Last Sunday saw a flurry of activity in the woods between the northern end of Oberursel and nearby Oberstedten.  Several hundred children and parents from the local Waldorf school were holding a sponsored walk to raise money for a school  in South Africa.

Although the school itself borders on the area, the start was actually located some distance away in the woods itself – signs led those like myself who had gone to the school instead from the gates along a trail to get there.

Once at the check-in point, the walk itself took a circuit that was about 1 km long, with the walkers being sponsored on a per-lap basis.  Over 300 people were expected to take part.

The sponsorship money raised will be put to use in a project at the Dassenberg Waldorf School in South Africa who have had a partnership with the school in Oberursel for the past 15 years. (more…)

I must have driven past the building that houses the Jugendtreff or youth club in Oberstedten – part of Oberusel – many times without realising that it is there.  For me, the building housed the local Amtsgericht or court, but yesterday I found out just how much more goes on in there.

The room has been restyled and redecorated, and yesterday the grand opening took place with a number of the town’s dignitaries in attendance.

And whilst it is just one room that is available for Oberstedten’s teenagers to meet in, that room is not just a big open space.  Following a “beach bar” theme, there are corners where people can sit and chat but also an open space that contains a table-top football game (“Kicker”) and a pool table.  There is also plenty of space outside that can be used in the summer months.

This is, however, just the latest use for this room.  Local residents who were at the opening told me that although it is known as the Altes Rathaus or Old Town Hall, the building was housed the village school and even the public baths. (more…)

The residents of Oberstedten, the part of Oberursel that lies between the northern end of the town and Bad Homburg, have been relatively unaffected by the Hessentag so far.

This will change tomorrow (Monday 13th) when the Hessentagsmarathon takes place and runs partly through their streets as well.

The marathon starts at the Marktplatz and after going through the town, but thankfully not crossing an of the railway lines, it goes out along the Maasgrund through the woods to the Hohemark.

From there it passes the new Taunus Information Centre before continuing through the woods north of the B455 towards Oberstedten, causing the following roads to be closed between 8.30am and 12pm: (more…)