After a rather prolonged service stay at the bike mechanic we finally got Tadhg and Treasa back. We decided to make up for lost time, so over the weekend and headed out into the forest around Stuttgart to explore. The weather has been so warm here of late but relief is to be found in the forest, there is almost always a beautiful cooling breeze and dappled shade on the trails. 

On Saturday we decided to have lunch at the beautiful Bärenschloßle. Overlooking Bärensee (lake), the King’s old hunting lodge, is now a restaurant and venue for weddings and other functions. It can only be reached on foot or by bike and on a sunny day is inevitably busy. We ordered our meals and found a bench under a shady tree to relax and enjoy. On the way home we passed Rotwildgehege a large deer enclosure in the middle of the forest and met ‘Daddy Deer’ a magnificent animal, sitting in the shade happily munching on some grass. There is also a separate wild boar enclosure nearby, with an enormous litter of piglets.

We made an early start on Sunday and again we headed into the forest. Early morning is always a good time for wildlife encounters. As we biked along, hubby was just ahead of me when suddenly a ‘Mammy Deer’ darted at pace from the forest straight in front of hubby and disappeared into the trees on the opposite side of the path. Hubby said he saw her coming but she scared the bejesus out of me. Thankfully neither party was injured in the exchange. 

I was on my own on Monday, hubby having had to return to work. Again I headed out early, this time I had decided to combine my bike ride with some geocaching. As I approached a geocaching location, I had slowed right down and there in the middle of the caching zone was ‘Baby Deer’. The tiny little creature was all alone and not let old enough to know to make a run for it. I inched closer and the baby deer turned away, taking a few faltering steps it stuck it’s head into a small hedge with its little bum sticking out…maybe it thought ‘if I can’t see her, then she can’t see me’! So adorable. I retreated a step or two and it back out of the bush totally unfazed. I hope it will be okay, it was very little to all alone in the forest.