In December I had a wonderfully romantic visit to Reiden in the Eifel region of Germany. Our accommodation was in the style of a secluded holiday log cabin, which was nestled into a hillside overlooking a lake called Waldsee (Forest Lake). The first night we arrived, we ascended into the hills to be greeted by cobs of fluffy snow which carpeted all around in a magical Christmassy scene, and pretty much sealed us off from the urge to explore. We were accompanied by a kind of industrial pellet oven heater we mischievously called the 'mini Gigant', which groaned and spat out flames all day and night, to whichever temperature setting you wanted. In this cabin more than any other, there were also a plethora of soft lighting options which offered an endless fascination with engineering mood. In all it made for an incredibly cosy retreat. In the grounds of the holiday cabin, there was a small outbuilding which served as a sauna, complete with coals, water pail and ladle, woodland essential oils and fragrances, plus the inevitably refreshing dash back to the cabin in the frosty night air. Whilst we had planned to explore the surrounds of the lake, woods and nearby restaurant, it turned out we caught covid, so had some enforced downtime, which was no hardship. Below are various photos of Waldsee. Some of them are from the internet, some self-taken of the cabin, and some out of season, but hopefully they illustrate the beauty of the area, which is an inspiration for naturalists, walkers, writers, and carries a rich tradition of folklore and fairy tales. We both have every intention of visiting again in future.
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