Day 12: From Breiholz to Hanerau-Hademarschen

Date	13 Dec 2025 (Saturday)
Today's Distance:	11 Mi / 17 km
Today's route
Total Jutlandica:	72 mi
Total Germany 2025	72 mi
Total Spain 2025	245 miles.
Total All Caminos:	2425 miles
Lodging:	€ 77 @ Landgasthof Köhlbarg
Total Lodging:	$ 719
Airplane(s):
Total Airplane(s) / Insurance:	$ 1020 / $ 132
Buses / Trains / Taxis & Rides:
Total Transportation:	$ 111
Food:	€ 8 @ Rewe € 28 @ Köhlbarg
Total Food:	$ 343

Weather: Pretty early into the Run. It started raining despite a weather report that indicated no rain. Lasted for a couple of hours. It wasn't strong. It was just constant drizzle. Then in the afternoon had beautiful blue skies. Incredible difference. Temperature was in the very low 50s.

On the Road

Got up around 7:45 a.m. took my time getting dressed and packed. For breakfast, I finished my almond roll and chocolate and banana filled crepe. And by 9:00 a.m. I was headed out. 

Made my way back to the Kiel Canal. But it was an  exceptionally cloudy day. 

Even as I exited the trail on to the canal, I had 4 sea-going freighters pass by, but I didn't bother with any pictures because it was so misty.

Shortly after, it started to drizzle again. It was more than enough that I stopped to cover up my backpack and put my rain slick on. I took the time because it wasn't too much longer before I would have been soaked. I checked my weather app and there was no call for rain, but it was raining.

By the time I made my second checkpoint of the day, the rain had stopped. But I was wet and cold. It was time to catch the ferry across to the other side of the Kiel Canal.

Just as the fairy got underway, we had to hold up for the freighter headed towards the North Sea. Really cool experience to watch this big freighter pass us on by. 

After we completed the crossing, I took the opportunity to relax at a shelter at the ferry point. Had some pizza and a power bar and fiber wafers. 

Started down the canal trail and after about 10 minutes came to a sign that said the trail up ahead was blocked. The trail was closed to walkers. 

I considered pressing on, thinking I could sidestep any issues. But then I thought the better of it and turned around. 

I had two possibilities. I could take the ferry back across the other side and continue on down the canal. This would have easily delayed me another 40 minutes. 

Or head straight in to Hanerau-Hademarschen. Since it was already after noon, I decided to take this option, and wrap up the day. It was still at least a 2-hour hike.

Don't you know that shortly after I got on the road to the hotel, the gray clouds lifted and I was confronted with brilliant blue skies, like I haven't seen since I've been here now going on 12 days. 

If I had had any clue that this is what the afternoon weather was going to be like, I would have taken the ferry back over to the other side and walked along the canal.

Because I decided to head straight in to the town, I knew I was going to arrive well ahead of check-in time. 

In fact, check-in time was 4:00 p.m., and I was standing in front of the hotel at 2:00 p.m. I tried several ways to reach someone at the hotel, but there were no replies to my messages and nobody picked up the phone. 

So I waited for 2 hours for someone to show up. 

I can't complain. I waited too long to start sending messages about the change in my plans. 

And I suppose I can't expect someone to be sitting there on the phone, waiting for me to call, in case I call. 

The hotel is really nice. I have a good room. 

Great supper at the hotel. A mixed salad that had a very interesting sauce, mushroom-based soup with Italian wedding meatballs and a chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream with a special sauce and whipped cream.

Meaningful Moment

I really enjoyed the ferry ride, but the sea going freighter passing by us. Awesome to be near such a big ship.

Random Thought of the Day

Could have been frustrated by the turn of events for the day. 

Despite a promising weather forecast of only gray skies, the rain, although annoying, was manageable. 

And not being able to continue my hike along the canal, but having to divert instead to a road, turned out all right also. I got to walk through more bright green pasture lands. 

It was a good day to take what was thrown at me and accept it for what it was. 

German practice

On the NOK...

Nord-Ostsee-Kanal

Only the KSV

Kreisfreie Stadt Kiel

Independence City of Kiel

WSA Brunsbüttel

Wasserstraßen- und Schifffahrtsamt

 Waterways and Shipping Office

ABz Hochdonn

Aussenbezirk Hochdonn

Outer district Hochdonn

Oldenbüttel Base

Entering and driving on the site is not permitted.

Schirrhof translates as stable yard, but that's not the usage here

Delivery and commercial trucks not allowed 

Residence, landowners allowed

Weidehaltung in Gefahr

Pasture ranching in danger 

Pasture ranching uses small pastures to graze animals, not large tracts of land 

Wölfe fressen kein Gras.

Die deutsche Wolfspopulation wächst rasant.

The German wolf population is growing rapidly.

Die deutsche Wolfspopulation wächst rasant.

The number of livestock kills is growing rapidly. 

Tote Tiere, Totgeburten und in Panik geratene Tiere sind die Folge von Wolfsangriffen

Dead animals still birds and panicked animals are the result of wolf attacks.

Die Existenz der Weidetierhalter ist bedroht

The existence of livestock farmers is threatened.