Still trudging through snow - and loving the quiet beauty

Again I seem to be in my little weather bubble. Yes, is been cold, at some points VERY cold, but we have been fortunate to have only one element to battle at a time.  After the snow of the first few days we then pushed our way through what were quite deep snow fields - in brilliant sunshine.  So brilliant that Emrys got sunburnt one day.  Another day in an icy wind we still had sunshine that occasionally thawed us out when in the shelter of trees.  Then yesterday we had our first day of drizzle, not much, but enough that we had to wear full rain gear for the day.

Along the way we have passed many hides such as this.  This is the long straight road heading to Freyburg.

 Leaving Freyburg.

We spent the night in a little Pension in Buttelstedt just across the road from this church.

The main street of Eckartsberga

A pilgrim sign in the village of Schwerstedt

The snow was quite deep at times and we were glad to follow the tractor marks.

The sky was criss crossed with vapour trails from the numerous planes flying high above in all directions.

We managed to find this hide, complete with some dry wood to sit upon, for our lunch spot on this sunny day.

These trees had a crop of mistletoe.

Snow as far as we could see.

In the distance you can see the Church spire.  We sat there and had lunch on the porch steps.

A couple of nights ago we were talking about how pilgrims of old would have taken the easiest, most direct route.  They would not have been interested in meandering around the countryside looking at views or historic sights, other than important churches.  Having given this piece of wisdom what did Emrys then do?  We went on a detour, a long one, ending in Weimar, instead of Erfurt.

Our detour took us up hill through the forest past Buchenwald, a concentration camp which, after liberation, became a Soviet Special Camp.  A beautiful setting, but a very horrific and sobering site, especially nestled in the thick snow!  How all must have suffered! 

Fence posts marking the boundary of the concentration camp.  A stark reminder of its former use.

Walking through the trees to Buchenwald we saw another forest.  A metal one - poles with a number.  These were to mark the graves of those who died when the Soviets used this camp post WW2.

The view from Buchenwald stretched across the snow into the distance belying the horror of the place.

Trudging uphill to Buchenwald.

The memorial bell tower at Buchenwald.

After visiting the memorial, a gigantic bell tower, we decided that the best way to get back on the path was to catch a bus to Weimar and from there the train to Erfurt.  I think Emrys did this deliberately as a couple of days ago he mentioned that it was a pity not to see Weimar when we were so close!  We had a wander around Weimar, once the cultural hub of Germany.  Both Goethe and Schiller lived here as did Liszt and, except for Johann Sebastian,  most of the Bach family. Weimar was mercifully spared wholesale destruction in the 2nd world war.  Thus far Weimar is the only city to have working fountains.  Every other town, including Erfurt, we have been in has had the fountains drained to minimise potential damage caused by frozen pipes.

A statue of Goethe and Schiller in Weimar.

Here in Erfurt there are strong links with Martin Luther who lived,  studied, and preached here.  It is also the birthplace of Pachabel (of "Canon" fame).  The buildings here are beautiful, and there has been even less destruction and so many are very old.

The organ in St Severity church, Erfurt. 

St. Mary Cathedral, Erfurt.