After a very good breakfast, thanks to the Pilgerherberg, I started at 7.45, for what would be 1690m of climbing. It seemed an even more ambitious plan than yesterday, but it turned out to be much more doable. There was more climbing, but most of it was much less steep, which made it far easier. It also was less hot today, mostly overcast, which also made it easier. And I was a bit more sensible about the climbing, taking breaks and eating something before starting a long or steep ascent. That probably made a difference too.
It started out somewhat steep, then there was a long stretch through a forest, which climbed only slightly. The called it Panoramaweg, but I saw only one spot with a real view, mostly there was too much forest to see the mountains. Beautiful forest, and I enjoyed the path a lot, eating the occasional wild strawberry found on the way, but to call it a Panoramaweg... No.
After that came the steepest climb of the day. I'm still slow on those, but I'm getting closer to the time the signs say a climb should cost me. After the climb I came to a military base, which from my perspective seemed quite random. Then there was a long stretch of slightly climbing hills, going down a bit every now and then, through forests and over fields. I came upon a few young bulls who were exactly in my way. I managed to get past them without incident, but once I had my back to them, they started running towards me - for once I was glad they all wore bells (every single cow and bull wearing a bell sometimes drives me a bit nuts). I managed to jump over the low bit in their fence before they could reach me, but after that I got a bit scared of passing cattle.
A while later, I came to a piece of road where there were about 7 bulls who were a bit too interested in me to pass them easily. And they blocked the road, and there was no way around them. I tried, but they came running towards me so I went back to outside the fence. Finally, while I waited they got bored and went back to grazing, all on the same side of the road, so I could get past them with enough space that I wasn't interesting anymore. That was 15 minutes lost, while I couldn't really afford much delay.
So, on I went, with no more hiccups, and made it to the top, 2036m. Awesome view on all sides, though all the clouds made it markedly different from yesterday's view from the top. It also was a bit cold and windy, so couldn't stick around too long.
Yesterday's climb and descent over the crest were very steep and narrow, but today's were much wider and easier. There was an almost horizontal path at somewhat over 1900m, easy going. Then I saw a murmeltier (they're properly called Alpine marmots in English, bergmarmot in Dutch, but I just call them murmeltier (as they're called here) because it sounds so cute), about 20m in front of me on the path, which ran away as soon as I approached. But some 100m later there was another one, which also ran away but slowly and within my view for quite some time. That made me happy.
Next, there were 3 young cows, walking calmly along the path I had to take. They were slower than me, but I couldn't pass them, the path was too narrow and there was no space on the sides. So I followed them for a while, being amused though this was very impractical - more delay. Then it got worse, one of them turned around, approached and started sniffing me and trying to lick my hand. In the end she licked one of my poles quite thoroughly, when I wouldn't allow the hand-licking. But every time I tried to pass, she came closer. Finally I decided that there, there was enough space next to the path that I could pass, so I did. Same with the other two cows, who were also standing still somewhere I could pass by. Then there were some more bulls, which are definitely more inclined to have strong opinions about me than the cows; so I had to go quite a ways off the path to get around the whole herd, as they don't like it when you pass between them. This whole thing cost another 30 minutes.
So after that I tried to hurry down, which was quite doable. Only the last half hour was really annoying, very steep, and alternately tarmac I needed the pole tips for and road with loose stones that I couldn't use the tips on, so I kept having to take them off, put them on for 50m, then take them off, and so on. But I made it to the campsite, almost 12 hours after I started. My legs are very tired now, and with good reason.

Geschreven door Jewaontheroad