Erbeskopf (818 m)

If you climb the observation tower on the Erbeskopf on a mild summer evening, breathe deeply of the mountain air, slowly relax, and take in the view of the endless hills, knolls, plateaus, and valleys, you will inevitably feel something of the special lure of this old cultural landscape of Hunsrück, which has evolved and been preserved over thousands of years. Smoke rising in the distance reminds you of the people in the region, who have fought for their existence here since time immemorial; people who have had to deal with war, senseless destruction, and foreign rule time again and again —something that is very hard to imagine in this peaceful landscape. Luckily the cold war of the last century is long past, for which the extensive military installations on the top of Erbeskopf were intended. These can now rightfully lie peacefully dormant. Incidentally, it doesn't have to be a mild summer evening for the unique Hunsrück atmosphere here on Erbeskopf to work its magic on you. Try it on a day when it isn't so beautiful. When, for example, the fall storms, quite fittingly, rush over the land and dense clouds block your view. When wisps of fog are blown in again and again, making people and the surrounding nature almost invisible. Or go in the last days of October, when the cold wetness chills you and the rain interspersed with snowflakes heralds the definitive end of fall.

Photo: A cold, snowy winter day on the Erbeskopf mountain (818m). Because of the fog, it is not worth climbing the observation tower.