Wemding to Harburg, 17Km
It’s no fun being ill with the Covid in a far away land (Bavaria) where wolves still roam the woods waiting for little red riding hoods visiting their grandmothers and where witches still prey on lost children etc.. It gives me the creeps still thinking about my childhood. No wonder German children are so well behaved.
Covid is not only a waiting game but it’s also a game of avoiding contact. Suddenly everyone in the beer garden wanted me to join them to discuss the decline and fall of Chelsea FC, that most hated of football clubs in this part of the world since the 2012 Champions League final against Bayern Munich. I edged away. I found a gelato cafe in a corner of the Wemding town square where they fed me cappuccino in the morning and gelato in the afternoon, while I reread the tales by the Brothers Grimm.
I woke to a massive thunderstorm this morning and when it was over, I set off into the woods towards Harburg. It was not a journey you’d have wanted to make 14,808 ± 0.038 million years ago when a meteorite created the 26Km diameter Nördlingen Ries impact crater. It’s quite unusual. It’s a rampart crater otherwise only found on Mars. The meteorite arrived from the west at a speed of 20Km per second (45,000mph) and made landfall at an angle of between 30 and 50 degrees. The explosion was equivalent to 1.8m Hiroshima bombs. The Apollo 14 crew trained here to familiarise themselves with the rocks they were seeking on the moon. The legacy is that a lot of the buildings around here are built from locally quarried stone containing millions of tiny diamonds.
Pilgrimage 
Get well soon, from next door
Getting there, thanks Jane
Hi Tim Good to hear that you’re recovering ,I’m sure the ice cream helped . Hope you weren’t wearing a red coat when you entered any woods !
Nothing red, fortunately. Ice cream was a great help
Good to see you are back up and running, Tim â fascinating insights about the countryside you are walking to. Germany is in the news today because of the success of the far-right partying the elections. No mention of meteorites, or, thankfully, political earthquakes.
Best wishes for the next few days.
Nick
Sent from Mail for Windows
Thanks Nick, one thing for sure, another big meteorite is coming
Are you meant to kiss the frog??
Yes I think so. There was a little stairway leading up to it, making a very Instagramable location. Just needs Taylor Swift to oblige
Take it steady Tim – no rush
Good advice David. There are those who would consider 17Km steady
Kia ora, Tim, good to see that you’re underway again. Delighted to see that you are eating only the best to aid your recovery. I’m pleased there was a photo of the memorial to explain the earlier photo of the missing bridge section. Kia pai, kia kaha
I like to keep up my fruit intake! It still amazes me that my iPhone can translate these notices
Great to see Covid hasn’t dampened your sense of humour Tim.
And we have documented evidence you’re adhering to the DRA (Daily Recommended Allowance) of fruit amongst the gelato!
Take it easy.
I wish there was a way to take it easy while walking across Bavaria but the fruit allowance helps
very interesting info on Nördlingen Ries! Glad you are feeling better!
I love discovering such things and walking around the crater. It’s the stuff of science fiction but it happened
I haven’t read your blog for 5 days, and I hope you feel better , it ‘s a problem when you aren’t at home. Thanks for the photo with te fig, I have a collection of fogs ( it’ s a long story).I’m vert french 😉.
Take Care of you Tim.
Mandy thinks it’s a princess waiting to be kissed but I’m not going to try my luck while I have the Covid
🤣