What could be better than a retreat in the Allg\u00e4u? Well, perhaps a retreat in the Allg\u00e4u with picture-perfect weather! \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n
The Allg\u00e4u is without a doubt one of my favorite regions in Germany. The landscape is simply beautiful, the food is delicious, and the hiking trails and views are spectacular. And when the program of the retreat is just as good, well, then I definitely made the right choice! \ud83d\ude42
\nI\u2019m almost tempted to say: \u201cNever has relaxation been more valuable than it is right now!\u201d \u201cBack to Serenity: Working with the Body, Breath and Nervous System through Restorative Yoga\u201d is the title of our retreat. Sounds promising, doesn\u2019t it? The retreat is taking place at the Allg\u00e4useminarhaus in Uttenhofen. So, filled with anticipation, we set off for this hilly little paradise!<\/p>\n
The Allg\u00e4useminarhaus<\/strong> Ayurvedic = Unseasoned?<\/strong> Between Yoga Practice and Allg\u00e4u Feeling<\/strong><\/p>\n The next morning is all about \u201carriving\u201d: arriving in the Allg\u00e4u, arriving in the group and arriving in Restorative Yoga. After dinner, we drive to Leutkirch. We want to buy some snacks and something nice to drink. In the old town, we plan to \u201cA Vierdale schlotza,\u201d as they say in Swabian \u2013 basically, to enjoy a little drink. Passing the G\u00e4nseliesel Fountain, we find a lovely traditional restaurant. An Evening Walk to the Merazhofen Stations of the Cross<\/strong> Hiking to the Eistobel Gorge After a while, we leave the paved road behind and the trail literally takes us over hill and dale \u2013 mostly roots \u2013 steadily upwards. It\u2019s quite strenuous, but as is so often the case when you\u2019re climbing uphill, the effort is worth it. At the summit of the Kugel, we are rewarded with a fantastic view of the Alps. We take a break at a beautiful resting spot and simply enjoy being there. Wonderful. The rest of the trail towards the Eistobel, taking us via Hohenegg, is equally fantastic. We can even see all the way to Lake Constance. Simply gorgeous!<\/p>\n A Hiking Gorge in the Allg\u00e4u<\/strong> Hopefully, we\u2019ll have enough time, we think, since we have to be back at the seminar house for the evening session at 8 p.m. But our concerns quickly disappear. The service is excellent, the food arrives quickly and tastes fantastic. We would happily have stayed longer, but, well\u2026 \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n Conclusion: Yoga, Culture and Plenty of Fresh Air<\/strong>
\nAs soon as we leave the motorway near Ki\u00dflegg, we immediately get that unmistakable Allg\u00e4u feeling. Beautiful bright-green meadows stretch out before us, dotted with happy, very relaxed cows \u2013 of course, each one wearing the obligatory bell around its neck. We drive along winding roads through the green, rolling countryside. Our excitement grows with every kilometer. Then we finally reach the Allg\u00e4useminarhaus, a former mill that has been converted into a seminar center. It has been beautifully restored and comes with an absolutely stunning garden. In my opinion, the garden alone is worth the trip. And the best part? Hiking and cycling trails start right behind the house. How great is that? We move into our cozy, very bright room on the second floor, with a side view of the garden. Since we still have some time before dinner and the weather is absolutely gorgeous, we take a little walk to stretch our legs and enjoy the fresh mountain air.<\/p>\n
\nAt 6 p.m., we meet the rest of the group for dinner. Everyone gradually arrives. In the common room, a kind of buffet has been set up. We are already quite curious. Vegetarian food has been announced \u2013 which suits me perfectly well. After the long drive, we are also pretty hungry, so we eagerly dig in. There are baked potatoes, vegetables and salad. The potatoes are quite tasty, but the vegetables are very overcooked and, on top of that, barely seasoned \u2013 if at all. I\u2019m surprised. I had no idea that Ayurvedic food could be quite so\u2026 bland. I\u2019ve been to India quite a few times myself \u2013 and, as far as I understand, that\u2019s where Ayurvedic cuisine originated \u2013 and Indian food is many things, but certainly not unseasoned. We are a little puzzled, but still hope that things will improve over the course of the week.<\/p>\n
\nWe start with a meditation, which is a wonderful way to begin the day. For breakfast, we are served traditional Swabian Seelen bread rolls and hearty mountain cheese, among other things. After that, there are a few organizational details and our first theoretical insights into the subject. During the two-hour lunch break, we head outside. The weather is glorious, the air is clear, and we have brought our bicycles with us. We take a little ride to get our circulation going before returning to our yoga mats. After dinner \u2013 unfortunately rather unseasoned again, and this time with onions and garlic largely omitted as well \u2013 we go for a little digestive walk. The remaining four days follow a similar pattern. But we notice that with each passing day, we become better at relaxing and more comfortable with the practice of Restorative Yoga.
