Tag Archives: Sonnenbühl

caves, Sundays

Another weekend, another cave…

Hello travel blog fans! Bill and I arrived in beautiful Tübingen yesterday. I wrote a little bit about yesterday’s adventures in my main blog. There isn’t much to the post, though, other than a photo that will get shared here when I write up the whole story of this trip. I wanted to write about today right now, so I don’t forget anything. We’ve had an extraordinary day, and I don’t want to forget any details, so I’m going to write a fairly detailed post today.

We were trying to figure out how we wanted to spend our Sunday, since we had no plans for today. We thought about going to the Mineraltherme, which is one of our favorite places around here. But Bill was kind of lukewarm on the idea. Then I remembered last week, I looked up caves near this area for my post about the Kubach Crystal Cave in Hessen. I recalled that there was one cave we hadn’t been to called the Olgahöhle. Even though last week’s excursion was physically challenging for me, I was easily convinced that this was a cave we should see.

The Olgahöhle is kind of a special cave, because it is the longest tufastein cave in Germany, and the first German show cave to get electric lighting. Prior to the Olga Cave’s receiving electric lighting, there was only one other cave in the entire world that had electric lighting, the Kraushöhle in Austria. This cave was named after Queen Olga von Württemberg, and was found by Johann Ziegler during quarrying of tufa in 1874. Ten years later, it was turned into a show cave, which it remains today, albeit with limited showings.

I’ve mentioned a lot that I have a special bond with Armenia. Well, in Armenia, many buildings are made of tufa, which is the very same type of stone that makes up the Olga Cave. Unlike many caves near it, the Olga Cave is not made of limestone. It’s also a primary cave, making it rare.

The Olga Cave is staffed by clubs, and it’s only possible to visit with a guide. Consequently, it has very limited opening hours. Usually, it can be visited on the first Sunday of every month from March until November, or by special appointment. It costs 3 euros per adult to visit, and group rates are available. Since today happens to be the first Sunday of the month, we decided we had to visit it. So we took off for Lichtenstein-Honau, which happens to be where the gorgeous Lichtenstein Castle is. We visited the castle in September 2016, but when we were at the cave today, I looked up and saw it from a new perspective. I wasn’t expecting that!

Schloss Lichtenstein from another perspective!

Our tour was with a large group of German teenagers. Compared to last week, it was a very easy cave to explore, with only one big flight of stairs. The tour was only about a half hour or so, and the guide didn’t know we were Americans until the very end. But it was okay, because the lady who sold Bill the tickets gave him a binder with information in English. I got a lot of photos!

After our tour, we headed up to the castle, thinking we could score some lunch there. We weren’t the only ones with that idea, though… and there was absolutely no parking to be found, whatsoever. So we decided to go to the nearby Nebelhöhle Cave… another place we’ve visited in the past. On our way there, we ran into a shepherd moving a huge flock of sheep and lambs across the road. I got a few photos and video clips, which I will share later, once I’ve had a chance to edit the video.

I got video, too. Will post it soon.

We managed to find a spot at the cave, then walked down to the outdoor restaurant, which seems to specialize in Maultaschen. I was going to have that today, but they gave Bill some with mushrooms and hunter (mushroom) sauce all over it! So I had tuna salad, and Bill ate the Maultaschen.

The place was quite crowded, which is natural, given how very beautiful the weather is today. Twice, we were joined by German couples. The first couple was obviously very curious about us, but didn’t seem to speak much English. Bill told them we were “on holiday”. But the second couple, who brought with them their adorable border collie, turned out to speak English very well… and we had a great visit with them! They were also from Wiesbaden, although they live in Augsburg now.

I ended up sharing the name of the blog with them, and they laughed. After I explained my history, they totally understood why I would call myself The Overeducated Housewife. I ended up writing the blog name on a dental floss sample package! Then they were surprised by the spelling of “traveling”. They didn’t realize we have different spellings from British English for certain words in the US.

