Jerusalem way - Page 3

Nuremberg - Lindau

More through suburbs it went further over Schwabach, only after that the way ran again more beautifully in the nature. In the youth hostel Gunzenhausen was still no one on the place, so I relaxed at the promenade of the Altmühl. Flat and mostly on field paths I ran further to Öttingen. There I had once no accommodation pre-booked and had to search. I found it in an inn in the city center, an older gentleman took care of everything and showed me the terrace. There I sat for the first time relaxed in the sun with a few beers. Here I was also aware that I have made myself too much pressure, because I had many accommodations planned in advance and thus exactly on the day at the place had to be. I refrained from doing that from Switzerland on.

Up to Nördlingen, the route went along roads through small villages, only then did it become more wooded again. The Neresheim monastery hospice was my next destination. The history of this late baroque Benedictine monastery is said to go back to the 11th century. It is a large well-kept site with a very beautiful Monastery Church, situated on the hill just outside the town. At breakfast the next morning, I met the first pilgrim, a young man who was going via Switzerland and France to Santiago. Pleasant paths through woods and meadows led me further via Nerenstetten towards Ulm. The last kilometers into the city were along the Danube. I was there early and walked a few hours through the city. Later I had to go to Neu-Ulm, I had there a private accommodation with Fam. Zender. They already had doubts about my pilgrimage, because I had written I was Jacob pilgrim and had my shell with. You are Jerusalem and Rompilger, you need a key (Rome) or a palm (Jerusalem). Both were experienced pilgrims, they had already gone many ways and gave me useful tips.

The next morning I had to go first along the canal back to Ulm before it went again into the nature. On the way on the dirt road a large dog ran towards me, sat down before me and growled. Another reason why I acquired a wooden pilgrim's stick in Switzerland. So I made it also on later ways. You keep the dogs safely at a distance with it, you just have to let the stick drag on the ground in front of or behind you. In Oberdischingen there was a pilgrim hostel, the Cursillo house St. Jakobus, but it was closed. So I took a pension and treated myself to a hot meal in the evening in a small village pub.

The following day it rained for the first time, but the route to Biberach was still easy to walk, mostly along field paths. On the descent to the youth hostel, the knees hurt. This dragged on until the crossing of the Alps later, pain in the knees and Achilles tendon, but everything dissolved into nothing at some point, as I kept running. Later in Lindau in the pilgrim hostel were pilgrim rules, one of which was: If you come to your limits and think it no longer works, just keep running. What sounds simple, usually works somehow 🙂. It became increasingly wooded on the way to Baindt, was relaxed to run. I got a great pilgrim room in the nunnery, to top only with the Easter breakfast, which had been prepared for me by the nuns the next morning. There was a lot of love in every work. Today's route to Neukirch initially led only through villages. Only after Ravensburg it went again along field and forest paths. I had to turn left in Tettnang direction Neukirch, there I had a private accommodation. From the junction on, I only ran along large main roads, which was not particularly pleasant.

Also on the further way large and small roads alternated, I was also off any pilgrimage routes. Rather annoyed by the traffic than relaxed, I walked in Lindau first to Lake Constance to the island and let the soul relaxe. Despite the cloudy weather, the mountains of Switzerland could be seen in the distance. Later I had to go a little outward to Oberreutin to the pilgrim hostel. After telephone arrangement I got the key for it. Completely alone I had the house for me, even a terrace there. This was now the last day in Germany. The German pilgrimage route was beautiful, especially a lot of forest and field, the weather also played along, 2-3 times it rained, to forget 🙂. Nevertheless, this was the physically most strenuous part of my way, ie it's slowly running smoothly.