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Herzlich willkommen bei Frau Pilgerhut
Pilgerexpertin, Autorin, Pilgersteinmalerin
Pilgererfahrungen aus erster Hand
Bavarian Swabian Way of St. James
Stage 15 Weitnau - Wiggensbach 20.8 km
Pilgrimage under one hat - on the way with Sandra
Monday, November 1st, 2021
Pilgrim intermezzo in November - a tough test
" Demand a lot from yourself and little from others. This will save you trouble." ( Confucius)
Mood of optimism with autumn elements
This is possible after an interruption of almost 4 months Pilgrimage starts again today. My husband and I are childless for two days and take this opportunity to on holy holiday to get up at 6 a.m. At 7 o'clock we sit in the car in the direction of the Allgäu, in pilgrim boots and spurred on, additionally equipped with fine circles under the eyes. The streets are still empty.
The atmosphere outside is special. Between low-moving clouds, a ray of rising November sun falls on the fields again and again and bathes the landscape all around in a mystically beautiful, golden autumn light. Meanwhile the wind is sweeping the brightly colored leaves of the trees that line the highway, by the hundreds from the branches. In great eddies they dance through the air in front of us, to finally to land on the street. I am instinctual for a moment even inclined to turn on the windshield wipers, because the flying leaves irritate me a little. But that wouldn't be very effective.
At 9 o'clock we want to be in Weitnau in the Oberallgäu, park the car there and leave. This is the schedule so that we can walk the 20-kilometer daily stage to Wiggensbach in around seven hours - with a break - and arrive at our pilgrim accommodation before dark. Just the day before yesterday the clock was set back and accordingly it is already dark at 5 p.m. Tomorrow the follow-up stage to Altusried will follow. Based on my previous experience in the uneven Allgäu, I reckon with one average pace of just under 4 km per hour plus an hour and a half break for breakfast and lunch.
Onion look it is!
The onion principle is defined as the optimal way to keep the body warm with different, thinner layers instead of a thick sweater, for example. My onion look consists of outerwear from a functional undershirt, over a long-sleeved thin functional shirt, a long-sleeved, breathable fleece jacket and on top the rain jacket as a hardshell. I wear long ski pants under my tried and tested hiking pants. I also have thin Goretex gloves on the hands so that they do not get ice cold when using the poles. And just in case I have also a warm hat, which I don't need at the moment because of the hood. Which I am very happy about, because to me the mixture of thick skulls with fleece hat and rain hood doesn't really harmonize either. So the hat disappears in the backpack for the first time.
On the so-called “performance” of my new rain jacket under these conditions I'm really excited - we remember: in stage 12 I was still cursing with a blowing poncho and a thorn in the side of the cattle - but it would have been right for me to have to wait longer for the first mission. But - it is what it is. In the worst case, at least a good material test today.
I check again that we have packed all eight pilgrim stones ready to hand that I want to put down today and tomorrow. We put the rain covers on the backpacks and these on our back.
And do not lead me into temptation
For orientation I go to the nearby bus stop building. It's dry here. There is a map of the city, a posted scallop sign and a ride to Missen according to the sign. I have no idea where that is, but just keep your thumb out, nothing can happen.
Starting point sought
First we move to the church of St. Pelagius. My husband asks me if I want to go to church, but I'm not in the mood for my skin right now, I want to go. Somehow I had imagined it to be different. and finally we will return to our starting point in the morning afternoon. Then it is safe there is still enough time for a tour.
A woman who is no longer very fresh is sitting next to the church. I am not entirely clear why she is sitting there, but that may be mutual, because she looks at us packed hikers with astonishment and asks us where we are going today. "To Wiggensbach" we call. She looks at us doubtfully. She probably doesn't think that's a good idea. Objectively speaking, she is right, because we are at a good 800 meters and the classic Way of St. James to Wiggensbach would lead us up to 1100 meters over the Sonneneckgrat to Rechtis and on over Buchenberg. In the wet and hopeless starting position, that would be certainly not without danger, because there is nothing to be seen of mountains or higher elevations around us. All noteworthy elevations are naturally cloudy when it rains.
She recommends something to us with a neat pinch of dialect and points with her arm in one direction. We trot off.
"What did she mean?", My husband looks at me questioningly.