We had such a beautiful day today… even though I decided I didn’t want to explore the other cave. It was just as much fun to sit and people watch, joke about tuna salad, and talk to the very friendly folks who live in Augsburg and visit Sonnenbuehl, which is where the husband works. His wife said that he works there and has a flat, so they came to enjoy the German Reunification Holiday weekend.

It’s days like today that really make me appreciate my good fortune all the more. It is a real treat to get to live in this country. And having a reason to come down here every six months makes me all the gladder that we kept our Stuttgart area dentist. It’s also a treat to be in this beautiful city again. We have really missed our old stomping grounds!

Below are a few photos from today. I will add more next week, when I write the series for this trip.

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caves, Sundays

Bärenhöhle and Nebelhöhle… caves fit for a castle!

Yesterday, I wrote about the trip Bill and I took to the Laichinger Tiefenhöhle, the only vertical cave in Germany open to the public.  We had a great time visiting Germany’s vertical cave, although I am definitely feeling the pain today.

I’ve always been one to enjoy themes, so today we decided to visit the town of Sonnenbühl, where one has easy access to two caves.  There’s the family friendly  Bärenhöhle and, just a few kilometers away, there’s the more challenging Nebelhöhle.  Both of these caves happen to be with easy distance of the Schloss Lichtenstein, one of my favorite castles in Germany.  We didn’t visit the castle today, since we went last September.  If I had a family and we wanted a fun Sunday outing, I would definitely do the castle and the two caves on the same day.  In fact, I think if I didn’t live in Germany and was looking for a fun place to spend a week, Sonnenbühl would be a good bet.

We set off for Bärenhöhle first– this cave is actually two caves in one.  The first cave is called Karlshöhle and is named after Charles I of Wurtemberg.  The second cave, which is attached to the first, is the Bärenhöhle and consists of the last 338 feet of the cave.  The whole thing is about 888 feet long.

The GPS had the caves at about an hour and ten minutes from our home in Unterjettingen.  The drive to Sonnenbühl is beautiful.  It winds through charming villages through beautiful countryside.  I would say it was a nicer journey than the trip to Laichingen, since we avoided having to drive through any big towns like Reutlingen.  There’s free parking at Bärenhöhle, although if you get there late, you might end up with a walk.  They had guys directing people into parking spots today.

One thing to know about Bärenhöhle is that it’s a very kid friendly place.  I would say that if you have very young kids who have never seen a cave, this is a good one to start with.  It’s 4,50 euros for adults to walk through the small system, and you can either go by yourself or take the guided tour.  Since the tour was in German, we started off by ourselves.  Then we ran into a tour in progress, which was slightly annoying.  Oh well.  Compared to yesterday’s high octane tour, the Bärenhöhle was a piece of cake.  It took about twenty minutes to pass through it.  If we’d wanted to, we could have followed up our visit with a trip to Traumland, a small amusement park that appeared to be mostly intended for little kids, although I did see a few rides suitable for adults.

The entrance.  There are printed instructions/explanations in English if you want them.

The entrance of the cave.

The bear…

The entrance to Traumland, which you pass on your way back to the parking lot.  There’s also a small playground for kids whose parents who don’t want to spring for the amusement park.

We decided to have lunch before heading to our next stop.  There’s a snack bar and a self service restaurant at the Bärenhöhle/Traumland complex.  The snack bar has things like ice cream, wurst, and such, while the restaurant has hearty Swabian fare.  The complex also has an Easter egg museum, but we didn’t visit.

I had maultaschen with potato salad and fried onions.  Bill had a linsen teller.  The food was very good.  They have other dishes like schnitzel and schweinebraten, as well as choices for kids.  The prices are pretty reasonable.  Bill paid about 26 euros for what’s in the photo.

The biergarten area of the restaurant.

The snack bar.

Nebelhöhle is only a few kilometers from Bärenhöhle and, if you really feel energetic, you can even walk to or from there.  Lichtenstein Castle is also within walking distance.  There’s plenty of free parking at Nebelhöhle and it’s close to the cave.  Of the three caves I’ve visited so far, Nebelhöhle is definitely my favorite.  For 4,50 euros for each adult, you get turned loose in an old cave that offers a lot more to see than Bärenhöhle and isn’t quite as physically demanding as the Tiefenhöhle.  We probably spent a good forty minutes in there, enjoying the beauty of the cave system.  There were a couple of times when we were even by ourselves and got a sense of how quiet the cave is when no one is in there.

