On the Fairy Trail and among the treetops in the Hainich National Park in Thuringia
We've ended up in Thuringia for a long weekend. More precisely, it's our first time traveling with our new campervan, and the Hainich National Park has a campsite right next door – reason enough for us to come here. Here, we're greeted by the largest contiguous deciduous forest in Germany, which has even been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011…
We set off on foot from the "Campingplatz am Tor zum Hainich" campsite into the national park. The path initially leads along the Fairy Trail. After a few kilometers, we take another turn, as we want to go to the treetop walkway here in the national park.
On the way there, we walked through a huge forest, whose trees must be 20-30 meters tall. They only occasionally let the sun through, creating fantastic plays of light and shadow on the ground. For photographers, or rather photography enthusiasts, this national park is a treasure trove, as there are an incredible number of subjects to photograph on the ground, in the trees, or in the air. We definitely took twice as long for the hike, as I felt like I had to stop to take a picture of every single plant.
We arrived at the National Park Center after about 1.5 hours (which is also the entrance to the treetop walkway) and were absolutely delighted by the small shop (with two very interesting exhibits). Everything is very charmingly arranged; the shop offers souvenirs, books, and incredibly delicious ice cream for nature lovers of all ages. A big thank you to the visitor center! This is also where you can buy your ticket for the treetop walkway, as well as access the two exhibits.
From here it's only about 400 meters to the entrance of the treetop walkway. And here begins the magic, the little thrill (for those who aren't entirely free of vertigo), and the wonder. You walk among and above the treetops, experiencing the diversity of trees and their seemingly endless expanse. A visit here is always worthwhile!
On our way back, we treated ourselves to some ice cream at the visitor center and were absolutely delighted. Chocolate and pistachio – we hit the jackpot!
