There is a water tower sitting on a ridge just outside the village of Heitersheim. From there you get a nice view of the surrounding area, especially the vineyards that we frequently walk through.

Every day I am thankful to be living where I do. The social distancing restrictions, the not being able to be with more than one person and maintaining that gap between us, don’t seem as hard when you can walk in such a beautiful area.

Being right on the edge of the Black Forest gives the opportunity to walk under the shade of the trees on hot summer days. There are hundreds of trails – there is always something new to discover. Though admittedly it can all look the same, until you stumble across a ruined castle or an abandoned mine.

When it isn’t too hot, the vineyards are a choice area to walk in. In late summer and early fall you can even munch on a few grapes as you walk, sampling the different varieties. For some people that hold a lot of appeal, though I admit I prefer my grapes slightly chilled, which they definitely aren’t on a hot summer afternoon.

This past Sunday was a great day for a walk. Sunny, about 20 Celsius (68 Fahrenheit), and clear skies. It is about an eight-kilometre (five mile) round trip to the water tower and it seemed like the perfect destination. The paths are wide and you didn’t have to get too close to anyone else out for a Sunday stroll.

One of these days COVID-19 won’t be dominating everyone’s attention, and we will go back to doing things with others, all sorts of group activities. Lots of us will still enjoy walking though.