It takes us about an hour to get up the hill in our backyard, stopping briefly at each station (or longer, especially if Isaac decides that he should fall like Jesus falls).
One Friday, we decided to keep on going up as connected to the forest path and headed to the Russian Hut... we almost made it to the Hut! (Our directions are below). What is the Russian Hut? Well, I still don't know exactly. But it's a destination point that students typically try to find. It'll have to be an adventure for another day!
Inside the gated "house" is the 12th Stations: Jesus Dies on the Cross.
Continuing past the 12th Station, we connected with the forest path. We've used this path before to descend the mountain - it takes you across from the horse stable just up the road in front of our house. But this time we took the path going UP!
There are some lovely views along the way!
We were following Sr. Eliana's directions: Hike up the foreststrasse, a gravel road, across from the horse stable ALL the way UP until it ends. (At one point toward the top, you can go left or right - but you go to the right - because that leads more UP). It takes about 2 hours to hike up. When the road ends, there is a smaller dirt path going up. At a certain point as you're walking on the path, you can see the Russian Hut on top of the mountain, there are somewhat large white rocks that you could climb to get directly to it. But the easier way to get there is keep on following the path. (Maybe about 15 minutes). At the top of that path there will be a small clearing - it's flat here, you've reached the top. If you look to your left in the trees you will see a box with St. Francis painted on the front, inside is a book to sign. Next to that is a small cross on a rock that says Fadenauberg, which looks out over the mountain that you just climbed. Nearby there is also a little memorial for a person from Gaming.) If you are facing the cross on the rock, turn to your left and follow the small path along the ridge. It will take you through a really pretty wooded area and out to a clear-cut section (great views here!). Follow the path across the naked ridge and just as you enter the woods again there will be a small path on the left which leads directly to the hut. Remember to take your own markers!
Unfortunately, we started our Stations of the Cross hike around 3pm that day. So by the time we were near the top of the mountain it was 5pm and the kids were tired. So Brian stopped with the older 3 and I kept going, with Clare in the carrier. We (I) didn't see the cross on the rock and I followed the path too far, heading down the mountain on the other side. When I realized I was going the wrong way, I turned around to head home. When I get back to the top, I saw the cross on the rock and the St. Francis b)ook! However, my phone had 1% battery left, I snapped the two pictures above and then my phone died. I had already texted Brian to go ahead and head down the mountain with the older kids. As it was 5:30pm and the sun was setting (this was right before Day Light Savings, so days were still short) and I didn't know exactly where I was going, I headed back down - without making it to the Russian Hut! But I did see it from the path below and was really close... so we almost made it! It took just over an hour to walk all the way down along the foreststrasse. Arriving home at 6:45pm, my legs were definitely tired!
So grateful for the beauty and adventure that surrounds us!
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