2011-03-11 48 9
| Fri 11 Mar 2011 in 48,9: 48.7840587, 9.3178434 geohashing.info google osm bing/os kml crox |
Contents
Location
At the northern slope of the Kernen mountain. The actual spot belongs to the municipality Kernen im Remstal, which means "Kernen in the Rems valley", and is a bit weird given that it's named after the mountain.
Participants
- Ekorren was there in the afternoon.
Expedition
This location was just too far - when I saw the coordinates, it was clear that I wouldn't even consider going there. A few hours, a few mails and a phone call later, there were unexpected plans: Someone had to go to Stuttgart and pick up some boxes which were too simply urgent to be sent by mail. Well, and that someone was me, since I saw no chance to find someone else.
However, for the day itself there was some time left, so I took another look at the coordinates, and decided I would try to reach them. I expected nasty slopes, but probably also nice views once the mountains were conquered, so it might be worth it.
Took a train to Plochingen, and continued by bike from there, leaving the valley at Oberesslingen and slowly sneaking up to the ridge. The views weren't as nice as I had expected - there was no view on the old city of Esslingen anywhere along the route, and the rest was mostly dense industrial areas. Once up, I found a good way around the Katzenkopf mountain to the Kernen, where the hash was supposed to be. Gravel tracks led me to about 100 m before the hash, the open and - at this point - rather flat forest was easy to navigate even off ways, so it wasn't difficult to find the point.
The map showed me there was a viewtower up on the peak, quite close to the hash and only about 50 more elevation metres. 300m above valley level that promised to be a place worth visiting, so I climbed the peak, and climbed the tower. However - when the tower was built, that forest definitely was made of smaller trees. And being level with the treetops might be a nice feeling, but doesn't give you any view any further than from surface level. With that, the tower is kind of useless...
Continued to Fellbach and from there to Stuttgart, picked up the parcel and took a train home.
So in the end it was a nice bike ride, although a bit demanding because of the slopes, but didn't provide the great views it had promised - well, I know that now, and I probably won't climb that mountain again.
Gallery
Unexpected slowly moving barrier
Less idyllic view on the Neckar valley
A rather uncommon vehicle: Esslingen is one of only three towns in Germany which still use Trolleybuses
Distant view on the Stuttgart television tower
Old border stone
The way ends here. Hash is somewhere in the background
Multi-legged monster attacks!
Coordinates reached
Marker
Kernenturm wannabe viewtower on the mountaintop
Inside
Garbage dump. Trespassing forbidden. It smelled appropriately as well. Better try another route.
Old and mostly disused road
Which way would you take to Esslingen? Left or right?
Black and Blue
Tower of Stuttgart central station
