Eggeweg

Sign for the "nice toilet"

 After a short connecting stretch I reached the Eggeweg at Obermarsberg and found a very nice surprise: a very nice and clean public toilet. You might be wondering why I am getting so excited about a public toilet but at that point I had already been hiking for more than a week without a chance to wash myself properly except in rivers and lakes. As you cannot use soap there my hair was in an awful state and my scalp was itchy. But this "nette Toilette" which means "nice toilet" gave me the opportunity to wash my hair - and a was very happy hiker afterwards!

Panorama on the Eggeweg

The Eggeweg turned out to be a pleasant hike, too. You mostly walk along some sort of escarpment - although the escarpment is not very high. The respective Eggegebirge must also be one of the smallest mountain ranges in Germany and rises up only to a maximum of 464 metres....

Trying to filter water through a hand towel

Still, I was hiking on the top of a "mountain range" and this brought with it the usual problem: lack of water! One day I had been too optimistic and had not detoured into a village to get water. The map showed several streams and even a spring at the end of the day. But every single stream was totally dry. But things got even worse. When I reached the spring with only half an hour of daylight left all I found was wet and soggy ground. There was even a marker saying this was the source of the stream "Aa" but there was no flowing water. I ended up scooping water out of a puddle which was milky and grey. Not a very appetizing view and therefore I wanted to filter it before using it for drinking and cooking. No problem, I had thought because I had brought several of the grey hand towels you find in toilets. I put the hand towel over my pot and poured the water in - but nothing happened. I had to find out that these hand towels only absorb water but do not work as a filter. Once the tissue is saturated it is almost water proof and does not let any more water through. I ended up cooking with "dirt"water and eating very sandy pasta that evening.

The Hermann monument in the background

I left the Eggeweg hat Detmold at the huge statue of Hermann, the Cherusker. It was a Sunday and the place was brimming with tourists. And I was to have my first sort of rest day of this trip. As Detmold is the seat of the German Youth hostel federation I thought it suitable to stay at the youth hostel there. The place was nearly deserted and I got myself a pleasant, but expensive single room. I was so tired that I ordered pizza from a pizza service - I did not feel like walking any more. Unfortunately it took 2 hours for the pizza to arrive.....
Altogether the Eggeweg which is later turns into Hermannshöhenweg was a very pleasant hike. Nothing to especially go there to hike it, but when you are in the area I can definitely recommend it. Just plan your water resupply carefully!