Our first hike on the Malerweg, Stage 1, began with a visit to the area where composer Richard Wagner once lived in the Liebethaler Grund while working on an opera. I had read that music could sometimes be heard along the trail, but on our walk, it was only the sound of the wind. The trail led us through wide sugar beet fields, and a lone tree on a hilltop offered the perfect bench for a short snack break.
We continued along the river, where moss-covered rocks lined the valley walls. In the Uttewalder Grund Gorge, there’s a spot where a massive boulder is wedged between the cliffs—a place once considered a test of courage. Pete and I both “bravely” walked underneath—haha!
We saw red oaks bright with fall color and golden paths covered with leaves that hadn’t yet turned brown. Everything looked beautiful in the afternoon light. When we reached Stadt Wehlen, we checked into our B&B and enjoyed a schnitzel dinner in the village — a nice ending to our first day on the Malerweg.
Pete & Lori's Retirement adventures 