18. From Mill to Mill in Baybachtal Weinsmühle

The Weinsmühle
The previous two mills were located in rather gloomy, low-light areas, and so we leave these dark places shivering and are quite relieved when we reach the sun-drenched estate of the former Weinsmühle ten minutes later. Here too, we find the former residential and mill building only in its foundation walls. The ditch of the mill dam, through which the water flowed to the mill wheel, is still clearly visible. An outbuilding of this mill is still preserved and seems to be used for leisure activities.
The last resident of the mill was Ernst Wein (1868-1959), who could tell such wonderful old stories.
His pride was the threshing machine powered by the water wheel. It is reported that his older sister had never ventured further out of the mill than perhaps to Gondershausen for church in her entire life.

The mill dam, which was dammed about 200 meters above the Weinsmühle and is still clearly recognizable, once served the farmers of Gondershausen as a “sheep pond” (tump, pond), into which the sheep were driven and washed from time to time so that the wool would not be too dirty when sheared. Later, the youth of the village used the pond as a bathing and swimming opportunity.
Below the Weinsmühle, where the “Waldecker Wanderweg” leads down from Heyweiler, the terrain is so winding due to protruding rocks that we have to change sides several times over three wooden walkways and can only proceed along narrow, sometimes steep paths. And then we reach a natural forest area, where the operation of a managed forest was not possible due to its inaccessibility. In a steep slope, mighty beech trees, about 150 years old, grow. They are very decayed; some have already been blown over by the storm, and others have had their strong branches break off, leaving only their bare stumps reaching for the sky. It seems only a matter of time before their roots also rot and they tumble down the slope. But nature takes care of itself and ensures new growth. Already, a lot of young trees are growing back, which will soon provide dense forest cover again.