Day 08: From Langballigau to Gelting

Date	09 Dec 2025 (Tuesday)
Today's Distance:	17 mi / 27 km
Route map
Total Jutlandica:	43 mi
Total Germany 2025	43 mi
Total Spain 2025	245 miles.
Total All Caminos:	2396 miles
Lodging:	Hotel Hellas @ € 59
Total Lodging:	$ 412
Airplane(s):
Total Airplane(s) / Insurance:	$ 1020 / $ 132
Buses / Trains / Taxis & Rides:
Total Transportation:	$ 94
Food:	€ 33 at hotel. Moussaka and Sunday and coffee and two beers and ouzo
Total Food:	$ 189

Weather

Unbelievably it is still in the low '50s in Northern Germany.

During the long hike today, I only had some problematic weather twice. Both were drizzles of rain, but each only lasted about an hour. Other than that, it was the usual 100% overcast.

On the Road

Preps

Today is a 15 mile day so I am getting started as soon as I can.

Sunrise is 8:30 a.m.

Sunset is 4:00 p.m. so that makes for 7 1/2 hours of daylight.

I need to be keep making time so that I can get to Gelting before sunset. I've never been a fan of checking in after dark.

Day's food

I couldn't stock up on food last night, being that the four restaurants in Langballigau were closed.

Breakfast was leftover pizza, protein bar, crackers, almonds.

Lunch was leftover pizza, protein bar and almonds.

Weather forecast

The weather looked to be an issue today also. Although the temperature high is expected to be 50°f, rain starts about 11:00 a.m. and while it may not be intense, it will last for 4 hours or so. I'm hoping not to get to my next hotel soaking wet.

Beach walking

The beach walks were beautiful, having the Flensburger Fjord to my left. On scale, it looks as big some of the Finger lakes, if not parts of the Great lakes.

Habernissen moor

The trail went through the Habernissen Moor. Turned out that the planks on the trail were exceedingly slick. There was no snow or ice, they were just wet. And yet four separate times I felt one of my feet go out from under me. I was just very lucky that I did not fall. I would have ended up in water on either side of the plank, not even considering the possibility of getting hurt in the fall.

Given those hiking conditions, it was a beautiful place to walk through with all kinds of vegetation that created a peaceful scenery.

Wrong turn

I was back on the beach, after the moor, and struggling through sand and getting tired of it. So Google Maps indicated to me a route off the beach. It did not work out.

I ended up in three separate farm fields with mud halfway up my hiking boots and 4 in up my pants legs, trying to get to a road that was much farther away than indicated.

I kept waiting for some farmer to come screaming out of this house at the intruder in his field.

To be honest, I would have been better if I'd stayed on the beach.

Wrapup of the day

Today was all five sceneries. Farms, pastures, beach walk, forest and even a moor.

The weather was not as bad as predicted. Most of the day temperatures were around 50° f. The predicted heavy rains turned out to be two light drizzles.

Beer chaser, or not

Sitting in the restaurant (Greek style) in the hotel. At the moment all I want is a beer, a Flensburger Pilsner. The waiter brings it and a shot of ouzo also. Like an inexperienced drinker I asked what am I supposed to do with the ouzo. He says kill it all in one swallow and then enjoy the beer. When in Rome ...

Maybe, I should say when in Athens, ...

Let me give you a tip. Don't mix ouzo and beer.

Because it's a Greek restaurant. I'm having moussaka.

Meaningful Moment

Lots more forest today. Today's mix has been 1/4 beach, 1/4 road going through pastures and farmland, 1/4 forest and 1/4 moor.

Scenery wise, it was a pretty good day.

The rain was not the issue that I feared it would be. The weather forecast indicated rain for the last 3 hours of the hike. All I really had during the day was two light rains of about 30 to 40 minutes duration each.

Planning what's up next.

Tomorrow I will reach Kappeln.

I think I would like to spend 2 days there.

Fairly convinced that I'm leaving the Fördesteig trail for the Kiel Canal trail. Looking at my options.

I've used Google Maps to plot out routes to Kappeln. The route distances go from 8 miles along the road, to a 9 mile road walk, to all the way up to a 15 mile walk, which goes along some parts of the fjord.

I've used booking.com to scout any possibilities along the coast. No real possibilities that I can find to allow for continuing along the Schlei fjord on a easier 2-day walk from here to Kappeln.

Tomorrow

There is a bakery/ coffee shop in town that opens up early. I'm going to go down there for an early morning treat. Then pick up my bag at the hotel and take the direct route to Kappeln.

I already have a reservation at the youth hostel in Kappeln. I should be there easily by 1:00 p.m. which will give me time to check out the city, and decide if I want to stay a second night.

The next event

I think it's time to plan the next event. While I'm in Kappeln, I will figure out how much of the Kiel Canal that I want to walk.

Random Thought of the Day

Find myself thinking more and more about mortality.

I know that is not an unusual thing, and that I'm not very different from very many other folks, especially boomers my age.

The number of funerals I've been going to has gone up. And the number of Facebook friends that I hear have passed has gone up.

Funerals for people I know from the Coast guard axillary.

Facebook noticed about people I know from Kings prep High School.

Facebook notices about people I've served with in the Navy.

And closest to me, my mother passed last year.

It's been 20 years since my father passed but I still think about him at times.

Sometimes I ask myself if I'm living my life with purpose.

I have my loving partner, amazing son and daughter-in-law and grandkids, and wonderful siblings.

But sometimes I wonder what my purpose is. I had one in the Navy. I had one in the Coast guard auxiliary.

Maybe I'm just currently self-obsessed.

I'm in good health, but it seems that some important things can be ephemeral.

And as a corollary I'm in good physical shape.

But I also wonder how long I'll be able to continue doing these long distance hikes.

Two of the four hikes here have been over 16 Mi. I completed them, and lived to tell about it.

I got to the hotel and got my laundry done and got showered up and got something to eat and got ready for the next day.

I passed the test.

Usually about this point in a hike, I'd be calling my mother to check in with her. I wish I could do that right now. Actually, I'd like to check in with my father also.