This weekend there are a number of nice volksmarches to choose from.
We’ve heard that the event in Crailsheim, Germany, is a very good walk. Routes vary from five to 42 kilometers, and the doors open at 5:30 a.m. The start hall is at the Hirtenwiesenhalle at Bürgermeister-Demuth-Allee 2.
Crailsheim is only 30 minutes from Rothenburg ob der Tauber, one of Germany’s most popular tourist towns. If you’ve been to Rothenburg and want to visit another old, walled city, Dinkelsbühl is also nearby and worth a visit.This could be the opportunity you’ve been looking for to combine a volksmarch with some sightseeing.
One of our favorite walks is in Bellevaux, Belgium. This event will be held Saturday and Sunday with routes ranging from six to 25 kilometers. Doors to the Salle de Belva open at 7 a.m. both days.
We all know volksmarching is thirsty business, and Bellevaux has a small brewery that warrants a visit. The Brasserie de Bellevaux has a tasting room that is open every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. For more information, visit www.brasseriedebellevaux.be.
Located in the heart of the Ardennes Forest, Bellevaux is close to Malmedy and the Battle of the Bulge museums in La Gleize, Poteau, and Baugnez. The countryside is beautiful and the museums give an excellent portrayal of the fighting in the Ardennes. If you are in the area, try to visit at least one of these three excellent museums.
Sunday’s walk in Mainz-Gonsenheim will start at 8 a.m. at the Karl-Geib-Haus at Kapellenstrasse 44. This walk is also for IVV credit only.
Consdorf, Luxembourg, is always a nice place to wander through the woods. This walk is in the “Little Switzerland” region of Luxembourg, so expect some hills. The area is also known for unusual rock formations. Doors open at the Centre Culturel for Friday’s six-, 11- and 20-kilometer walks at 6:30 a.m.
loser to the Kaiserslautern Military Community, the event in Clausen is only about 30 kilometers south of Landstuhl. Trails open at 7 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday at the Gräfensteinhalle. This event offers IVV credit only.
We have been receiving fliers for the huge Heidelberg Volksmarch Sept. 8-9. Again this year, the Heidelberg International Wandering Club is offering a beautiful, heavy glass beer mug. The design on the glass is a collection of scenes from around Heidelberg, including the castle and the old bridge. There is also an “Auf Wiedersehen” message from the club, since this is their last volksmarch.
Just like the Stuttgart walk a few weeks ago, the Heidelberg event will need lots of volunteer workers. Now is the time to commit yourself to making this walk a success. For more information, visit the HIWC Web page at www.HIWC.de.
If you are in the Stuttgart area and want to attend the Heidelberg volksmarch, the Stuttgart German-American Wandering Club is renting a bus for the trip. The bus will be going Saturday, September 8, and returning later that evening. Please contact Dal Pettaway at: dalcita@hotmail.com for reservations or more information. But hurry; payment for this trip is due no later than August 23.
Walking in the U.S., part one. A few weeks ago, when we were in the Philadelphia area, we decided to walk one of the permanent IVV trails at Valley Forge National Park. We really like the walk out to the old covered bridge. The start for this route has moved to the newly renovated Washington’s Headquarters parking lot. (After signing in at the park’s visitor’s center, you have to drive to Washington’s Headquarters.)
We tried to beat the heat by starting when the park opened at 9 a.m., but it got hot very quickly. (Later in the day it went up to 101 degrees!) We thought the shaded route by the creek would be a little cooler, but it didn’t work out that way. Due to the heat, we only did the 5-kilometer part of the walk, but that gave us more time to enjoy the park’s visitor’s center and the National Chapel with its book store and gift shop. The newly renovated train station near Washington’s Headquarters was a nice place to rest in the air conditioning before continuing on our way.
We are not sure when we will be back in the Philadelphia area, but we have a lot of fond memories of Valley Forge and hope to walk there again soon. More information on volksmarching in the U.S. can be found at www.AVA.org.
E-mail volksmarch information to two.walkers@yahoo.com. Mail brochures to Bob and Lorraine Huffaker, CMR 460, Box 278, APO AE 09752.
