The soft smell of Christmas trees

It is a about an hour's hike, tromping along at a brisk pace, from the train station in Moselkern, Germany to the magnificent Burg Eltz, a castle that has been owned by the same family for hundreds of years.  With a little imagination, the walk there feels more like an adventure, through dense forests that could be populated with creatures from the Lord of the Rings. As the path winds on, the ground becomes padded with fallen pine needles and the air takes on a distinct, pleasant air of Christmas.  It's possible I only enjoyed this experience so much because I was traveling alone, but I'd prefer to think that this forest has some sort of innate appeal of its own.