Campus Expedition 2024: From Landau through the Palatinate Forest to Kaiserslautern

The RPTU is considered the greenest campus in Germany thanks to the Palatinate Forest between Kaiserslautern and Landau. The ZSGW (Centre for Sport, Health and Wellbeing) offers students the Campus Expedition the opportunity to experience nature in this biosphere reserve and to discover the connection between the two locations Landau and Kaiserslautern in a special way.Laura Schlicksupp and Louisa Marie Kienesberger took part in this year's Campus Expedition and shared their impressions with us.

Laura Schlicksupp is in her 10th semester of a psychology degree at the RPTU in Landau and is currently writing her bachelor's thesis. Although she doesn't have much experience of hiking tours, she is always up for new challenges and really wanted to experience the Campus Expedition.

Louisa Marie Kienesberger is originally from Austria. As part of her Erasmus Mundus Master's programme, she got to know universities in France and Denmark, as well as the RPTU in Kaiserslautern in Germany. She is back and is now writing her master's thesis in Quantum Technologies at RPTU. She particularly appreciates the natural surroundings and the proximity to the Palatinate Forest – so the Campus Expedition 2024 was a must!

Laura and Louisa, what is the Campus Expedition and what made you want to take part?

Louisa: The aim of the Campus Expedition is to hike from Landau to Kaiserslautern in about three days. It took place for the first time in 2023 and was launched by the ZSGW after the merger of the two universities of Landau and Kaiserslautern. I was too late to apply for the Campus Expedition 2023. So it's all the nicer that I managed to apply this year.

Laura: I scanned the QR code on a flyer in 2023 when I saw the advert. I had to apply with a kind of letter of motivation and briefly explain who I am and why I really want to be part of it. What particularly attracted me to the Campus Expedition: the Palatinate Forest, which connects the two locations of Kaiserslautern and Landau. That's why the Campus Expedition is also about exploring nature and discovering it in all its facets. Unfortunately, I wasn't accepted on my first application, but this year I got in!

What was the Campus Expedition 2024 like for you?

Laura: I started the Campus Expedition with a sense of adventure, and that remained the case. But it was a bit of a shame that we had to reschedule quite a bit due to the changeable weather. So sometimes things got a bit chaotic and it was really stressful for everyone involved at times because we often had to improvise. Fortunately, that didn't affect the mood at all. On the contrary – it was a little adventure.

Louisa: Exactly! We were surprised by hail and snow, which is why we covered some distances by bus and walked less than planned. We also had to rethink how we set up our overnight camps and take the weather into account when planning. So this year's Campus Expedition was a little different. But I think that all of this made it an unforgettable experience.

That sounds like a special challenge. Is the Campus Expedition also something for inexperienced hikers?

Louisa: I already knew from what I'd heard that the Campus Expedition can be a bit of a sporting challenge. But I love being in nature and spending time in the mountains. I go hiking and climbing a lot where I live, which is why I applied for the Campus Expedition. But basically, the Campus Expedition is open to everyone. Of course, it doesn't hurt if you've done a bit of hiking before, but it should also be doable for those with no experience at all. We were a group of 17 participants, all walking at different speeds. Nevertheless, we always walked together and waited for each other. This was mainly because the ZSGW did a great job of organising the Campus Expedition. We were perfectly equipped, were able to transport the camping equipment in the bus and didn't have to take anything with us except for a small hiking backpack for water bottles, for example. That's why I recommend everyone to try the Campus Expedition.

Laura: I agree. I had definitely underestimated how much organisation was involved and was really impressed by the team behind the Campus Expedition. Especially because I didn't have to worry about anything in advance. In my opinion, inexperienced hikers should just bring a lot of motivation and willpower. You need that to keep going even when you get physically weaker or just don't feel like it anymore. If you're motivated, you'll do well. Staying in a good mood along the way and keeping up the spirits within the group also helps a lot!

Was there a highlight despite the weather?

Laura: The landscape – it was really unbelievably beautiful. And I also had my phone off for three days to really switch off. That was my personal highlight. I came home after the tour and was much more relaxed than before. Nature, despite the weather, totally relaxed me.

Louisa: For me, it really was a highlight, especially because of the weather. It's something special when you open the tent in the morning and there's fresh snow on the ground. And in the evening, it's all the more cosy around the campfire. There was also a guitarist in our group. All in all, it was perfect!

You experienced nature in all its facets...

Louisa: Definitely! What surprised me was that the Campus Expedition was not just a hiking trip. On the way from Landau to Kaiserslautern, we stopped at various stations and talked to foresters and other experts. Some of them hiked with us and showed us the Palatinate Forest from different perspectives. I didn't think that science, environmental protection and nature would come together here and that I would learn so much.

And you can read about all of this and relive the experience in the expedition book?

Louisa: Exactly, the expedition book has been around since the Campus Expedition started last year. All the participants and experts have signed it, and it is always with us. We took a group photo at each station and recorded the experiences. It is a book full of wonderful memories that will be used and passed on for many years to come.

Why should everyone take part in the Campus Expedition at least once?

Laura: I met someone with whom I went camping again straight away. That was really cool! Besides, it's so much fun to be outdoors in nature. You learn an incredible amount about yourself and the others in the group. And this experience – camping in the forest, the weather conditions and the landscape – is truly unique!

Louisa: I couldn't agree more. Just bring a good mood and everything else will be taken care of!

The Campus Expedition at a glance:

• Hike from Campus Landau to Campus Kaiserslautern (Startcampus alternates) within three days
• Visits to research stations with valuable insights into scientific and ecological connections
• 60 kilometres of distance and 1700 metres of altitude
• Next Campus Expedition: Autumn 2025
• More information about the Campus Expedition:
  https://zsgw.rptu.de/campusplus/wald/campus-expedition