Burg Frankenstein is a hilltop castle in the Odenwald overlooking the city of Darmstadt in Germany. It is thought that this castle may have been an inspiration for Mary Shelley when she wrote her 1818 Gothic novel Frankenstein. I was hoping for some gigantic old gothic and Dracula looking ruins, but it was more just an old tiny little railroad town nestled in the canyon of a mountain with a (what was once) big castle on the mountain top overlooking the city.
I actually drove right thru the "city" on my way to the castle, not knowing I drove thru it. I had to backtrack back & forth a few times trying to find some kind of entrance to the trailhead to hike up to the castle on the mountain.
I'd noticed that most of these castles & ruins you cannot really drive to. You drive close, then have a good hike in front of you to get to the ruins. Its fun though because it definitely keeps the crowds down!
So I found a little church parking lot that I decided to park in & walk around. Churches are usually open so thought I would go check it out. Besides, there was a really old cemetery right next to it, and if you know me, you know I am obsessed with old cemeteries! So, figured I would walk around and see what I could find. Church was locked so I kinda just wandered around for a while. Eventually another car pulled up to the front of the church & an old man got out. I went over to say hi, and see if he knew where the trail was to go up to the castle. He spoke very broken English but I was able to get my question across and he pointed me thru the cemetery and up this little trail - that looked like it went the wrong way - but it actually looped back around. I trusted him - mostly because he was a nice looking old guy and was friendly enough. I asked if it was a long hike and he said no, short, easy hike. With that, I went off into the cemetery!
Ummm, so this was kinda a short hike, but not really a super easy one. The trail was wet & slippery from the dampness in the air. Slipped a few times in the mud and leaves covering it. It was also a bit steep, but also very secluded and covered. Another moment of Criminal Minds flashbacks coming over me. I trekked on though, assuming there were no bad guys hiding in the forest.
Once I got to the top, it was absolutely gorgeous! It was definitely a castle in ruins. I love that the Germans don't try to preserve all the old castles and make they look new. Most of them, they leave to the elements. While it makes it harder to imagine living in one of these structures, it is the true nature of the bldg. I find it fascinating!! So I walked around, climbed thru some walls to get to higher areas for better views. Took some selfies so all my pics aren't just of the scenery. I was getting ready to trek back down and heard all these weird bells ringing. I was the only one around and definitely the only person up there at the castle, so freaked out a little bit. The noise was familiar, but I couldn't place it. Next thing I know, a herd of goats comes wandering up the side of the hill right at me. They were busy eating and could care less about me. It was pretty funny though. I was shocked, but pleasantly surprised to not be alone on the mountain.
I caught my breath, well rested up from the hike up, so decided to start my trek downhill. Although it was much easier and I actually knew where I was going, it was still slippery and a little eerie. Needless to say, I made it safely, without getting murdered or kidnapped, and got back to my car and went on my way.
Off to the next castle I could find!
