Heimfeld Forest, Germany

A short walk from my Uncle's old apartment in Heimfeld is a little forest where I remember walking and tobogganing when I was a child. This little wood in Hamburg holds some really fond memories for me and a couple of years ago I visited it again as an adult.

The first thing that I noticed was how small it actually was! Maybe some parts have been cleared away but I was immediately struck by the fact that I could see right through it. All of the things that I remember are still there but because I am so much bigger now, the forest has diminished.

I remember the winter when my father had knee trouble but (because I didn't know about this) I still managed to make him drag me through the snow on my toboggan - and I remember throwing snow at him because he wasn't going fast enough! Hmmmm, yes I could have done that differently!

This visit was in the Fall and the colours were something special. There were scratchings on the forest floor where the wild boars had been quite recently and this gave my son a pang or two! We didn't see anything more threatening than a squirrel so all good.

I bought some flowers and laid them at the entry to the forest, for my lovely Uncle and for my long suffering Father.

Take a look with me....

The walkways are irresistable to me. I have to follow them!

Here are the hills which made perfect toboggan runs.

The forest also has some hidden gems and even at this time of the year, when nature is shutting up shop for the winter, secrets were hiding.

I am endlessly fascinated with fungi in most of its forms. 

One of the things that I love about Germany is the woodland which is preserved by law within the largest cities. This beautiful little place is in a suburb of Hamburg! 
In the summer, the entrance to the forest was quite overgrown and I cannot tell you how magical that was to step through the round opening and into this fantastic world beyond. We would walk down the Heimfelder Strasse and part way down was the forest. You couldn't actually see into it from the road. It was like entering a cave. I have a photo of that somewhere. I will try to find it for you and post another time.

Beautiful! I would love to visit again when it is all snow covered and if only I still had my red toboggan - heck if only I still had my Dad! I could pull him around and he could pelt me with snow to even up the score!

Words and Photos: Debbie von Grabler-Crozier 2014