Naturally, there’s a playground for the kids at Nebelhöhle

The entrance to Nebelhöhle

Bill commented that this was much like walking down to the U-Bahn…  Needless to say, not stroller friendly!

Once we got to the bottom of the steps, we were free to tour the cave at our leisure.  I commented to Bill that that would probably never happen in the risk averse United States.  It’s not that accidents don’t happen in German caves, either.  My German friend Susanne told me that last year, a woman fainted at the bottom of the Tiefenhöhle and was discovered by other visitors some time later.  Rescuers had a hell of a time getting her out of the cave.  She was later airlifted to a hospital in Ulm.  The caves we visited today probably wouldn’t be nearly as difficult to be rescued from, but it would still be a challenge.

Here’s a video I made of a pool at the bottom of the cave.

We’re not exactly sure what this was…  It kind of resembled a petrified tree trunk, but my guess is that it was once a column.  Edited to add– my German friend says this column was cut in 1961 and placed in Stuttgart at the Schloss!  I did read about that, but forgot… and there was no sign in the cave!

Bill commented about the moss.  He wondered how it got there, since there was no sunlight.  I mentioned the lighting in the caves and people using their cameras.  The light causes photosynthesis, which is one reason why people aren’t supposed to use their flashes in caves.

I dragged my ass up the steps and left sweating and panting…

I was tempted to enjoy another beer by the playground, but we decided to head home.  Actually, we stopped in Nagold first, where a fest was going on, but we were too tired to hang out there.  So here I am… hoping tomorrow I won’t be too sore!  Today wasn’t nearly as physically challenging as yesterday was, at least.

 

I want to reiterate that I would not recommend taking very young children to the Tiefenhöhle, which is the cave we visited yesterday.  The climb is very challenging and potentially dangerous.  I would reserve that cave for mature older kids– say at least age eight or older– who have a healthy respect for heights and not trying to go too fast.  Also, I think the other two caves will be more interesting for kids.  The lighting is colorful and there are many more formations to see.

For very young kids, I would definitely recommend the Bärenhöhle.  It doesn’t take too long to get through it and it’s not particularly physically challenging, although there are a few steps to be climbed.  Afterwards, you can enjoy Traumland.

The Nebelhöhle, my favorite of the three, is a good mix of challenge and ease.  I saw fairly young kids in there who were doing fine.  There are steps to climb, but they aren’t narrow or shallow and the passages are easy to negotiate.  There’s also a lot to see.  Of the three caves, we spent the most time in the Nebelhöhle and enjoyed it the most.

I would recommend all three of the caves for those who enjoy spelunking.  Just be prepared to climb a lot of steps!  Happy caving!

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Sundays

We finally made it to lovely Schloss Lichtenstein…

Bill and I have now lived in the Stuttgart area for a total of four years.  We were here from 07-09 and we have been here this second time since August 2014.  We have seen a lot of cool places in the local area, especially since we moved back here the second time.  The first time we lived here, we spent way too many weekends cooped up at home.  That was a huge mistake and we have been doing our best to rectify our error during our second Germany experience together (Bill had a third experience back in the 80s, but it was when I was still jailbait…)

Today, we finally made the trip to Schloss Lichtenstein.  I am ashamed to admit that the first time we lived here, I had no idea this beautiful little castle near the town of Sonnenbühl even existed.  It wasn’t until we moved back and my new Facebook friends from the local community started posting pictures that I realized what I had missed.  I have now seen several castles here in Germany and I think Schloss Lichtenstein may be among my favorites.  I think I like it even more than the much hyped Neuschwanstein, which I did manage to see during my first time living here.

Bill and I set out for Schloss Lichtenstein at around noon.  We expected our journey from Unterjettingen to take about an hour via B28.  What we didn’t know was that traffic was going to be absolutely horrendous driving through Tübingen and Reutlingen.  Turns out there’s a lot of construction going on in those towns, plus it was a beautiful day.  Lots of people were out and about, so traffic was backed up.

