The Harz National Park is located in Northern Germany. Join me on this adventure into the depths of this forest, in the heart of autumn.

The trip to Harz came to life on a whim. I had just gotten the DJI Mavic 3 Pro, and my drone license - I wanted to test it in the field. On a Friday evening in October, I just took the bus from the Netherlands to Germany without planning, I just decided to up and go! At the time, I was preparing for my trip to Iceland, I had quite some new gear and equipment, and I decided it was time to test it all, in the field.

And so, there I was on a Friday evening, on a bus to Germany. It was a 9-hour trip to Hanover, then to Bad Harzburg. While on the bus, I surveyed the area briefly, planning my hiking route a little. By Saturday morning, I was in Harz National Park. I witnessed the sunrise from the bus, I couldn’t believe the colors I was seeing. It was my first time experiencing autumn so vibrantly, the colors of the lush hilly vegetation were accentuated by the light rain that morning. I felt a burst of creativity surging through me as I laid my eyes on the incredible beauty of the trees. Right in the middle of the city, the fallen autumn leaves, the moss-covered trees, the alleys with tree tunnels, radiant with autumnal colors… what an incredible experience!

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Just when I thought I had seen it all, I entered through the forest… and dear god, what a sight to behold, what a vibe! The smell of fresh air in the forest, the sound of the rustling of leaves, the sight of yellow leaves falling from trees and carried by the wind, the feeling of the cool forest air on my skin… all my senses were delighted to be in this place!

What’s more, I was graced with fungus life all over the forest. I had planned to hike from Bad Harzburg through the Harz National Park to the Brocken (altitude ~1100m) and then to Ilsenburg for a night stay, but I couldn’t rush through the experience. I spent hours just photographing the mushrooms and dead leaves, a golden opportunity - it was as if the rain had brought them to life, they stood vibrant on the forest floor, amidst dead trees, between tree trunks, there they were… the forest foragers!

At some point, I noticed that I was hours away from my first destination, the Brocken — and it was almost time for sunset. The rain stopped for a moment, I was now in a clear area — it was time to send the drone flying, my very first flight of the Mavic 3 Pro! I was left speechless by the aerial beauty of this forest. It was such an upgrade from the Mini 3 drone, the telephoto lens of the Mavic 3 Pro was stunning!

It was already blue hour by the time I was done with the drone. I decided to skip the Brocken for now and head straight for my hotel in Ilsenburg, 12km away still. I had no idea what was in store for me. The night was young. Although I had yet to see it, I could feel the energy of a full moon pulsating through the air.
As I walked through a most peculiar pine forest, where I saw nor heard any traces of animal life for such a big forest, no birds, no hares, no deers, it was absolutely silent. A silence only disturbed by the sound of flowing rivers and rustling leaves. It was quite odd.

And as I kept walking, as night crept in, the temperatures had dropped quite significantly. Then amidst the pines that dressed the evening skies, the moon made a most spectacular appearance. It was soon to be Halloween, and it felt like the moon was playing along — an eerie vibe swept across the night skies as the moon rose behind the silhouetted pines. Spookily and playfully behind the clouds, she shone brightly.

After some time, the moon got swallowed by clouds and it started raining. Having spent quite some time outside, I was starting to feel the cold. In the dark, I took a wrong turn and ended up wandering quite a bit through the forest. The weight of my bag was starting to become noticeable, the fatigue of walking for so long without stopping was building up. The way to rest seemed long and so far away — I was getting desperate to reach my hotel, wondering if they would still allow me to check in as it was already past 10 pm.

And then out of the blue, the moon shows up again. Looking closer, I notice a partial eclipse happening. It was such a magical moment, my energy levels were replenished and my fatigue simply vanished.

Afterward, I felt such liveliness. I still had 5km to go, but now it seemed easy. And so, I strived — I reached Ilsenberg around 11.11 pm just as my headlamp lost power! I was welcomed in the hotel, and even managed to order some food at that time, what a delight the staff were! After my meal and a bath, Lady Morpheus beckoned me to her realm in a gentle embrace as Lady Luna graced the night skies with her presence…

I woke up the next morning quite late, but fully rested! It was a very windy day, but today I was gonna head to the Brocken, and take the train from there to Nordhausen. That was all very fine, but I was on a very tight schedule. There was not much time left to catch the last train as it was Sunday.

On my way, I decided to go through the Ilsestein, another viewpoint overlooking the Brocken and Ilsenburg Valley, rumored to be the most beautiful place in the Harz forest. That did not disappoint, the beauty of this place was extraordinary. Although the wind was blowing like crazy, making it impossible to fly the drone, the viewpoint from Ilsestein was priceless. It felt great to connect and play with the rising winds!

I got so absorbed in the moment, that I forgot to check the time :D Yes, time flies when you are in the flow. I tried to make up for it by trying to rush, only to find that I had taken a wrong turn. I had to turn back, I would not make it in time for the last train, and my expedition to the Brocken would have to be canceled yet again. I decided to make a loop through the Ilsenburg valley before heading to the town, to catch the last train out of there. I wasn’t sure of the timing of anything as in the forest, there is no network.

And so, I began to ease into exploring the Ilsenburg valley — part of which I had already passed through in the night. I did not get crazy lighting conditions in the forest as it was quite an overcast and windy day, but the beauty of this forest became apparent to me, clearer than day — there it was! The rivers and colors of autumn that the trees wore, it was such a potent combination. As I walked, the Harz stole my Heart — each step a testimony to the love for this place, a gift that kept unraveling itself the deeper one looks.

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All things in nature are like that, the embodiment of Perfection at all times, waiting for our senses to grow, to awaken to the Beauty that already IS, effortless. This Beauty is within Us all, for those with eyes that dare to see beyond the preliminary layers of sense perception.

This is the natural evolution of Life for humanity, as bearers of Consciousness, as Conscious Creators, to see that which is beyond sight — to find that which we marvel at in nature within us. What an opportunity to be born as a human being, capable of reflecting on our own experience as shards of the Divine, capable of experiencing ourselves in a multitude of forms and shapes — each one a unique expression of the Infinite.

What do you feel upon to create here on this planet?
Are you unwrapping the unique gift that you are born with?
What makes you tune in to the state of flow?

Slow down, and connect to that place of Timelessness and Effortlessness… it holds all the answers you seek!

Give yourself space.
Allow Mother Nature to show you the way.
Harz, You have my heart 💚\

P.S. On my way back to catch my train, I marveled at the houses in Ilsenburg, as the sun was setting over the forest.