I slept at about 2 km from the border with Luxemburg and crossed it at 8.00. Made a small navigational error, went right instead of left (why do they put the signs so early! I just forget between the marking and the crossing which way to go), but I realised it after some 200m, so that wasn't bad. For a moment, it was confusing to no longer follow the white and red markings, but yellow dots, but not long. And from then on, I hiked through an increasingly beautiful forest, with little streams and rivers and small waterfalls, on a steep slope, on a narrow path that more or less followed the river all morning, sometimes close to it, sometimes higher up. I expected I'd like hiking in Luxemburg, but I didn't quite realise it would be so beautiful so quickly. Further on, there's a part of Luxemburg the call 'la petite Suisse'; this, to me, felt like la petite France, specifically, les petites Vosges. Luxemburg is awesome!
With all the going up- and downhill, it did take a long time to actually get some distance behind me. My foot still hurt, though less than yesterday. And there was some rain, first a fine drizzle, then some real rain. So I took out my hardshell trousers and hiked in full rain gear for a while - until it stopped raining and I got too warm. From then on, the rest of the morning just had drizzle and the occasional rain, which never lasted longer than a few minutes.
I hoped to have lunch at Dasbourg-Pont (I somewhat ran out of food, well, carbs, really), but that took too long; so after climbing a bit extra to reach a viewing point, I decided to heat half my lunch there. One of the things I love about hiking - having everything with me, so I can just heat water and eat instant food anywhere (not that the instant food part of that is great, but I was out of bread so this was the best lunch I had).
After that, I got to another obstacle course - I mean road. Now trees that block the road are one thing. But trees that block a steep, uphill, narrow path almost parallel to a steep slope are quite another. I had to do some creative climbing. Then there was not so much a navigational error but a challenge, as not just the markings but the entire road was blocked from view by a fallen tree. I also suspect that, whether by nature or by human intention, some trees with markings have gone down.
But I eventually got to Dasbourg-Pont, much later than I had planned. I got some food and water at the small store there, as best I could (I wanted fruit, but there was nothing so healthy, the mostly had cookies and chocolate. And, for some reason, lots and lots and lots of coffee, in many varieties and various sizes). Suddenly I had to speak German, as this was on the German border (and my German is terrible).
While I was shopping, it had started to rain, so out with the rain trousers again. First, 2 km of road, then forests with very steep slopes, trees blocking the path completely, and rocky, uneven ground. Oh and then another very steep climb. All of which took a long time. The last 2 km of that cost me close to an hour.
Then I got close to Obereisenbach, and there took a bus to Vianden (I'd have liked to walk to the next bus stop but the last bus left at 17.30 and I got there around 17.10, so I couldn't continue), to sleep in the hostel, which also happens to be on the route. When the receptionist learned I was hiking, they warned me about the fallen (no shit) and still falling trees in the forest. Apparently, there has been a really big storm in the area a couple of days ago. That explains.

Geschreven door Jewaontheroad