Having studied the route before we left, I was surprised Bill didn’t opt for B27, which would have taken us south of the construction.  We did come back that way and it was much easier going!

The drive to the castle is absolutely gorgeous and it was so nice to have the top down on the convertible, speeding along country roads.  As we approached the parking lot and saw all the cars there, I could see there were lots of people who decided today was a good day to see the castle…  or perhaps they had come for the Abenteuer Park…

 

Here are a couple of shots I got of the ropes course.  Lots of people were there today, enjoying the zip lines and climbing challenges.  Much to my great surprise, Bill said it looked like fun and he wants to come back and try it!  I might have to sit at the biergarten when he does…  

 

We momentarily thought it would be a good idea to eat before we visited the castle, but did not realize that the onsite restaurant Altes Forsthaus (Old Forester’s Lodge) had been booked for a wedding reception.  It was closed.  So we went on to the castle.  Here are some photos I took. 

You can either pay a couple of euros to walk around the grounds or opt for the tour.  The tours run for about 30 minutes and cost 7 euros for adults and 3,50 euros for children.  Our tour was done in German, although you can purchase a card that explains everything in a different language.  I understand English tours are also available on request.  We muddled through with German; consequently, I didn’t understand everything that was said.  Guess I’ll read up on it.

Stunning views!

I was kind of sad that we didn’t get to go to the top of the tower.  The tour was very short and really only consisted of the first two floors.  The inside of the castle is beautiful, though, and well worth seeing.

I think it was worth the price of admission just to get the pictures!  Wow, this is one pretty little Schloss!

I think this is my favorite photo of the day!

This is the chapel, which I understand can be rented for weddings or baptisms.  There is also a tiny chapel in the castle itself.  The ceiling looked like it came straight from Florence.

After we toured the castle, we decided to go have lunch at the Castle’s Tavern.  This is basically a snack bar that offers a few items of substance.  I noticed they had a few specials today to include a vegetarian dish and Maultaschen.  They also had turkey schnitzel and the usual wursts with pommes. Bill got us two schnitzels while I waited.  He ordered in German and the lady behind the counter answered in perfect English as she handed him a “beeper” to let him know when our order was up.

I took a photo of our spot in the biergarten… little did I know, this was the calm before the “storm”.

Ahh… refreshing export beer…

Our schnitzels…  they came with substantial salads.  We probably should have just shared one.  We almost forgot the salads and the lady from the counter brought them out to us with a gentle reproach.  I didn’t get a picture of the salads, but they were substantial and surprisingly tasty.  I especially liked the pepper relish that came with it.    

 

Just as we were sitting down to eat, a German family came over and joined us.  It was a young mom, dad, and two little boys close in age…  I’d say one was probably two and the other was perhaps four.  They were a boisterous lot.  I think Oma was also in tow, along with another woman who might have been a friend or an aunt.  They filled up our once roomy picnic table.

I didn’t mind them too much, although the older boy startled everyone when he spilled his drink all over the table.  His dad started yelling at him in German.  I am surprised to say that I understood much of what he said and it sounded a lot like what many parents yell at their kids in English!

As we were finishing up our late lunch, we heard lots of honking and saw cars driving up the road to the castle.  The wedding party had arrived!

There is a playground next to the biergarten for your little ones to go burn off some steam.

And a rather dark photo of the Castle’s Tavern.  It does have an indoor dining area, too.  I don’t think anyone was sitting in there today.

A map of the area.  There is a lot to do near this castle.  I want to go back and visit the Easter museum and the caves…  

 

We didn’t bring Zane and Arran with us, though we did notice a couple of folks with their pooches walking around the grounds.  If we do go back, though, it’ll probably be so Bill can try the ropes course.  And I will most likely be talked into trying it with him… which would mean Zane and Arran would need to stay home again.

All in all, we had a great day!  I would definitely recommend visiting the Lichtenstein Castle with your kids and any visitors coming your way.  It makes for an excellent day trip from the Stuttgart area.

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