Heading For The Hills

I thought the hat walk might be interesting, and anyway it left Bad Bertrich in a completrly different direction to my most-recent waterfall and Geo walks

It turned out the route at first followed the same path as the castle walk I did on Saturday, including passing a shrine, in which this time candles had been lit

All the walks have had one thing in common - lots of fallen trees

I encountered a problem when, after the hat path separated from the castle route, I came to a fork in the trail and could not find a waymark on either option.

I chose the more substantial trail, but five minutes later, and still with no waymark in sight, I decided I must have chosen wrongly.

However, rather than go back, I thought I might as well continue as the trail was easy enough to follow, and I could return another day to take the 'official' path.

It did not really matter as there was plenty to see (if you like brown tree trunks and green leaves)

Then, just as I was resigned to continuing off-piste, as it were, I came across a hat waymark

I suspect what happened is that at the fork it was possible to take either path, the two joining later.

This had happened on earlier Bad Bertrich walks - I guess the policy is that if both paths will do, don't waymark either.

The difference this time was that the alternate paths diverged for the best part of a kilometre, rather than the hundred or so metres I had been used to.

At times the trees look as if they have been planted to create an avenue

But there are always reminders that erosion plays a big part in shaping the landscape

I saw no carvings along the route, unlike on previous walks, but this gnome was fun, and very appropriate for a walk themed around a hat

Next I spotted a fairy, albeit apparently knocked about a bit in the previous day's mini-storm

I righted her - my good deed for the day

Anyone for tea?

Eventually I emerged above the trees, with a reminder this is hunting country

This 'insect hotel' struck me as somewhat superfluous, although that might have been sour grapes at having forgotten to put on repellent

I avoided spending much time under this tree

Finally, near the end of the walk, which was under eight miles, mostly on ground where it was not necessary to watch your feet, a rare touch of colour that was neither green nor brown