Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.
The Naturpark Habichtswald close to Kassel, Germany offers numerous nice hiking trails. One of the best leads along the river Ahne – beginning at its source near the Essigberg. Following this trail you will pass a three kilometers long chestnut alley (the ‘Kastanienallee‘), you can make a detour to the Silbersee lake and you will see the Ahnegraben; an area where the river floats through a deep valley and creates little waterfalls.
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From the year 1880 to the year 1936 basalt was gathered at a quarry named ‘Igelsburg‘ (after a former wooden castle close-by) in the Habichtswald near Kassel, Germany. It existed there because of volcanic activity millions of years ago. Basalt was in the past used for buildings like the Herkules monument or the Löwenburg castle – but it is an imperfect material that deteriorates fast. As there was no need for the quarry anymore the area filled with water and a new lake was created: the Silbersee (‘silver lake’).
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It is the largest castle ruin of northern Hesse and you can’t overlook it because it is located on the 492 meters high Weidelsberg mountain: the Weidelsburg at Wolfhagen, Germany. It has been built somewhen around the year 1111 CE and was important because of its strategic location between the landgraviate of Hesse, the electorate of Mainz and the principality of Waldeck. From the 16th century on it was not used anymore and became a ruin.
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South of Kassel at a town called Fuldabrück, Germany you can find a nice restaurant next to river Fulda – the Fährmann (ferryman). Since the summer of 2018 it has new owners and a new fresh concept, therefore it was time for a visit. They have a guest room on two levels, a wonderful outdoor terrace and in summer they also serve the cyclists and hikers passing by along the river from a bar (called ‘Fullebude‘) outside. It’s now a very modern yet cozy place and worth a visit.
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The horrors of World War I seem far away and are overshadowed by the successor of this war. Between 1914 and 1918 around 17 million people lost their lifes. Even if this feels far away in time sometimes it’s pretty close in space: at the city quarter Niederzwehren of Kassel, Germany you can find two large cemeteries for soldiers of World War I – one for the British, one for the Russians. It is quite far away from civilization but you might spot it from the motorways A44 and A49.
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If you’re a fan of comic art or just want to kill an hour of time waiting for your train at the Kulturbahnhof at Kassel, Germany, the Caricatura – Galerie für Komische Kunst is the right choice. It is an exhibition space founded in 1984 and maintained by a private association. They present two to five changing exhibitions of comic art every year.
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Kassel, Germany was always a birthplace for new technologies – especially when they could be used to increase mobility. The biggest name for sure is Henschel, a company that built locomotives, lorries, busses, but also tanks, planes and rockets. They were also involved in building the Transrapid magnetic monorail. Another company was Wegmann, producing railway waggons. Still today Bombardier is producing locomotives at Kassel. A good reason for a technology museum with a focus on mobility.
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Close to the city quarter Harleshausen of Kassel, Germany you can find an artificial lake in an old quarry: the Blauer See (‘blue lake’). It is a nice lake in a wavy forest, but it is especially interesting as the area surrounding it is a special cemetery – for artists whose works are shown at the documenta art exhibition. A round course leads you to the graves and future graves of the artists. The graves are designed and created while the owners are still living. Everybody participating in this collective artwork agrees on being buried there later.
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When you’re at the upper end of the Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe at Kassel, Germany you might see a sign directing you to Elfbuchen – a popular destination for excursions. The Elfbuchen (‘eleven beeches‘) is a 535 meters high mountain spur which forms the border between the city quarters Bad Wilhelmshöhe and Harleshausen. On top you will find a hotel, restaurant and beer garden – the Waldhotel Elfbuchen – and an ancient tower that is unfortunately closed due to necessary repair works.
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The Hohes Gras (‘high grass‘) is a mountain near Kassel, Germany with a height of 614 meters. On top you can find a restaurant with a beer garden – the Waldgaststätte Hohes Gras – and a 30 meters high tower from the year 1888. You can climb up the stairs but most often the trees surrounding the tower don’t allow good views. In summer many people get here because it is a good starting point for hiking.
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