A day at the lake

Early in the morning, the air is generally still a bit nippy. Even in the summer, there are often low misty clouds floating above the water. The colours are pale, the contours slightly blurred, almost as if the day still has to shake off the night. Most importantly, however, it is peaceful. A tentative chirping in the trees, the buzzing of the insects in the reeds and the noise that is heard as ducks preen and flap their wings – otherwise, there is not a sound to be heard. This is the best time of day for a coffee on the bank, a short yoga session or just a few minutes of doing nothing at all. “The lake is still”, as an old German folk song says. It could have been written by Hohenfelden Reservoir. On an early morning in the summer. Or perhaps even in one of the old houses that are just a couple of hundred metres away in the Thuringian Open-Air Museum Hohenfelden. One by one, the museum’s founders brought more than 47 historic buildings from across Thuringian to this site. Most of them were to have been demolished before the open-air museum was (made) aware of them and rescued them.

⠇

 

The open-air museum in Hohenfelden from above, ©NÓI CREW

But how is it possible to move such a building? First, experts take photographs of it in its old location, from every conceivable angle. They draw up blueprints, number bricks and mark beams. Then the building is disassembled into its individual parts. A heavy-load transporter brings it to Hohenfelden. It is then assembled piece by piece in the open-air museum – just like a Lego kit. The “Hoyer byre-dwelling”, for example, ultimately consisted of around one thousand pieces that had to be put back into the correct place. The 400-year-old building, along with its original furnishings, was moved to the museum. All the cupboards, sofas and even the lamps are just as they once were. One of the former residents worked as a hairdresser – today, the chairs in the living room are arranged next to one another exactly as they were for her customers. The final owners come and visit now and then. To see how their house is doing in the museum.

Beach day at Hohenfelden Reservoir

In comparison with the museum buildings, the most popular accommodation on the Hohenfelden campsite is tiny: the new tiny house is just a few square metres in size. After it was opened, it was booked up for months ahead so quickly that another couple of tiny houses are to be added soon. There is enough space, after all. The site is huge, a large green oasis with old trees and vast lawns for playing children, chilling parents and barbecuing grandparents. The feeling that the residents of the tiny house often have of being quite alone by the reservoir is connected to what the real estate industry likes to describe as “location, location, location!”: it is right by the reservoir.

⠇

 

Glamping in the Tiny House at the Hohenfelden campsite, ©NÓI CREW

And if you still have some energy after going out on a boat?

If you would like even more peace and quiet, the best place to be is on the water! The boat hire service on the Eastern bank hires out SUP boards and traditional rowing boats. For the latter, you should bring an inflatable cushion with you. You can rest your head on it when you take a break out on the water and watch the clouds go by. Is there anything more relaxing than bobbing up and down on the water like this? And watching the clouds as they move on to an appointment beyond the horizon. This kind of thing is, of course, much too boring for younger passengers: they want to see a couple of fish at the very least. So you have to keep rowing the boat to the spot where one has just jumped out of the water. And if no fish jump out, Mum or Dad must quickly paddle across the lake to a place where there are other children sitting in other boats: perhaps they can be engaged in a water battle. The broad oars of a rowing boat can be used to scoop quite a lot of water out of the lake.

⠇

 

Rowing trip on the reservoir, ©NÓI CREW

Adults who still have some energy after this can be persuaded to make a trip to the activity park. There is a ropes course there. And an archery trail. Or you could drive to a riding school. As tomorrow is another day by the lake, however, everyone gathers in front of the Hanslbar on the south-eastern bank from the late afternoon. There you will find snacks, drinks and wooden platforms projecting out over the water. The lake becomes calm in the evening, the last ripples subside, and the water eventually becomes like a mirror in which you can see the dark blue Thuringian sky. And then the sun goes down, and the colours change by the minute. Finally, it casts a red sheen over the reservoir. Like a farewell. Like a promise that tomorrow is another day by the lake.

⠇

 

The 'Hanslbar' serves drinks as well as fine cuisine, ©NÓI CREW

Header Picture: A day at the Hohenfelden Reservoir, ©NÓI CREW