Neuschwanstein

The castle stands up out of the trees on its own crag, pale grey towers and slender spires with the red gatehouse at the front catching what light there is. The pines below it are almost black, with a few last autumn colours still hanging on among them.

Behind, the mountains go up in ranks, streaked with snow and half lost in mist, and the light over the whole thing is cold and blue and about an hour from going altogether.