Trees, Treatments and Treetops

Saturday, the 4th of March, was our only full day in Zavelstein. The weather was a mix of sun and clouds, and it was rather cold. We had spa treatments (facials and massages) booked from 11:00 am onwards, which gave us enough time for a walk around the village - this time, not the castle - after breakfast.

view from our room just before 8:00 that morning

into the woods behind the village

The rest of the day was spent at the spa, with a brief stop for a mid-afternoon snack. Resting after each sauna turn was not as easy as the generous rooms would have allowed; there was one notorious group of women non-stop talking loud enough for everyone to hear them, in spite of there being discreet signs asking to keep conversations quiet and at a minimum. But this was only a minor negative point in what was generally a really good and relaxing day. 

Our time slot for dinner was at 7:00 pm, and like the day before, the food was excellent and service as friendly as it was attentive.

We had to check out of our room by 11:00 am on the Sunday (March 5), and enjoyed a luxurious breakfast before loading our bags in the car and driving out of Zavelstein under a cold, grey sky.

Instead of heading straight to Ludwigsburg, we took the scenic route through the Black Forest and stopped at Bad Wildbad, where we knew they had a treetop walk similar to the one we'd been to in 2018 (clicking on the year will take you to my post from back then).

We arrived at the treetop walk after a short walk from the car park, paid our admission fee, and started on the walk.

Most of the time, one walks at about 20 m above the ground, on sturdy boardwalks. Every now and then, these offer short alternative detours where one balances on thick ropes, hops across moving wood blocks or walks across a mesh. There are many information boards along the way, aimed at young visitors but really interesting for everyone.

Many birds and squirrels were about, and one squirrel in particular was so intent on emptying the feeder next to the walk that it was not at all bothered by us.

The most spectacular part was the "tower"; it rose gently to a great height, and it was amazing how much stronger the cold wind blew up there! We did not stay long, as it was really cold and windy, but the views were great.

Unfortunately, the spiral slide in the metal tube is closed until April - otherwise, we would have made our way down very fast!

Looking down inside the "tower"

views from the top in all directions

that's the way we've come

We so would have liked to slide down!

Back on the ground

one last look back at the treetop walk

It was still only about 1:30 pm when we arrived at my place. We did not stop to unpack but went for a walk on the fields, taking in the cemetery with my Dad's and friend R's bird markers, before visiting my Mum who was expecting us for coffees and cake.

Back home, we ordered pizza from a place that has recently changed hands; to be honest, it was not very good, but it was edible, and at least it meant O.K. did not have to start the long drive home on an (almost) empty stomach! He left a little after 8:00 pm, and I settled down for a bit of TV. Our mini break was over, but it had been really good and felt like longer than just a weekend.