COTTAGE BY THE THREE SPRINGS, Ditterswind

an ecologically restored separate apartment, approximately 40 square meters, in the lovingly expanded loft of a small barn, a source of inspiration for people who enjoy quiet and relaxation or who wish to work in a peaceful atmosphere COTTAGE BY THE THREE SPRINGS an ecologically restored separate apartment, approximately 40 square meters, in the lovingly expanded loft of a small barn, a source of inspiration for people who enjoy quiet and relaxation or who wish to work in a peaceful atmosphere; * for overstimulated city-dwellers seeking rest and recuperation in the countryside; * for a single guest or couple, child also welcome (yard for play, books and games, and a south-sloping field) * for visual artists, visiting stage directors, singers, stage- and costume-designers, etc., who need occasional lodging (there is a piano available in the workroom); * for translators and writers from Germany or elsewhere (languages of the German landlords include Italian, Dutch, English, and French, as well a basic knowledge of Spanish, Swedish, and Persian/Farsi); * for congenial people of all sorts looking to escape the hectic pace of daily life in the serenity of natural surroundings; * for artists who would like to live as "artists in residence" in surroundings free of agitation This apartment—refurbished over an extended period of time with much energy and "heart's blood"— is situated behind the main dwelling at the foot of a large mixed-fruit orchard where we apply the principles of natural conservation and keep a beehive. Next to the property are three historical wells, still in their original state, which yield the purest water and feed the adjacent pond, where fish and ducks swim. Rent: € 45 per night or € 275 per week, with an additional final cleaning charge of € 15 This property in the socalled Heilige Länder ("Holy Lands"), the popular designation for the southern Hassberg Hills region of Lower Franconia, was a matter of "love at first sight" for us when we acquired it in 2012, and our feeling for it has only deepened. Long untenanted, with fallow gardens and mixed-fruit orchard, it seduced us into undertaking a lengthy resuscitation project. The sandstone house from 1865, with its old climbing rose and the espalier pear tree warming itself along the wall, has a chiseled quotation over the old front door that immediately stirred our emotions: THE BLOWING WIND SHIFTS CONSTANTLY AND RIVERS FLOW WITH SHIFTING FORCE NO STREAM HAS EVER FLOWED UPHILL NOR EVER TIME TOOK BACKWARD COURSE Our ensemble includes a mixed-fruit orchard, our "Garden of Eden," whose fruits—old varieties—our guests may pick without being expelled from paradise ; a former sandstone barn where small animals were stabled, the upper floor of which is the atelier apartment with visible roof beams, an integrated kitchen nook, and a separate bathroom with shower, toilet, and sink; a cottage garden, reawakened to new life, and the former workroom of a carpenter and painter—it was she who started the project of ecologically restoring the main house - this workroom, which also contains the piano, is also available upon request. "Dream Goals": — laying out gardens on the orchard meadow — manageable undertakings in the workroom, among other things Guests have access to the fruit and many wild herbs in the orchard, as well as whatever vegetables and spices are growing in the garden; to the outside table and seats—just let us know you want to use them; to deck- and folding chairs, as well as a bench, for the orchard Naturally we respect our guests' privacy or need to withdraw, but we are more than happy to help with any questions and requests Your Hosts: Gerda Maria bathed as a child in an atmosphere of flowers, poetry, and song by her grandparents (from the old Bavarian Ore Mountains region), she celebrates her birthday on the same day as Goethe, is extremely proud of her five grown children in Berlin, Munich, The Hague, Pforzheim and Potsdam, and of Vincent her Berliner grandson; she sings, studies Farsi, gives readings, works with great passion in a small town as a teacher of German to asylum seekers, loves her bee-keeper, the fine arts, the Romanesque, and all the flowers in the world; makes confections and tea of wild fruits and herbs, has a predilection for (oriental) poetry and for music, pursues a higher cultivation of the heart, enjoys guests, and feels complete in the bosom of nature Klaus born in Würzburg, has happy memories of childhood and youth in the Hassberg hills; did his university studies in Bologna among other places; has been, from 1996 to 2015, a Commercial Director at municipal theaters in Nordhausen, Augsburg, Mannheim and Freiburg, now working as consultant for theatres, operas and orchestras; is well-read, athletic, enjoys cooking Italian and Persian food, loves Gerda, Dante (Alighieri), classical music, theatre, woods and meadows, old varieties of vegetables, and his bees on the Ditterswind Gottesrangen slope We are both well-traveled and like good parties and well-pleased guests, but our ears are still tuned to the beating heart of nature. "We always owe a certain debt to art, nature, and children." Local Area Ditterswind is a village one can easily become familiar with. It contains a small castle, with goats and a small wild park, that has been restored by the Bavarian Monuments Preservation Bureau; a lovely old church; a fishpond that also serves the fire department; a "peace" linden; friendly, open inhabitants; and a helpful "mom and pop" store. Ditterswind is sub-district of the Maroldsweisach Marktgemeinde ("market township"), affectionately known to the local people as "Maro," a township situated in the Hassberg Naturpark ("nature preserve"), that has distinguished itself through the model fostering of existing buildings rather than the uncontrolled growth of new construction. You will find marked hiking and biking paths in a lovely landscape; an old and charmingly situated outdoor swimming pool and a modern one high up in Altenstein and Ebern respectively, with various thermal baths at a distance of some 20 km.; and a large number of castles, ruins of medieval castles, and Celtic plateaus with ruins in the surrounding area. All of this offers many possibilities for a ruminative vacation and/or one that is rich in variety. The highly intuitive may detect areas of special energy on the Staffelberg and Veitsberg heights, and in the vicinity of the so-called Heilfelsen ("healing rocks/cliffs") in Rotenhahn and Lichtenstein. We were told on a guided tour that the term "Holy Lands" for our region did not necessarily arise from the piety of the local population or the like, but could also be interpreted as meaning "healing or salutary lands." (In both English and German "healing" and "holy" have the same etymology.) Re Hospitality Franconian restaurants serve the specialties of the region at reasonable prices. We also recommend the "Heckenwirtschaften" ("hedge or broom winerooms") in the timber-framed wine-growing villages, where a clean home-made wine and a small menu invite travelers to make a stop (as long as a spray of broom is hanging on the door). The city of Coburg (ca. 25 minutes away) offers high-quality performances in its marvelous Kurfürstliches Theater, if you feel the need for culture. No less enjoyable is the E. T. A. Hoffmann Theater in Bamberg (ca. 35 minutes). And then, of course, there is the Würzburg Theater (ca. 50 minutes). Würzburg and Bamberg are both World Cultural Heritage sites. Schweinfurt (ca. 35 minutes), for its part, is seductive for its first-rate art collections. The loving gaze we cast upon the Hassberg landscape is what accounts for the various photographs you see, which are not arranged in any chronological or seasonal order. There are information brochures available in the Atelier House. And of course we ourselves can help you with any additional questions. Transportation Unfortunately Ditterswind can not be reached by public transportation, so it is necessary to have your own car to vacation in this region. But if you are coming exclusively to refresh yourself in Ditterswind and vicinity we can pick you up in our own car from either the Hassfurt or the Ebern train station, which are reliably served by regional trains from Würzburg or Bamberg. We are also happy to place three bicycles at your disposal should you want them. Because of the hilly countryside we recommend to the more athletic bicyclists at least that you either bring your own bikes or rent them in Hassfurt or Ebern. Other important information In small Bavarian villages you should give every inhabitant a friendly greeting :-)