Families enjoy drifting fest July 8

by Petra Lessoing
86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs


The Otterberg forestry office and the communities of Hochspeyer, Frankenstein and Waldleiningen will sponsor, in cooperation with local associations, the annual “Triftfest,” or drifting fest, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 8 at the Biedenbacher Woog (pond) in the Leinbach Valley.

Besides enjoying an attractive entertaining program for young and old, visitors will experience how logging and the drifting of timber worked about 160 years ago. Drifting timber is the transportation of wood on the water.

“At 12:30 and 2 p.m., visitors can watch demonstrations on logging by using horses and how the wood was transported on creeks through the Leinbach Valley,” said Sabine Tie from the tourist office in Hochspeyer.

“We want to show this year how the cultural asset of using the working horse in wooded and agricultural areas is being maintained. The forest work with horses is a new attractive part of our drifting fest.”

Children can climb up trees, participate in a duck race and watch the work of beekeepers.

A guided hike to the gigantic Atlas rock above the Leinbach Valley will start at 9:30 a.m. at the Protestant church in Frankentstein.

The hike goes along Frankenstein Castle, then onto a hiking path until Leinbach Valley to the Biedenbacher pond, where members of local associations will serve grilled game specialties, Palatinate delicacies, beverages, coffee and homemade cake.

The Biedenbacher Woog is located between Frankenstein and Waldleiningen. Visitors can get there by foot, bicycle, on horse, or in carriages. It is not possible to drive in privately owned vehicles to the fest area.

“We offer a shuttle service for a small fee leaving from Frankenstein at various times from the train station, Goebelsplatz, Alter Postplatz and Biedenbacher Woog,” said Tie.

In Waldleininingen, the shuttle stop will be at the parking lot near the cemetery. There will be signs leading to the parking lots and the shuttle stops.

For more information and directions, call Tie at 06305-71147 or e-mail s.tie@Hochspeyer.rlp.de.