HexaTrek Week 2: Castles, forests, cold nights and deep excavations

The second week of the HexaTrek is over and what a week it has been.

After a much-needed day of rest, I made the rookie mistake of deciding I couldn’t waste food. After a night of heavy eating, I spent the morning trying to finish all the leftovers before leaving. The result? A very uncomfortable start to the day. We headed straight into a climb and I quickly discovered that my trail appetite and my normal appetite are no longer the same. My stomach has definitely shrunk! I felt a little sick for much of the climb and learned a valuable lesson for the next rest stop: eat less, not more.

The week itself was absolutely beautiful. The trail continued through endless forests, but this time the views began to open up more often, revealing sweeping panoramas of the Vosges Mountains. There was also a wonderful mix of history, castles and forests that made each day different.

One thing that has really stood out is how fantastic France is for hiking. The trail network is incredible. This section mainly followed the GR53, and towards the end of the week, the GR5. Everywhere you look, you’ll find well-maintained trails, excellent directions, and countless intersecting routes. The number of mountain huts, lodges and lodges available is remarkable. It is clear that hiking is highly valued here and makes exploring these mountains a real pleasure.

Our first trail angels also appeared this week. After a long day arriving in Dabo, we met Marc and Sabine, who very kindly invited us to camp in their garden and use their shower. Small acts of kindness like that mean a lot when you’re carrying your home on your back.

One of the biggest surprises this week has been how dependent we are on our trekking poles. They don’t just raid our store. They help us stay stable on steep descents, climb brutal climbs, and even reduce the swelling in our hands that occurs when walking in the heat with a heavy backpack. They are probably the most important piece of equipment we carry.

And speaking of climbs… Day 7 was brutal! Not fully appreciating what awaited us, we began the morning voluntarily adding even more elevation to visit Rocher de Dabo and its chapel. It was a fantastic viewpoint and worth every step, but the trail that followed delivered some of the most difficult climbs and terrain we’ve encountered so far. By the end of the day I was completely exhausted.

Despite the challenges, this week’s rewards were exceptional.

The highlight for me was the Château du Haut-Barr. Perched spectacularly on sandstone rock formations, connected by the famous Devil’s Bridge, it looked like something out of a fantasy novel. The views stretched for miles in every direction and it’s easily one of my favorite places we’ve visited on the entire trip so far.

Another standout was Le Donon. Long before the arrival of Christianity, this mountain was a sacred place for Celtic and Gallo-Roman worshipers, and archaeological remains found here show that it was an important religious center almost two thousand years ago. From the top, surrounded by history and spectacular views, it was easy to understand why people have been drawn to this place for centuries.

We also saw the former Natzweiler-Struthof concentration camp. It was a sobering and emotional place, and a stark reminder of the atrocities that occurred here during World War II. It’s impossible not to leave with a feeling of reflection and gratitude.

Then there was the Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg, which towered over the vineyards and forests of Alsace. Beautifully restored and dominating the landscape, it was another unforgettable landmark on this section of the trail, although very popular with tourists.

Nature also provided some special moments. One of the most exciting was seeing a wild bobcat in the distance. It was only a brief sighting, but seeing such a rare animal in its natural habitat was incredibly special.

The forests themselves deserve a mention. This week we have spent hours and hours immersed in the forest. The Japanese call it “forest bathing” (simply spending time among the trees) and studies suggest it can reduce stress hormones, improve mood, lower blood pressure and even boost certain immune system functions. Based on the amount of forest we have traversed this week, I am convinced that we have become significantly healthier or have managed to kill all the bad cells in our bodies.

Although not everything has been perfect. Camping at altitude is a completely different experience. It’s colder, wetter, and much harder to feel comfortable. After two brutally cold and wet nights high in the mountains, sleeping became almost impossible. I woke up feeling terrible: that horrible sluggish, nauseous feeling you get after a night shift when your body knows something isn’t right.

Because of my MS, PoTS, and dysautonomia, temperature regulation is something I struggle with anyway. I finally decided to book a hotel for one night mid-week. He needed warmth, rest and proper recovery.

Some people might see that as cheating, but I don’t. We continued walking every mile, carrying all our gear and working. I’ve learned that if I listen to my body’s whispers, hopefully it won’t have to scream. Giving myself the best possible opportunity to complete this path means making sensible decisions when necessary.

The cold nights have also reinforced one conclusion: our Durston X-Mid is simply not the right tent for us. We bought it because it is lighter and uses trekking poles instead of dedicated poles. On paper, this sounds ideal for a long-distance ride. Actually, we miss our Big Agnes Copper Spur every day. The Copper Spur feels easier to cast, tougher in bad weather, drier inside and, perhaps most importantly, it’s self-contained. That flexibility makes a big difference. The weight savings just aren’t enough to offset the drawbacks for us, and we’ll be switching again after this ride.

There have also been some interesting reflections on the trail.

I have already lost weight. Part of me wonders if that’s a good thing because the total weight I’m carrying (me plus the backpack) is now less, which reduces the load on my joints. Another part of me wonders if it’s actually worse because my backpack now makes up a larger percentage of my body weight! These are the kind of deep philosophical questions that occupy your mind after eight hours of walking every day!

But one thing’s for sure: my muffin top seems to be gone. The HexaTrek may be the ultimate perimenopausal weight loss program.

Physically, this is still the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Hurts. It really hurts. Every day I end up exhausted. Every afternoon I have to dig deeper and convince myself to move forward. Almost every day there are times when I wonder if I can really do this or if it’s just too much.

And then I reach a summit, a viewpoint, a castle or the crest of a mountain. I look around me. And I remember exactly why I’m here.

One particularly encouraging development has been my knees. Given the amount of promotions and relegations involved, I expected them to be a major problem. Instead, the hyaluronic acid injections I received before the trip seem to be working brilliantly. They hurt towards the end of the day, as expected in terrain like this, but they are not as painful as usual. Most of the time I barely notice them. I estimate that the pain is reduced by approximately 75%, which is nothing short of extraordinary.

By the time we reached Aubure, we had completed eight consecutive days of hiking since our last proper break. That’s a lot, both physically and mentally. So tomorrow we will enjoy a well-deserved day of rest in a beautiful apartment with a hot tub in the picturesque village of Aubure.

See more detailed daily tour updates on my Instagram.

Goats at Chateau Saint-Ulrich

Girsberg Castle

Upper Koenigsbourg Castle

Landsberg Castle

Natzweiler-Struthof concentration camp

Donon

Mutzig Rock