Darn it, there’s a castle here in the town of Ludwigsau — and it isn’t open to the public. Would you believe they won’t let me in?
Oh well, we’ll just have to admire this 15th century castle from the outside; then find something else to do. ;-)
It’s not hard to find something to keep you entertained, as Ludwigsau lies on the Fulda River, right between Bad Hersfeld (to its south) and Rotenburg an der Fulda (to its north); and its sheer size alone (112 square kilometers) means there’s loads of space to spread out over its 13 districts.
You even got a choice if you want to hike or bike this beauty of a town. Ludwigsau falls on the D Route #9, a seriously long distance biking route (1197 km, no less) that runs from the Allgäu up to the North Sea; and hits along the Weser-Romantic Road.
Yeah, sure you can run off to see Kloster Blankenheim in neighboring Bebra, but you’ll miss out on seeing the mountainous countryside in the village of Beenhausen, or to sit with your loved ones in the very family-friendly Town Commons in Biedebach. Besides mountain biking and hiking around Ersrode, you can enjoy the nature reserve area and/or go horseback riding.
Gerterode is good for hiking too — and even better that you’ll be doing it in a village that’s more than a thousand years old. Meckbach is a winner of the Our Village is Beautiful Award; rightfully earned, I might add. And canoeing is added to the list of activities once you’ve reach Mecklar.
Anyone wishing to see a few of Germany’s famous half-timbered houses, have to look no further than the villages of Niederthalhausen or Oberthalhausen. The latter’s got its own medieval church, by the way.
Want to go where there aren’t a whole lot of people? Between you and me, you’ll want to see the village of Hainrode; population 82.
Friedlos, by the way, is where people come to pay their respects to both German and American Airmen who lost their lives in an air battle over the town in 1944. Interestingly enough, the name of this hamlet translates to “peaceless”…
Folks in these parts know for a (really) good time you got to visit Rohrbach, a village that’s not even 4 square kilometers, for their super huge Village Festival.
Some of Ludwigsau’s bike and hike routes might take you off somewhere else, but I strongly suggest you stick around for a while; even if no one will let you in its castle. ;-)
