Returning to Höhenglücksteig

Topo from bergsteigen.com for Norissteig and Höhenglücksteig:

David had to skip the previous visit to the via ferrata with me and Mikuláš, so we planned another trip to climb both Norissteig and Höhenglücksteig.

We started off following the same route as last time, getting to Fischbrunn and then walking through the forest to the base of Norissteig. This time, we had a longer wait in Hersbruck, so we went to the only open bakery in the town to get some calories for the climb.

The via ferrata itself was wet from the light rain during the day, making some sections slippery, so we had to take more care while climbing. Still, we managed to complete the main Norissteig sections without issues, enjoying the caves, the rocks, and the views of the forest.

After getting a bit lost and confused while walking around the area, we found the Höhenglücksteig via ferrata entrance and started climbing it. There's a tiny E difficulty section at the start, which I didn't dare to try both times I climbed this route, but David actually managed to do it first try!

The rest of the Höhenglücksteig was fun and challenging, with some steep and exposed sections. The rocks were still wet, so we had to be careful, but we managed to complete most of the route without issues. As we were getting through the last section, I ran out of energy and strength and fell down from the cable. I hanged there for more than 10 minutes, letting my arms rest and recovering my strength. There were no footholds there, so I couldn't climb back up. Eventually, David approached me from above and pulled me up to the cable, allowing me to grab it and get some rest on a small ledge. After a few minutes, we discussed if we should continue or not, and I decided to turn back to the entrance to that section, as I was too tired to continue safely.

After finishing the climb, we walked down through the forest to Neutras and then to Etzelwang, where we waited for the train back to Nuremberg.

I have to say, going there the second time was just as fun as the first time, and I really enjoyed climbing both via ferratas again with David. I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone looking for an outdoor climbing experience, one of the best ones in the area!