A regular feature of life and shared experiences at Steinmühle Boarding School took place in May: All students were spread out across seven differently structured experiential education trips throughout Germany.
Community, sports, and new experiences were at the heart of the trips. The students were able to burn off some energy during the canoe trip on the Diemel, at the climbing park, on a bike tour around the Vogelsberg, or while hiking in the Allgäu, while the groups at Lake Edersee, Nieder Moser See, or Hennesee focused more on exploring nature and sharing communal experiences while camping in the great outdoors.
Sleeping in tipis and petting raccoons at Hennesee
The teepees were already set up, so the group was able to start a cozy barbecue right away that evening after arriving. The basketball-loving participants on this trip rounded out the evening with a game against a school class from Bielefeld. Since basketball is currently one of the most popular sports at Steinmühle, it was no surprise that the boys and girls won the game.
Since it still got quite chilly at night at Hennesee, the students gathered wood on their own to heat the teepees from the inside.
On Saturday, the group traveled to Bilstein to visit a stalactite cave. These millennia-old natural formations never fail to impress, but the students found true joy in the adjacent nature park: there, they had the chance to hold hands with raccoons. Feeding the deer and getting up close with the animals was especially exciting for them.
“The biggest highlight of the weekend was definitely the campfire gatherings every evening,” says educator Ben Zriki happily. “The conversations around the campfire definitely gave the children and us educators the chance to get to know each other in a different way than we do during the daily routine at boarding school.” As an intercultural highlight, student Alex entertained the group for an hour around the campfire as he sang along at the top of his lungs to songs from his home country.
Reaching New Heights in the Tree Climbing Adventure Park
Group camping under the trees right on the shores of the crystal-clear Heider Bergsee near Brühl: Here, another tour group was able to enjoy nature up close.
Right at the start of their stay, the small group worked together to overcome one of their biggest challenges: setting up tents. Most of the students were new to camping, so they explored the different ways to set up their tents together so that they could play Werewolf in the evening, relaxing comfortably around the campfire while roasting marshmallows.
The highlight of the field trip was the visit to the climbing park: The mission here was to overcome their fear of heights and climb trees up to 13 meters high. The students cheered each other on and encouraged one another. “It was wonderful to see how, thanks to their shared motivation, every student was able to successfully complete the climbing course,” reports teacher Philipp Dönges with satisfaction.
Cycling Toward Vogelsberg
Early Friday afternoon, we set off by bike along the Lahn Valley Bike Trail toward Vogelsberg. After the first 30 kilometers, upon arriving in Gießen, they continued their journey by train. They used the train ride to rest and recharge before the group cycled another 30 kilometers along the beautiful Vulkanradweg through the low mountain range landscape of Vogelsberg and Wetterau. Riding toward the sunset, they headed to Nieder Mooser See, where another group from the Steinmühle boarding school—who had already set up their tents after cycling nearly 60 kilometers—welcomed them.On Saturday, the cycling group left their bikes behind and hiked together up to the Hoherodskopf. On Sunday morning, everyone was back on their bikes, heading toward the boarding school grounds. With perfect cycling weather, they were able to enjoy the beautiful natural scenery of the Vogelsberg and the Lahn Valley once again.
Summer tobogganing at Lake Nieder Moser
Those who didn’t want to bike but still wanted to enjoy their visit to the Hoherodskopf traveled by car. This group set up the tents for the biking group in advance and welcomed them to the barbecue buffet. The night turned out to be surprisingly cold here at Nieder Moser Lake as well, which is why some students slipped into the restrooms during the night to warm up.
On Saturday, after everyone had enjoyed some hearty and especially delicious rolls, we took a ride on the summer toboggan run and went for a long walk through the beautiful Vogelsberg countryside, taking in the impressively sweeping views of the surrounding area.
Those who had warmed up again then let off some steam by swimming in the lake or stand-up paddling.
Lake Eder: Camping at a Hidden Gem in Northern Hesse
In the idyllic setting of this life of simplicity, the camping group could easily forget the comforts of everyday life. Thus, the absence of showers, electricity, running water, and cell phone reception was a completely new and fundamental experience for the entire group. A digital detox, water rations, and “modified” personal hygiene gave the participants a new perspective on the luxuries of everyday life that are otherwise taken for granted. “It’s always amazingly wonderful to see just how happy the students can be even without media,” said educator Nils Schwandt after the trip.
In a climate that was almost Mediterranean, the young people were able to be kids again and let their minds wander while playing tag. Numerous encounters with wild animals, both small and large—from spiders to snails and snakes—did nothing to dampen the group’s spirits. Culinary delights also helped take their minds off their everyday worries.
Canoe Trip on the Diemel
The canoeing group set out from the Hofgut in Stammen on the Diemel River and paddled all the way to Bad Karlshafen, where the Diemel flows into the Weser. After six hours of paddling on the first day, quite a few of the novice canoeists in the group took full advantage of the river’s width and thoroughly explored the bushes along the banks. During the lunch break, the young canoeists received further instructions on how to paddle successfully.
On the second day on the water, the canoeing group was confronted with wild rapids. “Only one canoe was briefly turned into a submarine,” educator Philipp Rumpel reported with a laugh. However, the group worked together to bring the boat safely to shore and helped bail out the water.
Since our arms were getting tired by the end of the weekend, we rewarded ourselves for the successful trip and the thorough cleaning of the boats with a big ice cream on the way back.
Hiking Around Neuschwanstein Castle
The last group of travelers had planned a hiking trip in the Allgäu. Nine students wanted to take on the physical challenge of the Allgäu Alps. “I’m curious to see if I can do it, but I’m also motivated!” said student Emilia upon arrival, gazing at the mountain scenery.
On the first day, the enthusiastic students hiked from their lodging across the Salober Alm—with a view of Lake Weißensee—all the way to Füssen. There, they took a break at the impressive Lech Falls before exploring Füssen’s old town. Sticking to the shore of the Weißensee on the way back, the hiking group arrived back at their vacation homes exhausted but happy after a 20-kilometer hike.
On Sunday, the hikers woke up to bright sunshine. The starting point for the day’s hike was right at Neuschwanstein Castle. But the tour of the castle wasn’t scheduled until the following day. Today began with a steep climb, but it also offered a breathtaking view of Neuschwanstein Castle and the surrounding lakes. “Unbelievable—I never would have thought at the start that I could do it, but then suddenly you’re standing at the top and can be so proud of yourself!” said student Emilia happily.
At the Tegelbergkopf, the hiking group took another break to refuel before climbing together to the Ahornspitze at 1,784 meters. “It’s just so beautiful here—this view, this silence, and this nature!” exclaimed student Friederike enthusiastically.
Returning past the castle with one last beautiful evening view, the hiking group reached the vacation homes exhausted but happy after climbing 1,100 meters in elevation. Teacher Francine Olschewski cooked a meal as a reward for the athletic and persevering group. After the guided tour of the opulent Neuschwanstein Castle, the hikers set off on their journey home on Monday afternoon as the last group from the Steinmühle boarding school—exhausted but also relaxed.
On Saturday, the cycling group left their bikes behind and hiked together up to the Hoherodskopf. On Sunday morning, everyone was back on their bikes, heading toward the boarding school grounds. With perfect cycling weather, they were able to enjoy the beautiful natural scenery of the Vogelsberg and the Lahn Valley once again. 
