Blah, another blank page for what seems like an eternity. Writer’s block has struck — and it appears the Hessian town of Waldems might suffer for it.
Really, how can this be? You’d think with six districts, each of them unique in their own way, that something like this wouldn’t happen (again).
Maybe it’s sensory overload? It’s possible, ya know, because there was a whole lot to absorb in just 36 square kilometers. The views of the Feldberg here in the Taunus are exceptional. Who can think clearly when it seems like you can see forever? Perhaps a shorter walk along a hiking trail might help in clearing up scattered thoughts.
No, it might just be best to tackle each hamlet individually instead. Yeah, sounds good, let’s try that… ;-)
Bermbach is one of the most populated of Waldems’ villages, and quite close to the Kastell Alteburg — the old outreaches of the Limes. So, as you’re strolling along the lanes of this village, think about how many Romans were here all those centuries ago.
What’s nice about Esch is how it sits right in the Rhein-Taunus Nature Park. As if the idyllic scenery isn’t enough to keep you happy, you’ll find little streets (like the Kirchgasse) framed beautifully with charming half-timbered houses.
Niederems and Reinborn are together, a blend of villages with everything from a pretty Baroque cemetery church to a tree that’s over a thousand years old. This is also where you’ll find the Meditationsrundweg, a trail that follows the Canticle of the Sun, written by St. Francis of Assisi, who praises God for all of creation.
Reichenbach is one of the oldest of Waldems’ villages, inhabited in what’s called pre-Christian times. Today it’s a place of quaint old buildings, its own village church, and friendly faces on its 500+ residents.
Plan to be in the town of Steinfischbach for a while. It, too, lies within the Rhein-Taunus Nature Park, giving you excellent panoramic views of the Upper Taunus. Charming and graceful would best describe this town of just over 1,200 people — it’s got so many half-timbered buildings, it’s almost hard to keep track.
The Rathaus (Town Hall) might be plastered, but it’s still a framework building at heart from 1781. And out on Camberger Straße is an old Jewish Cemetery that hasn’t been used since before the turn of the last century. Just be sure to leave enough time on the agenda for a trip over the Museum Steinfischbach, a museum of local history from its humble 12th century beginnings.
Wüstems is the place to be if you want to see what’s now called the Ringwall Waldems. Scholars debate the exact age of this long-gone castle (some say the area was originally used by the Celts, other say a castle didn’t come along until the 9th/10th century); what can’t be debated is the area’s protected by the Hessian conservation law — so please tread lightly.
Hmm, it appears by giving you the best of Waldems individually, it really shines as a whole; and the writer’s block is long gone. ;-)
