The escape route leads out from the hustle and bustle of the big city early Sunday morning first, once again in the midst of the Chaos: the U-Bahn to the always bursting at the seams place Hamburg main station, from there take the S-Bahn in the direction of the South, in the Harburger mountains. Yes, also in Hamburg, there are mountains. If no high. The Hassel Brack, the highest summit in Hamburg, perched on the proud 116 meters above sea level, is zero. From the S-Bahn station, Neuwied contained, there are still a couple of hundred urban meters to feet, past a couple of men who raise their beer cans encouragingly in greeting. Then the first trees on the edge of the road. The feet of the victims of the mountain is reached. The entrance gate to the Harburger mountains.
How to read the other day, can already reduce 20 minutes in nature to the level of the stress hormone Cortisol. The found researchers at the University of Michigan, the call stay in the Green even as a “nature pill”. With the cortisol levels will decrease or actually increase the risk for a number of diseases, including cardiac and vascular diseases or even depression. Anyone who wants to exploit this positive effect really, completely, recently, to “forest bathing”, which is sort of slowing down in pure culture.
After the “summit cross”: The metropolis behind
The Plan today is, however, not swimming, but walking: The “natural pill” to take and everything for a couple of hours – the job stress of the week, as well as the hustle and bustle of the big city, the conflicts in the family and what else for Stress. Yes, all of the virtually out of the running. In the hope, the almost empty battery and charge again to complete – a mini vacation away and just 30 minutes by train from the city centre.
The Start is promising: The sun, light falls through the tree canopy, the sounds of the street, silent and slow. Actually already after the first steps up the slope to the victims of the mountain climb, the feeling of being at one with nature. The martial Name, incidentally, is the indeed, of human sacrifice, which provided the Germans once their gods. The only vocal wailing is likely to come in the present day, on the next door, landscaped tennis court from the losers. But this is only on the edge.
The author of in the forest is also 30 minutes by train from the city centre, attracts the adventure
After a few meters of a hill is reached, and a signpost with the outgoing wall is because. He seems to be after the first increase in almost like a cross on the summit, when not even 50 metres in height are to be managed. Seasoned mountaineers like no more than a Chuckle from the Hanseatic weekend hikers, it is already a first success experience. The direction of the West, it goes a bit further up, on the semblance of a mountain (a fitting Name, he is also only around 60 metres high). At the top of the seemingly endless views of Hamburg who enjoy the Elbe river and the port again. Then it goes finally into the forest and the metropolis.
An examination of the forest still holds
Yellow arrows on the trees pointing the way and ensure that it is with the Wanderer as weiland in the fairy tale, the unfortunate brother and sister pair with the bread crumbs. So early on a Sunday morning, the forest virtually empty of people, the moist ground, and the smells are still fresh. It is silent. And indeed, The deeper it goes into the thicket, the stronger a sense of relaxed serenity. The transfiguring clichés, which circulate about the Hiking, you agree to actually. The steps are more on the soft ground of spring, the feeling to be really quite “out there”, always. Increasingly, the time is unimportant. The head of the Brooding and empty. The panoramic view is along the ten-Kilometer-long route varied, switches between green-brown forest -, and reddish-sandy Heath. The Sporty does not come to short on the Route over the hills of the Harburger mountains over around 300 meters in altitude have to be mastered.
After a few kilometers away from the visible civilization, the proud and secure feeling of finally, if necessary, anywhere in the world – perhaps a little rashly. Because out of nowhere, an unexpected check appears In a tree two yellow arrows catch the eye suddenly. The show in different directions. Now what? The mobile phone to play? Or the Primal instincts left, with which our ancestors here? The choice falls on number two – unfortunately. After about a quarter of an hour on an increasingly impassable, the increasingly well-trodden path, the orientation is completely gone. Now what? The mobile phone to play?
Where to now? The tree in both directions
The battery is full again and is no longer tapped until Monday
The decision is not taken yet, as the next unforeseen event occurs: One of the older men – the first man this Morning in the forest – crosses the path, with a non-legal, to be classified mongrel dog on a leash. The Team stops and over looks initially a little hesitant. If he could help, then asks the man. The dog remains silent and peering still undecided. Yes, is the answer. Because this tree would have been with the two arrows. And now the feeling to have lost. Well, we need to create here, too, the man laughing. The dog remains silent and peering still undecided. His master can calm down: The right way to go. A few more meters, then a dirt road, then a road had to be crossed first. There, there is even a mountain hut for a break.
After almost three hours of the hike finally ends where it started: At the victim mountain. After the descent and on the way back to the S-Bahn a wistful feeling back on the road, the forest behind and the Stress of the big city to return to. But the aim of the day is reached: The battery is – at least felt – again. For the time being. To not be tapped until the Monday morning directly much again, spent the Rest of the day on the Couch. And next weekend it is then recharged.
Info for Hiking in the Harburg mountains, on the website of the regional Park Rosengarten.
