Loop between Spangenberg and Schnellrode – ARS NATURA art trail

Today I did the S3 again in beautiful weather; The S3 is one of the most beautiful Spangenberg circular routes for me, even if it only runs on paved paths on gravel and tarmac. There are many places to rest and the route is well signposted. One half of the route is mainly on the cycle path through the Essebach valley and the other half along the ridge through the forest. Special highlights for me are the beaver dam and the gnome path/trail that runs along parts of the cycle path. The gnomes also seem to have grown, or I didn't notice so many last time. Oh, actually the route is a bit longer, but I skipped the approach to the town hall. If you are interested in the other hikes I have done around Spangenberg, here is my collection: https://www.komoot.com/de-de/collection/3144279/-spangenberger-rundwanderwege

Took advantage of the last rays of sunshine of the day and spontaneously went for another quick spin...

Not particularly recommendable, a lot of asphalt and the forest area is not really nice either 🤷

After the Adidas Terrex were a complete waste of time and I got three blisters on two short tours, I urgently needed new shoes. 😅 This time I got a pair of Hoka and I have to say, I don't regret it. 😃 The first few meters took a bit of getting used to, as the design means you run completely differently. Tendons and muscles are stressed differently. But what was immediately positive was that you feel like you're running on clouds. Very cushioned, almost like a sneaker, and the construction of the sole means the foot rolls much better. It's also extremely light. 👌🏼 Since there's nothing worse than asphalt for my feet, I chose the S3+S5 as the perfect test for this. Of course, there was a bit of Ars Natura too. Conclusion: Fast lap on hard ground 😄 PS: If anyone from HOKA is reading this, enough advertising, or the next pair of shoes will be on you. 😂

Fast afternoon round at Ars Natura 🐾👣 The round is under the motto "Human-Animal-Environment" and as always there are many great works of art to discover in a beautiful landscape.

In my opinion, the S3 is one of the most beautiful of the Spangenberg circular routes. It is almost always on paved paths, first through the Essebach valley and then later back through the forest. The signage is great and there are more than enough places to rest. My personal highlight was the beaver dam and the Wichelpfad/path along the way, unfortunately I couldn't find any more about it. It was great for Knoppers, so much along the stream, maybe I'll do the tour again when the weather is a bit better. PS: The tour is actually a bit longer at around 10.8 km, but I saved myself the walk to/from the town hall.

Beautiful round trip on the Ars Natura X8 from Spangenberg to Schnellrode

It was time to get some fresh air 😎, so I parked the car behind the riding stables in Elbersdorf and set off past the fish ponds to Schnellrode. Shortly after the ponds, I was surprised by a gnome trail. So there was plenty to photograph 📸 😉. Ars Natura artworks also lined my path. In Schnellrode, I went to the other side, up a hill, and back to Spangenberg. Luckily, the ice cream parlor at the market square was open 🍨. After that, I continued to the car. A nice loop, but 50% asphalt and the other half gravel path in the forest, so no trials today 😉.