15 replies to this topic

[Dragon]

In case anyone is mildly interested, I blogged on the theme of Reichackerkopf. Something I saw last month.

Reichackerkopf is one of those summits on the Vosges front which cost thousands of lives in 1915.

Reichackerkopf, an enigma

Gwyn

[egbert]

The blog picture of the summit lines is nice. Here is a contemporary photo, it shows the relative small and narrow summit today

[Kimmer]

Haunting.

[Dragon]

Thank you both.

[mandy hall]

I have just returned a week ago from the Munster valley, thanks to yours and Egbert's theads on the area.  When I can find some time I will post some photos.  We did not climb the Reichackerkopf, but we did climb the Tete des Faux on a very hot day.

Mandy

[egbert]

mandy hall, on 27 July 2012 - 09:23 PM, said:

..... but we did climb the Tete des Faux on a very hot day.

Mandy

You mean the "Buchenkopf" don't you?

[MartinBennitt]

Dragon, on 26 July 2012 - 09:29 AM, said:

In case anyone is mildly interested, I blogged on the theme of Reichackerkopf.

Reichackerkopf, an enigma

Gwyn

Self-deprecating, Gwyn. I think, very well done

cheers Martin B

[mandy hall]

Just had a quick google of  Buchenkopf and the first thing that come up is your thread on here Egbert.  We walked up from the Col du Calvaire side.

Mandy

[Dragon]

Thank you for your encouraging comments.

Mandy, I'm pleased to have been part of inspiring you to visit this lovely area. Well done for climbing la Tête des Faux in the heat. The route from Col du Calvaire takes persistence because it involves a long trek through forest where there seems to be nothing interesting until suddenly you come to Cimetière Duchesne and the mule track, but what is at the top is utterly staggering and really charged.

I really welcomed the auberge at the crossroads afterwards. I've often been there. It seems customer focussed in that it'll serve food of some sort even outside normal meal times, even in low season. (On the menu, Bouchée de la Reine is translated as: "The obstruction in the queen, flying out in all directions in the wind." )

When we were there in late June/early July, it was 30° and far too hot to climb anything. Plus I tripped over at the top of the cimetière militaire de Sondernach straight head-first on to a concrete plinth, injuring both knees, one wrist, one elbow and my camera and spent the next few days covered with plasters feeling sorry for myself. (If I get an open wound it's risky and I can't take chances.)  I went up to Jeanne d'Arc on Ballon d'Alsace that afternoon, though, and thought I was going to have cardiac arrest in the heat.

I'd love to see photos.

Gwyn

[Dragon]

A handful of my photos of la Tête des Faux which Mandy climbed are on my darqroom site (last portfolio).  They are from a couple of visits and also include Trois Epis German cemetery, which is rather special.

Gwyn

[mandy hall]

The first part of the walk from Col du Calvaire was a mass of butterflies and wild flowers and my partner was looking at all the little birds flitting between the trees.  It took us about 4 hours there and back.

Mandy

[ScottM]

Gwyn, lovely pictures - you have a very melancholy eye.

[mandy hall]

Thanks for the link Gwyn.  Very atmospheric photos, great to see pictures of the area in winter.

Mandy

[Dragon]

Thank you!

(I'm really flattered to be told I have a melancholy eye. Seriously.)


Gwyn

[Dragon]

Baron de Coubertin, who founded the modern Olympics, had a château near Luttenbach-près-Munster where he used to spend his summer holiday. Luttenbach is where I took the photos in my blog. If you know the vallée de Munster and the road through Luttenbach to Breitenbach, Metzeral, etc (all villages wrecked in the Great War), you'll have seen signs to the campsite called les Amis de la Nature. This is the site of Coubertin's holiday home. There are a few ruined remains built into the present campsite, but the property was largely destroyed during the war and became a textile mill until the 1960s. There's a rue Baron de Coubertin and a rue Château close to the campsite.

I wasn't staying at the campsite and this isn't a recommendation. Along with many villages in the vallée de Munster, Luttenbach is an excellent base for exploring Great War remains up in the mountains.

Gwyn

[mandy hall]

I have started posting holiday photos here Gwyn

http://1914-1918.inv...opic=183062&hl=

Mandy