\nFortunately, the weather continues to be on our side. On Tuesday, temperatures even climb to 25\u00b0C, so we use our lunch break for a bike ride to Isny. We are absolutely delighted by the beautiful cycle path that takes us, winding and sometimes rather steeply uphill \u2013 with gradients of up to 15 percent \u2013 into the little Allg\u00e4u town. Thank goodness for our e-bikes! Isny has a lovely historic old town that certainly deserves a longer visit. Unfortunately, we don\u2019t have time for that today.<\/p>\n
\nThanks to the still-mild evening, we can even enjoy our drinks outside. A perfect ending to a wonderful day!<\/p>\n
\nAfter a thunderstorm in the afternoon, the sky clears up again in the evening. Perfect timing \u2013 and a good reason \u2013 for a little digestive walk. This time, I head towards the Stations of the Cross in Merazhofen. Merazhofen is practically the neighboring village of Uttenhofen.<\/p>\n
\nAfter the weather briefly turns cloudy on Wednesday afternoon, the sun is shining again on Thursday. We have the afternoon off. Of course, I had done my homework before coming on this retreat and had looked into the attractions in the surrounding area. That\u2019s when I discovered the Eistobel. Since I love gorges and ravines of all kinds, the plan for the second half of the day is immediately clear: off we go on a hike around the Eistobel, including a climb up the Kugel, the highest point in the West Allg\u00e4u. We park our car in Maierh\u00f6fen and start our ascent to the summit of the Kugel at an altitude of 1,065 meters. On the way, we pass the \u201cButterblume,\u201d a small cheese dairy that unfortunately has been closed since the end of August. \ud83d\ude41<\/p>\n
\nAfter a fairly steep descent along a root-covered trail, we finally reach the gorge known as the Eistobel. We follow Route No. 20 \u2013 well, it\u2019s the longest one \ud83d\ude09 \u2013 while also following the flowing water through the gorge. The warm autumn sunshine illuminates everything so beautifully that we manage to take some fantastic photos. Only in the shade does it feel noticeably chilly already. After a good hour, we gradually approach the exit. We can also feel that we\u2019re getting tired, but we still have another five kilometers or so ahead of us. When we finally reach the car again at around 6 p.m., we are completely satisfied after such a wonderful day of hiking \u2013 but our legs are definitely getting tired. Now we need something delicious to eat. And we already know where we\u2019re going: the \u201cGasthof am Kreuz.\u201d We discovered this traditional restaurant on our bike ride to Isny on Tuesday. The menu online immediately caught our attention. I can never say no to dumplings or Maultaschen, the famous Swabian stuffed pasta. So off we go! The restaurant is already quite busy when we arrive shortly after 6:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
\nUnfortunately, the next day it is already time to leave this beautiful corner of Swabia. We had considered staying a little longer, but, well\u2026 work starts again on Monday, and the drive back to Braunschweig is a long one. Still, it was a wonderful time. We got plenty of rest, received lots of guidance and practical exercises on relaxation, and came home with many new impressions. We can wholeheartedly recommend both the Allg\u00e4u region and our seminar leader, Simona Weichert. Yoga, culture, fresh mountain air, beautiful landscapes \u2013 and a little bit of adventure on the side. What more could you ask for from a retreat?<\/p>\n