Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.
A lake with clear blue water within a forest – that is the main spring of river Rhume close to the village Rhumspringe. In many other cases people have framed the source of a river, but here it is untouched: there is just a swimming pontoon for better views and some tables for a picnic. It is said to be the third-largest spring in Germany and one of the most productive Karst springs (with up to 5,000 liter per second).
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A massive staircase in the forest close to Scharzfeld easily shows that something big was once standing here. It is leading onto a 20 meters high dolomite rock which was the location of the Burg Scharzfeld from the 10th century CE. There is not much left of the once massive fortification – just some remains of walls, arches and gates; but you can have an amazing view from up there. The staircase is in such good shape is king George V (the last king of Hannover) had it restored in 1856 and today it looks a bit alien in this landscape.
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Are you in the mood to search for unicorns? Then the Einhornhöhle near Scharzfeld might be the perfect destination for you. Researchers have come here for a very long time as the 700 meters long cave is filled to large extent with sediment that contains the bones of extinct animals like mammoths, cave bears and cave lions. In 1672 the physicist Otto von Guericke reported that he had found a unicorn there which motivated the famous mathematician Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz to get there and to construct a unicorn from bones. It were in facht mammoth bones, but his reconstruction is now the logo of the cave and the name ‘unicorn cave‘ attracts a lot of visitors.
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For many people they are key reasons to travel to the Canadian Rocky Mountains: Lake Louise and Moraine Lake are two of the most iconic and breathtaking destinations in Banff National Park, drawing visitors from around the world with their turquoise waters, dramatic mountain backdrops, and pristine alpine settings. Lake Louise, known as the ‘Jewel of the Rockies‘, is famous for its stunning color, which comes from glacial silt, as well as for the luxurious Fairmont Château Lake Louise that sits along its shoreline.
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Johnson Lake is part of the Banff National Park and a serene and scenic spot known for its calm waters, sandy shoreline, and breathtaking mountain views. Just a short drive from Banff townsite, this picturesque lake offers a more tranquil alternative to the busier nearby lakes, making it a perfect destination for swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking, and picnicking in the summer. Probably that is also the reason why you can spot many locals here on weekends doing BBQs and sports.
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The Banff Gondola offers a breathtaking ride to the summit of Sulphur Mountain, providing panoramic views of the Canadian Rockies, the town of Banff, and the Bow Valley. The gondola ascends 698 meters in just eight minutes, reaching a final elevation of 2,281 meters. At the summit, visitors can explore a series of boardwalks and viewing platforms, take in the stunning scenery, and visit the Sulphur Mountain Cosmic Ray Station, a National Historic Site.
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Turquoise ice-cold water forming a lake between forests and mountains of the Banff National Park, that’s Peyto Lake – maybe the most beautiful lake I’ve ever seen. It is fed by the glaciers surrounding it and its color is special because of fine rock particles (‘glacial flour’) that are carried into the lake. It is named after trapper Bill Peyto who was active in this region in the 19th century.
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The Icefields Parkway leading through the Canadian Rocky Mountains fulfills everything that the name promises. Between high mountains you can find six main glaciers like the Athabasca glacier all belonging to the Columbia Icefield. And while we had a heatwave with 41 degrees Celsius the temperature there dropped to 16 degrees. Due to global warming it has retracted continuously and lost about half of its mass. Along the way to the glacier tongue you can see how far it reached until which year.
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The Jasper SkyTram is the highest and longest aerial tramway in Canada, offering visitors breathtaking panoramic views of Jasper National Park from the summit of Whistlers Mountain. The tram ascends to an elevation of 2,263 meters, where visitors can step out onto a scenic boardwalk or hike to the true summit for 360-degree views of the surrounding mountain ranges, glacial valleys, and pristine lakes. The cabins of the tram are rather narrow, the entire system was build in the German city of Saarbrücken.
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Just 55 kilometers south of Jasper and directly next to the Icefields Parkway you can find the Athabasca Falls – a breathtaking natural spectacle that captivates visitors with its raw power and stunning beauty. It only has a height of 24 meters, but the waterfalls has cut deep into the rocks at the Canadian Rocky Mountains and can become truly powerful throughout the year.
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