Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
A WALK IN THE BLACK FOREST
As locals will tell you, you need to hit the trail to really see the
Black Forest
(
www.blackforest-
tourism.com
; SchwarzwaldCard adult/child/family €37/€27/€113)
. From gentle half-day strolls to
multi-day treks, we've cherry-picked the region for a few of our favourites.
Panoramaweg
(40km) If you want to appreciate Baden-Baden and the northern Black Forest from
its most photogenic angles, walk all or part of this high-level ridge trail, weaving past waterfalls
and viewpoints through orchards and woodlands.
Gütenbach-Simonswäldertal
(13km) Tucked-away Gütenbach, 22km south of Triberg, is the trail-
head for one of the Black Forest's most beautiful half-day hikes. From here a forest trail threads to
Balzer Herrgott, where a sandstone figure of Christ has grown into a tree. Walking downhill from
here to Simonswälder Valley, fir-draped hills rise like a curtain before you. Return by veering north
to Teichsschlucht gorge, where a brook cascades through primeval forest lined by sheer cliffs and
moss-strewn boulders. Head upstream to return to Gütenbach.
Westweg
(280km) Up for an adventure? This famous long-distance trail, marked with a red dia-
mond, stretches from Pforzheim in the Northern Black Forest to Basel, Switzerland. Highlights fea-
ture the steep Murg Valley, Titisee and Feldberg. See
www.westweg.de
(in German) for maps and
details.
Wutachschlucht
(13km) This wild gorge, carved out by a fast-flowing river and flanked by near-
vertical rock faces, lies near Bonndorf, close to the Swiss border and 15km east of Schluchsee. The
best way to experience its unique microclimate, where you might spot orchids, ferns, rare butter-
flies and lizards, is on this trail leading from Schattenmühle to Wutachmühle. For more details, vis-
it the website
www.wutachschlucht.de
(in German).
Feldberg Steig
(12km) Orbiting Feldberg, the Black Forest's highest peak at 1493m, this walk tra-
verses a nature reserve that's home to chamois and wildflowers. On clear days, the views of the
Alps are glorious. It's possible to snowshoe part of this route in winter.
Martinskapelle
(10km) A scenic and easygoing walk, this 10km loop begins at hilltop chapel
Martinskapelle, which sits 11km southwest of Triberg. The well-marked path wriggles through
forest to tower-topped Brendturm (1149m) which affords views reaching from Feldberg to the
Vosges and Alps on cloud-free days. Continue via Brendhäusle and Rosseck for a stunning vista of
overlapping mountains and forest.
Marktplatz
The grand neoclassical Marktplatz is dominated by the Ionic portico of the 19th-century
Evangelische Stadtkirche
and the dusky-pink
Rathaus
. The iconic red-stone
pyramid
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