JAGST hike & paint, Etappe 4, from Barenhalden to Neidenfels
After a period of very cold weather, the weather finally seemed promising for my next hike.
Starting point was Barenhalden, the connection to my last hike & paint adenture. This time I planned a round tour by bike. To get back to where I started from, I have to cross two old stone bridges over Jagst river.
The upper watercolour shows my starting point with the partly renovated buildings of ancient Barenhalden Quarry.
From there I continue to follow the direction of flow of Jagst river to the left of the stream. The ups and downs in the landscape are great fun and the Jagst cuts deeply into the valley. I see a tiny wooden bridge over a small creek (Schmiedebach) that flows into Jagst river. A scenic place, time to rest.
I observe water running smoothly over some steps of the creek. It looks like a flat cascade and from the moment I saw it my full attention was on the moving water.
Unpacked my watercolour equipment and started a direct watercolour without preliminary drawing.
After two washes of colours it began to rain. In the beginning I did not care and thought „nice and authentic“, but soon it became more heavy and extremely wet. I fled under the nearby small bridge and sat there for half an hour before I could continue. I packed my still wet watercolour (see photo above) into a bag and hoped to be able to save it later. Below you can see the finished piece.
Let’s continue on muddy paths, up and down the valley. Direction north-west I come by a lovely pond and turn right to Neidenfels on a road which feels like heaven (beneath my bike tires). It is an asphalted road and leads downwards with a nice view to Burleswagen castle. I cross the stone bridge (first crossing of Jagst river and starting point for my next tour).
From here, I am on my way back direction Sattelweiler, Burleswagen on the official „Jagst Trail“ to Barenhalden. Then I had to cross the beautiful Barenhalden stone bridge, to get back to where I started from.
Material: Clairefontaine A3 and the flower sketches are smaller size
Seen: ducks, geese, bugs, 3 hikers, 1 biker, heard: lots of birds (one of them sounded like a car alarm), white sloe blossom is beginning and there are also some different flowers like wild orchids, cowslip and anemones of which I sketched some in watercolour. A light scent of wild garlic is in the air.
Duration: Nearly full day
Weather: A sometimes sunny and in other times wet-in-wet adventure, about 15 degrees C. (Clothes wet and dirty, in the end dry and dirty)
Thoughts: Found a new favourite place to add to my list of good places. Everything is so calm. Need to make a new support board for my watercolours, as mine broke while hiding under the bridge.
Learning: An umbrella could have helped against the rain…and never give up in difficult painting situations…
Made a few small sketches of an anemone and a few orchids I saw during my hike.
There were also white orchids in the shape of the pink one and so much more flowers…