“There is an alternative route that is a little flatter and does not lead over the height. This is also the way for the pilgrims on bicycles. He follows an old railway line. The Isnybähnle used to run here and connected the villages. Let's see if we can find the way. "
"Did you understand that?"
"No, but I read that before."
I had already dealt with the route beforehand and, as on my other stages, checked the tracks for it and downloaded. But navigating in the rain stops Not much fun with a mobile phone either, because either the display is wet in no time or you have to put it in one of these special waterproof bags, in which the device would supposedly survive a deep sea dive. However, these protective covers fog up as soon as a drop of water gets into them, and that happens very quickly if you only put your cell phone in a bag after the rain has already started. Even if the touch screen still works - it's not really practical. So I put it back in my trouser pocket and hopefully let my voice guide me.
So we wander around a bit until my husband takes over the navigation with his cell phone and finds the starting point I have chosen. Today we probably won't see many signs with scallop shells, because we want to follow the alternative route.
And do not lead me into temptation
For orientation I go to the nearby bus stop building. It's dry here. There is a map of the city, a posted scallop sign and a ride to Missen according to the sign. I have no idea where that is, but just keep your thumb out, nothing can happen.
... and I say what about breakfast at Tiffany's? ....
After about an hour I hear a noise under the four layers of onion. My stomach is rumbling. Shortly afterwards we actually find a kind of log cabin where we can sit down and eat in the dry. I'm surprised. This is already the second shelter of this kind. I usually don't know such shelters from the other stages. I just guess they were set up especially for the cyclists.
In retrospect, however, this assumption turned out to be wrong. In fact, the entire route consists of a total of 11 shelters at the former train stops on the old route. How convenient. No matter who they are waiting for, I very much welcome this idea.
... and I say: What about breakfast at Tiffany's?
Nach etwa einer Stunde höre ich ein Geräusch aus meiner Körpermitte. Mein Magen grummelt. Kurz darauf finden wir tatsächlich eine Art Blockhütte, wo wir im Trockenen essen können. Es handelt sich um eins von insgesamt 11 Wartehäuschen an den ehemaligen Bahnhaltestellen der alten Trasse, die allerdings erst 2020 unter dem Motto „Zeitreise auf alten Spuren“ aufgebaut wurden. Wie praktisch. Für welche Wartenden auch immer sie aufgestellt wurden, ich begrüße diese Idee sehr.
Normalerweise liebe ich ja ausgiebige Pausen,
aber schon nach 10 Minuten Frühstücksrast stelle ich trotz Wetterschutzhaltestelle fest, dass ich zu schnell auskühle, um länger zu sitzen. Wir ziehen schnell weiter. Gedanklich sehe ich die Felle für eine ausgedehnte Mittagspause bereits davonschwimmen....
We're running on that Pass the village of Hellengerst and shortly after it cross under the B 12. North of the main road, the Allgäu cycle path leads into a forest after a few hundred meters and we come to a rest area with an old railway sign and two other, more modern information boards.
On the second board we learn more about the Isnybähnle, which operated from 1906 to 1984 on the 37.5 km long route between Kempten and Isny. The place where we stand is the highest point of the piece that was driven on at the time and at the time also the highest point in the German standard gauge network. The average slope is 25 per thousand or 0.025 percent. In fact, the slope is so low that I have hardly noticed it since Weitnau, which is at 800 m. The section to the Allgäu cycle path has been dismantled since 1990.
Although interesting, we don't stay here any longer than necessary. Shortly afterwards we come across another information board that informs us that we are in the nature reserve Breitenmoos are on the way and it is a typical high moor with rare flora and fauna. Look at that! I wouldn't have suspected that in the least.
There they swam .... my skins ..... with the lunch break ...
Around half past one, it's time for the big lunch break. We still have enough to eat. To drink too. Only the picnic feeling doesn't really want to set in. We find a dry place at a bus stop opposite the shooting club Schwarzerd eV Is that coming from black earth? Does this have to do with the raised bog and the peat that used to be cut in a peat mill here? I don't really care right now. It feels like it's gotten even colder. or maybe we're just wetter. I leave the warm jacket in anyway. The effort of packing and unpacking for the few minutes is simply not worth it. We quickly eat our snack and not fifteen minutes later we continue because it is just too uncomfortable to rest.
