A "rest day" - 21.4 kilometres, followed by another with 15.6 kilometres

Edith can't believe that on what was meant to be an easy day we still managed to clock up over 21kms. We walked the first 12 kms in the drizzly rain, carrying our packs.  After deciding we would stop early, and eventually finding a room, with the help of the tourist office, we then decided to catch a bus to where we would have gone, had we been able to find accommodation.  We managed to teach 2 bus drivers a little about the surrounding area.  When we told them that we wanted to go to Disibodenburg, neither of them had heard of this place let alone could advise us which bus to catch and where to disembark.  They now know!

The ruins of a hospice at Disibodenburg.   Check out the thickness of the walls
Lots of poppies along the way
A rest stop especially for those on the Hidegard way - very welcome in the rain.

We reversed our steps back towards where we stayed, in Bad Sobenheim, after visiting the ruins of the abbey in Disibodenburg, where Hildergard spent a lot of her adult life.  Like so many abbey's and monasteries, these ruins were on top of a hill, but it was worth the effort climbing there, as this is a very special place, all in ruins, except for a small contemporary chapel.  The view there was extraordinary, as were the acoustics.  Twice in one day I managed to get a sing in, but that, so far, has been the only time.


A labyrinth at the ruins of Disibodenburg 
The suspension bridge we crossed on our return from Disibodenburg. 

Earlier in the day we visited the Evangelísche Matthíaskirche in Bad Sobenheim.  It contains an organ called Stumm Orgel, meaning silent organ.  We have deduced that it got this name because at some point after 1940 the pipes were requisitioned to be used to support the war effort.   Although it still retains that name, it is no longer silent  with regular recitals being presented, though not while we are in town. 

Evangelísche Matthíaskirche
The Stumm Orgel in the church 
We have seen numerous "bee / insect hotels" around town.  This one of the bigger ones.

With no wifi yesterday, I decided to post about today's journey too.  It began with a hefty climb, but I'm pleased to say it didn't seem as hard as it was on day 1!  On this stretch of the path we have had magnificent views, a reward for the climb, looking across steep vineyards to the other side of wide valleys.  The path has taken us up steady climbs through vineyards, and we have made regular stops at the numerous viewing seats we passed, but taking great care not to venture too far from the seat, as one slip and it would be roly poly, bumpety bump, all the way to the bottom of a very long drop / bank / cliff.

Walking along tracks, passing through fields of crops there were cornflowers, poppies, and other wildflowers to catch our eye.
Views out over the Nahe River.
About a kilometre from Waldbökelheim, our destination for the night.
Waldbökelheim

This church wasn't open, but we did get a stamp in our credencial, and enjoyed a lengthy rest amongst the wooden sculptures around.  The head and shoulders of the sculpture on the right is a 3D one of the signs we follow.

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