful Baroque paintings in thanks to Heaven for the end of a plague epidemic. See, didn’t I tell you — soul.
On top of it all, Eslohe has its own local history and machinery museum, an old mill, an outdoor swimming pool, miniature golf, bird watching, and, oh, Eslohe is a nationally recognized health-spa town!
Yeah, these are the reasons why people want to come to Eslohe, not because of municipal restructuring.
I know people also come here because of the 3-day festival at the end of June for the Feast of Peter & Paul; and because of its late 14th century Haus Wenne.
This is what gives Eslohe, and hundreds of other German towns just like it, their true character.
