On the primeval forest path at the Edersee

Primeaval forest path at the Edersee, January 2018, 11.-14.
(by Christa)

It was time again for a shared adventure. My wish was to walk the primeval forest path at the Edersee. There are lots of water, ancient forests and mountains – in the Kellerwald-Edersee National Park.

Where else in Germany can you find wilderness and forests that are left to themself and constantly change, just the way nature is shaping itself?

I could not wait to get into the “primeval forest”, and on the first day our hike took us right into the middle of it. From our guesthouse in Waldeck we climbed up a hill, the Ziegenberg. Here were ancient beeches and gnarly, partly half-dead oaks, so fused that they resembled strange figures. From some looked mysterious faces that seemed to be watching us. Fallen trees repeatedly blocked our way and forced us to climb or crawl through.

After a good hour we reached the two observation cockpits, from which we had a wonderful view of the Edersee with all its bulges and on the dam. On the way back it was dark enough to watch the lights installed on the dam that change colors from yellow – red – blue – green to purple. The darker it is, the more beautiful the glow.

And then we stood in front of a rockface, cavernous and dark. I sensed the changed energy and knew this was the home of nature beings. I had to stay still, as if the beings were holding on to me, and Michael, too, was banished. We listened to the sounds – was it just the wind ??

In the moment we had left the place, the mood changed, the mystery was gone, the forest also became lighter and more open. It was dark now and time to head home quickly. On the last part of the way we did not see the mud anymore, just felt it under our shoes.

2. Day

Our next trip followed the Ringelberg route in one of the oldest parts of the beech forest at the Edersee. Michael, who otherwise has a quick step, that I sometimes have trouble keeping up with, stayed far behind, fascinated by the unusually intricate tree shapes, the steep mountain slopes and gorges. Everything wanted to be noticed and photographed.

The way was advertised with 4 hours hiking time. “Well, we’ll need at least 8 hours today and come back in the dark,” I predicted. “So what?” was Michael’s answer.

At times we walked on narrow paths along the steep slope. Again and again creeks and spring channels crossed our path, and we had the choice to balance over slippery stones or to get really wet feet. I was fascinated by all those little torrents that came down from high above, tumbling over the rocks and stones, turning their movement into music.

Then suddenly a completely different mood. The forest became light, instead of the tall beech thin birch trunks and sometimes a fir in between. Everything weird had disappeared, we felt light and walked faster. Not 8 hours, only 6, but it was nonetheless dark when we got home.

3. Day

Today we took the Hagenstein route. From the National Park Center it went uphill over a large meadow; at the crossroads a big sign: “Apartment” and behind a tree house, which looked rather shaky and very quaint! An alternative??

And already we were in the woods. Again and again our path led past rocks, from whose fissures bizarre trees grew, whose branches entwined and sometimes aspired like question marks in the sky. Here we were able to discover the most gnarled trunks and strangest tree-faces that held us and animated our imagination. In such enchanted areas legends and stories emerge as to who could live here and do mischief !!

Halfway a sign: “Brückengrundsteig – only with sturdy shoes and safe footing to commit.” At first we bypassed it. But when we came to a paved road, I decided to rather walk along the daring bridge base (Brückengrundsteig). So we turned around and were soon on the narrow, rocky, very slippery and steep descent. Here the storm has felled the softwood. As with the game of Mikado, the trunks are criss-crossing the slopes and also the path. It looks wild, nothing is cleared away and this way nature can develop new and freely to it’s own likening.

Back in the National Park Center there was a coffee and lots of information about the park, its forests and the by many hikers visited “Urwaldsteig” (primeval forest path).