Fast am Ortsende liegt die Ermengerster Kirche. Hier verbinden sich der Münchner Jakobsweg und der Bayerisch-Schwäbische Camino Richtung Lindau. Es gibt sowohl Pilgertempel als auch Pilgerbuch, ich schreibe hinein und hinterlasse zur Feier des Tages einen weiteren Pilgerstein. Als ich ca. 15 Minuten später wieder herauskomme, ist meine bessere Hälfte fast festgefroren. Der Regen ist noch stärker geworden. Wenn man einen Moment still steht klingt er fast wie Applaus auf den Schultern. Auf ein Foto der Kirche verzichten wir aus Nässegesichtspunkten.
Der letzte Anstieg hinauf nach Wiggensbach ist für mich mental und physisch der härteste Teil des Tages. Es geht direkt an der Hauptstraße entlang. Zum Ende der Etappe werden wir nochmal mit einer Portion Extraregen und Wind konfrontiert, haben Atemwölkchen vor dem Mund.
Mir fehlt wirklich jegliche Freude, als ich mich den Hang nach Wiggensbach hochquäle und merke, wie ein kaltes Wasserrinnsal erstmalig mein Steißbein erreicht und anschließen in Zeitlupe meine Poritze herunterläuft. Unangenehm. Äußerst unangenehm.
goal achieved
Shortly after 3 p.m., much earlier than planned, we arrive in Wiggensbach, in Amselweg. Two caravels after a lost sea battle that return to the next port. At least my caravel needs an overhaul. We had already registered with our hostel couple by phone shortly beforehand and are already expected there. They help us out of our wet clothes and take off our shoes and raincoats to dry.
The heating is turned up immediately and Marianne, the lady of the house runs off and first makes us a pot of tea. I can no longer feel my thighs. My hands are soaked like I've been in the swimming pool all day. I'll take a look at my right foot later.
Shortly afterwards she returns with the hot tea and a piece of cheesecake. We immediately feel at home in our new kingdom and are so grateful for this good soul.
Kurz darauf kehrt sie zurück mit dem heißen Tee und einem Stück Käsekuchen. Wir fühlen uns sofort wohl und sind so dankbar für diese gute Seele. Während ich den Käsekuchen esse, kann ich kaum fassen, dass wir das durchgezogen haben. Sechs Stunden ohne Unterlass durch den Regen zu laufen.
Die Regenjacke hat den Test also mal auf jeden Fall bestanden, denn alles darunter ist noch trocken, die Fleecejacke nur an einem Ärmel etwas nass. Auf meine Rucksackhülle trifft das leider nicht zu. Der Rucksack ist am Bodenfach, aber auch an anderen Stellen durchgeweicht. Der Inhalt, der nicht in wasserdichten Packsäcken verpackt war, und das war zum Glück nur meine morgens leichtfertig reingestopfte Isolationsjacke, ist nämlich nass geworden. Das ist eine neue Erfahrung für mich, denn unter dem Poncho blieb bislang der Rucksack tatsächlich trocken.
Durch solch extreme Wetterbedingungen lernt man eine Menge, nicht zuletzt über sein Material.
A well-deserved dinner
I had already ordered a table at Landgasthof Kapitel for 6 p.m. from home. The advance reservation was compulsory been. I use the hair dryer to work on my jacket and spare shoes shortly beforehand until they are dry and comfortably warm to slip on. We borrow two umbrellas as a prophylactic measure from the Seelos family and this time go back to the center of the village with dry feet. However, I still find it cold and uncomfortable. It should be just over 0 degrees.
Even in the dark you can guess that the center of Wiggensbach is very pretty. I decide, however, that I want to see the inside of the church, the church of St. Pankratius, tomorrow morning in daylight. And I would also like to see the Ratsch-Kathl Marktbrunnen (bottom right) in the light again.
Information on stage 15
My pilgrim-friendly overnight stay:
Seelos family
Amselweg 17
87487 Wiggensbach
You can find the gpx tracks for the Bavarian / Swabian, but via the Höhenweg, which we did not walk here:
https://www.pilgern-schwaben.de/bad-groenenbach-lindau-nonnenhorn/
