Sauerland in Fall, Forests in Fog
I was at a family birthday weekend in fall, the colours of the trees were already impressive on the journey south, but the view that awaited me on the morning of the second day was incredible. Thick fog covered hills and valleys of the rural area where Judith grew up.
A stark contrast to the concrete jungle or later flat agricultural landscapes that I called home for most of my youth, the Sauerland has stunning autumn sceneries on speed dial.
Luckily for me the fog stuck around after breakfast, almost the full day and there were lots of opportunities for photography around the village of Grafschaft, Schanze and the Rothaarsteig.
The rain had deterred most people and we barely saw anyone on the trail, as we were leaving the village.
Fly agaric mushrooms were littered along the path.
With the elevation the intensity of the fog increased as well, here at about 720 meters above sea level.
As the forest grew denser with needle trees, they started looking like dark curtains that gave way to the bright bloom of the fog.
The forests in the Sauerland are man made and the roads wind themselves through the hills, which make for an amazing drive. Most of the area is a nature or bird reserve, so flying drones is not allowed for most of the area.
Previously the area was a winter sport destination, but since the snow has become rare and inconsistent, that source of tourism has mostly dried up.
The small villages have great local cuisine restaurants and lots of little history gems from the late medieval ages can be found around the churches and monastaries.
This was the colour palette of the forest, which doesn’t come out on the black and white shots, but the contrast, shape and gradients were too beautiful to post the rest in colour.
Let me know if you have any great autumn locations in Europe we should check out next via some of the social network links below.