Some people love it, others hate it: autumn is here.

Gone is the time of warm summer nights, swimming in the lake or sea and sunny hot days. Instead, the time of warm sweaters and colorful leaves has come. And with it, the season of hiking and biking.

Our Green Pearls® partners have a few insider tips for you on which German and Swiss spots are worth a visit.

The team from CERVO Mountain Resort recommends a few fantastic hikes around Zermatt in the golden autumn with breathtaking color plays of nature. The insider tips of the Swiss team: Via the Arvenweg to the Grünsee and then to the Verlorenen Tal. Or from Zermatt to Furi, and from there to the Gletschertor and over the Riffelberg to the Gornergrat. Another tip: walk along the Europaweg to the suspension bridge in Randa.

Hiking and Biking in the Harz

The team at Schlosshotel Blankenburg, adores hiking in the autumnal Harz Mountains and recommends, among other things, the trail to the Teufelsmauer (Devil’s Wall). This sandstone formation, about 20 km long, stretches from Ballenstedt to Blankenburg. The legends and myths of the wall have already been mentioned by the Brothers Grimm in their stories. It also served as a backdrop for films such as “The Pope Joan” and “The Medicus”.

The legendary Brocken, with its 1,141 meters the highest peak in the Harz Mountains, is also easy to reach from the Schlosshotel Blankenburg. The trip there or back with the Brockenbahn is a special experience.

The Schindelbruch Nature Resort is also located in the Harz Mountains. Here the team advises venturing with the bicycle. This, they say, is the best way to explore the different faces of the Harz mountains – sometimes pedaling breathlessly uphill on steep paths, sometimes rolling downhill with great momentum. On well-marked routes, the southern Harz offers the right challenge for every fitness level. E-bikes can also be rented at the resort after prior registration.

Discovering the Castle Route

The Creativhotel Luise is located close to Franconian Switzerland – and thus in the best location for a hike along the Castle Road. Here, exciting views, beautiful ruins and castles as well as the great Franconian nature are beckoning to be explored.

For those who prefer to start an excursion right by the hotel, the Tennenlohe nature reserve with its wild horse enclosure is the perfect place. There you can enjoy the autumnal nature particularly beautifully. The “Tennenloher Forst” is one of the largest sand biotope complexes in Bavaria. The variety of locations includes dry sandy grasslands, heath lands and sparse pine forests, as well as wet swamps and alder marsh forests.

The team of the Okelmann’s favors exploring their surroundings by bike. Due to the location between Hanover and Bremen, cycling here is rather laid back. And Kristin Okelmann also has a few other recommendations: “Weekly markets in the region, walks through colorful forests, a visit to the organic coffee roastery in the neighboring village or strolling through Nienburg or Verden.” Something for everyone’s taste.

Are you already planning your next autumn hike?

Read more: DIGITAL-DETOX: GREEN OASES OF TRANQUILITY

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