When we set off through the undergrowth, the morning air is fresh and tingling. As we press on, the wilderness gets wilder. But nothing is threatening. What seems unusual at first glance soon looks just as it should. As Ranger Florian points out tiny details that are not in any hiking or nature guide, we begin to understand what real wilderness is all about.
As well as learning more about nature, I learn something about myself. The forest reminds me of what I learned at school, a long, long time ago. For example, what is the difference between fir and spruce? Um ... what was it the teacher said? "Fir cones stick up; spruce cones hang down," explains the ranger, a mine of information. (Of course, now I remember. Basic knowledge!). "Spruce needles are sharp; fir needles are soft," adds Florian, giving us a branch to rub with our hands. (Now that he tells us, I remember learning that). As I put on my knowing smile, I am deeply grateful to the ranger for mentioning the obvious little things. The citrus smell of the needles, for example, that comes when you rub them between your fingers. The spruce have a gentle lemony scent; the fir is more like orange. (I have to admit that I don’t remember learning that).
