Autumn has started
Mountain hiking during the Autumn
With all its colorful splendor and stormy nights, the autumn season has clearly started in the Northern Hemisphere. Shoulders in law are starting to complain about lots of golf balls disappearing under piles of orange-yellow leaves and I just have to get out of my door and smell this delicious, boisterous season. Hiking in the mountains can be very good in the autumn season. Especially if you take an autumn walk that stays below the tree line, you will be surprised by beautiful pictures. Red with white mushrooms, brightly colored leaves, mist between the trees and a creamy, paradoxical smell of decay and life. Every year it remains special how the seasons alternate in all their beauty. A mountain hike is an excellent way to experience the power of a season. In this blog I share with you two areas where you can hike in the mountains without getting above the tree line. These two hiking areas are relatively close to the Netherlands. I conclude with 3 tips for you, if you are going mountain hiking in this season.
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Hiking area 1: Harz, Germany
Less than 5 hours drive from Utrecht you will find the Harz, better known as National Park Harz. It is the northernmost mountain range of Germany, and has many hiking trails for young and old. You will find many accommodation options for tourists and well signposted hiking trails. The highest mountain of this area, the Brocken, is 1142 meters high.
For lovers of autumn, this is an excellent place to be. Thousands of trees color red and orange in this area. Highlight of this area is the Bodetal, which meanders through the Harz/mountains like a kind of small Grand Canyon.
Of course a hike to the top of the highest mountain in this area should not be missed. Start your mountain hike at the free parking lot of Ilsenburg: 17, Ilsetal 15, 38871 Ilsenburg Harz, Germany. You walk along the river Ilse up to the viewpoint of your autumn hike in the mountains. The picture below was taken in the Ilsetal.
If you want to get out of your way, you can also walk naked in the Harz. The Harz naturist cradle has been available since 2010 especially and exclusively for wearers of the birtday suit:) Probably a good idea to study in advance the breathing techniques of Wim Hof, our Dutch pride when it comes to braving the cold.
Hiking area 2: The Vosges, France
Another great place to hike in the mountains can be found in France. The Vosges are a mountain range that can be found about 6.5 hours from Utrecht. The 'Grand Ballon' is the highest mountain peak in this area, with its 1424 meters high slightly higher than the Harz area. With a bit of luck you can see the Alps from the top after a hike through the mountains. Because of the relatively limited height of this mountain range, you as a hiker walk a lot between the trees. An ideal place for a long weekend or a mid-week mountain hike in autumn so! Imagine it: A long day trip with winding forest paths and occasionally beautiful views. Chestnuts, leaves and squirrels around you and on the way stop for a large mug of hot chocolate and a French amuse. In the evening, relax by the fireplace with a game and with a bit of luck already a Génépi'tje to get into the winter atmosphere.
For a mountain hike in autumn you have to prepare differently than when you go mountain hiking in summer. Here are three more short tips for your hiking vacation in the mountains at perhaps the most beautiful time of the year.
#1 Warm clothes
It sounds logical, but still this is perhaps the most important tip if you go mountain hiking in the fall. Put on a set of thermal underwear and take an extra fleece vest in your bag. A pair of extra dry socks shouldn't be missing either. Temperatures are much lower than in summer, with extra big differences if you go hiking higher up in the mountains. Cold muscles not only cause cramping and acidification, the fun goes a lot earlier. So, hiking in the mountains during autumn? Bring warm clothes with you on your trip!
#2 Start early in the morning
Besides the fact that there are more clouds anyway and light in the mountain forests during the autumn period, the days are a lot shorter. Where the sun disappears behind the horizon around 22:00 in July, in November it already happens at 17:00! That means 5 hours earlier. Of course, this effect is even stronger in the mountains, because the sun disappears behind a mountain much earlier. The cold increases, the path becomes (partly because of all the leaves) difficult to see and before you know it you are lost.
#3 check mountain cabins/cableways
In Harz or the Vosges this is not so relevant, but if you are really going to make a longer trekking, don't forget to look online if the mountain huts are still open and the cable cars are still running. It can be a big drawback if you want to go for a nice hike in the mountains and you can't count on these facilities. In some areas the huts are open all year round, but very often this is not the case.
In short, with the right preparation, hiking in the mountains really doesn't have to stop after the summer months. Autumn lends itself perfectly to beautiful mountain hikes and you don't even have to drive all day to imagine yourself in a completely different world. Enjoy your mountain hike!