Tuesday, June 26, 2012

The Sea of Rocks (Felsenmeer)

The Felsenmeer (Sea of Rocks), located in Lautertal, Odenwald is one favorite adventure grounds of our family. We visit this Eco-Park almost once a year and we never tire of the challenges every visit.

 You see, to really enjoy the Felsenmeer, you need to move your body, to feel your muscles! You need to climb. You need to reach out. You need to move, move, move!

 When the kids were smaller, I would usually give up after 30 minutes. I would retire to the pathways while the husband explores with the kids. This time though, they wanted to climb the Sea of Rocks alone.
The Felsenmeer, view from the first steps up
The bridge in the middle of the Sea of Rocks

Well, with a dog on our side, it would not be easy to climb; so we agreed. We told them to stay together and that we would be meeting them in between their climb; when the rocks and the paths crossed. The dog didn't approve, though. Her instinct is to protect her playmates, so she was almost dragging us; in trying to keep an eye on the girls.

Good thing the dragging stopped after a few minutes. Our dog got tired; maybe she realized that the girls are okay. After all, she could hear the girls; they are those who squealed the most :-) We met the girls in the middle of the climb and had a quick picnic. 

It took us more than two hours to explore the Felsenmeer Eco-Park.

But it was a satisfying two hours for my girls, (remember, it's their first time to climb without any adults on their side) who learned and shared to us the following things to know before climbing the Felsenmeer:

- Never bring your cell phone. It turned out, they saw a lot of people, scrambling into rocks and poking into crevices because they lost their phones!
- Bring snacks and drinks but ask your parents to carry them for you. Because...
- You need both hands to climb.
- It is easier if you have someone with you, because a helping hand is always neat.
- Wear comfortable, hiking shoes/boots (and the right clothes depending on the weather, of course).
- There are no garbage cans anywhere up there, so bring your trash home with you.
- If you have a dog, do not leave their dirt, you need to clean up after them too.
- There are no toilets up there, so use the toilet in the Information Center, before climbing.
- It is a different kind of fun, climbing those rocks; ask your parents to bring you there every year!
A part of the pathway

The view from above the Felsenmeer
Felsenmeer is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There are NO entrance fee. Parking fee is 3 Euro for cars and 6 Euro for bus.

1 comment:

Heart of Rachel said...

That looks like a challenging climb. Nice to know that your daughters love adventure.