08-Apr-2004 -- My 40th birthday. What a way to celebrate it than knocking off another confluence! This time I took "´er in doors!". I had planned to do this confluence with a colleague one lunch time but he was on holiday at the other end of the country so .... (also now with hindsight following this visit I know it would have been unrealistic during a lunch hour!!).

We attempted to follow the route taken by the previous visitors. Got lost, went the wrong way and then drove past the starting point before realising we were wrong again and turned around. We registered we were 1.42km from the cofluence at this point and at an altitude of 382m.

Set off hoping the rain would hold off (it had rained several times during the drive to our starting point). Hadn´t gone far when I realised how hard the going was going to be (for someone not used to exercise!) previous visitors mentioned a climb of 260m in 1.6km we found it was a climb of 270m in 1.4km but due to a mistake (missed a marker tree at a fork in the path) we ended up having to go up a 45° slope to get back on the path we should have been on about 300m from the confluence.

Anyway after we arrived I did have to perform the confluence dance this time and can confirm the previous visitors observation that it was difficult getting all the zeros this time, also I can confirm the altitude is indeed higher than the 445m indicated on the web site I registered an altitude of 650m which I believe to be accurate having confirmed the accuracy of my GPS after obtaining altitude readings at the tops of a couple of mountains.

I think it is interesting to note that the same fallen tree can be seen in my picture and theirs also the tree that splits into two is in my picture and theirs .

The journey back was much better and only took about 20 minutes although by this time my age was beginning to tell and my legs were going wobbly from using muscles not exercised in the last ??? years!!

Once back at the car we decided to drive to the place at the end of the route we were walking i.e. the Hocheck Schutzhaus where we had an enjoyable meal whilst the weather changed between snow and bright sun!

All in all a successful and different way to spend a 40th birthday!!