A winter hike in the German Black Forest (Schwarzwald)

February 27th till March 3rd, 2000

Introduction

Index: day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Hiking information and many useful links for the Black Forest

To the Trail Database

Our plan was to go cross-country skiing in the Jura. The autumn before I had walked that part of the GR5. This time I looked forward to enjoy the Jura covered in snow. We set off by car in the afternoon and arrived late at night in Besançon. Next morning, we took the train to Villers-le-Lac and on to Le Locle, in Switzerland. We didn't believe our eyes: no snow at all. There was more snow in october last year.

Jungholz

What to do? Alpine skiing somewhere in Switzerland? No, we turned back to Besançon where my two companions bought sturdy walking boots (see picture left),

and we drove straight to Germany, Freiburg, the Black Forest. We lodged at Kirchzarten, a village on the edge of a broad, fertile valley.

We dropped in exactly at the time the Germans fanatically celebrate carnival. From each bar and restaurant sounded the clumsy rhythms and easy going melodies of their carnival Schlagers. People in all kinds of outfit crossed the streets, apparently lost. Our dress was a bit too ordinary, but our heavy boots and rucksacks seemed to shredd off any doubts in the minds of the locals that we were normal.

Wiesental

1. Kirchzarten - Untermünstertal

Next day we set off into the Black Forest. The weather was marvelous, the temperature rising above 15 degrees centigrade. Under a clear blue sky and endowed with fine views over the ancient hills and forests, we praised our choice for this part of the world.

There were fine, old farmhouses, traditional hotels, all empty and waiting for us, lonely hikers, to offer a place to sleep. We were free to wander anywhere we liked.

Oberried

So we did. We climbed and climbed till we ended in the snow. This snow was something like mud, thick, soft and sucking. Fun for a few minutes. Here, at 1000 meters and higher, in the village of Brenden, we were trapped in the snow.

Alpine skieers zigzagged down from the surrounding slopes. People looked at us as if we were the queerest party they ever saw in winter or summer.

Well, with our ski sticks, but missing the real thing, we certainly were an anomaly.

We went on, downhill this time, all the way south to Münstertal. The snow was no problem anymore, and we enjoyed the hike, slowly descending over gentle ridges and through meadows, as if it was spring. We stayed in Untermünstertal for the night.

2. Untermünstertal - Ried

The second day was basically the same. Fine weather in the morning, great views everywhere.

The forests were particularly interesting. They were more open than in summer and allowed us to peep through the trees. At midday we ended up in the snow again. From Hinterheubronn (Café mit Apfelküche) we walked around the frozen Nonnenmattweiher, a natural lake, a relique from the ice ages. We had a hard time climbing to Jungholz through the soft thick snow. And it was hot as well. From 990 meter we gradually walked down and approached the little unspoiled village of Ried, a few farms and gardens.

By then, the sun had disappeared and a cold wind started to blow. The local Gasthaus took us in.

3. Ried - Gersbach (bus to Todtmoos)

Next morning, the sky was overcast but still peaceful. The walk, therefore, had a pastoral and quiet character. We walked South. At a certain place, we had a fine view in the direction of Basel and the Alps beyond. It started to drizzle. (No pub in Gresgen). We continued in between meadows and descended to Zell along a partly blocked stream.

Ried in Wiesental

Ried in Wiesental

In the town I bought an umbrella, which was received with ridicule by my fellow hikers. Later, it was me laughing: when we finished the cakes and coffee and climbed out of the village, the rain was pouring on their heads.

This I cannot stress too often, my fellow walkers: an umbrella is the best way to keep yourself dry and merry in any forest type of environment. This one cost me less than 5 Euro!

Henschenback near Zell

4. (Bus from Todmoos) Seebrugg - Göschweiler

Next day, we took the bus to Seebrugg. Long ago, Rien and I ended a great cross-country tour here, right through the highest parts of the Black Forest.

From Seebrugg we walked to Faulenfürst, a few houses, and picked a path along the stream Steina, the Steinatalstrasse. This was a good walk, deep into the dark forest, passing some old farmhouses, mainly descending. In fact, this path marked the eastern border of the Black Forest.

Fields near Bonndorf

When it ended, we stood in the town of Bonndorf, amidst plain agricultural country.

Havoc caused by winter storms 1999

We immediately carried on, North this time. Our goal was the Wutach Schlucht, a kind of gorge, a geological abberation. The gorge is now a nature reserve. There is a path, but it is poorly accessible. Moreover, the storms of last winter had made real havoc, virtually blocking the gorge at certain places. We soon found out.

We walked down through the open country, by itself a nice walk. In the West, the Black Forest covered the earth. Here, the ground was bare. We planned to stay in Schattenmühle for the night, a hotel in the gorge. But it was closed. So we went westward deeper into the gorge until we stuck in a part of the forest that was completely knocked down by the storms. Incredibly, all the trees had merrily tumbled over each other. There was no way through. It took us an hour to climb out. Then, trying to figure out where we were, a blizzard struck. In Göschweiler we found a hotel for the night.

Göschweiler

5. Göschweiler - Löffingen (Wutach Schlucht)

Our last day was marvelous. As we left the hotel, the fields and forests were covered in a smooth white blanket. As the sun gained strenght, the sky cleared.

Wutach Schlucht

Down into the Wutach Schlucht again, starting from Schattenmühle, we walked eastward this time. And a fine walk it was! The snow was very fresh and fragile. Trees and plants were covered in it, and stayed frozen for hours because the sunlight hardly entered the gorge.

The path was sometimes hard to find, very wet, and we did some scrambling. The gorge maintains a wild character because nature is left alone. The river carried plenty of water, adding to it's wild character.

Somewhere near Bachheim, we climbed out of the gorge. In Bachheim we witnessed the towing of the "witch tree", and joined the locals celebrating carnival.

Bachheim

A few hours walk to Löffingen ended our hiking tour. Back by train to Kirchzarten and the next day back to the Netherlands.

Löffingen

Hiking information for the Black Forest

Season

Winter is not the hiking season. Due to the extremely warm winter, we could walk up to 1000 meters. Above, there was too much snow to walk, but too little (or too bad) to ski. In summer, the Black Forest is crowded with tourists and hikers. In winter, normally, the skiers take over (here are the snow heights, or watch the Feldberg life). I think spring will be the best season for hiking, quiet and full of flowers.

Lodging

Finding a place to sleep should not be a problem. Every village has at least one Gasthof, and the larger towns offer a choice of hotels and guesthouses. Many hotels lie outside the towns and villages. The prices are low, the service and quality of accommodation are high. Youth Hostels (Youth Hostels in Schwarzwald) and Naturfreundehäuser, of course, can be found in many places. Wanderheime can be found along the trails. Inform at the local tourist offices. You can book a hotel online, now. This map will connect you to the local community websites.

Public Transport

Particularly useful is the train connection between Freiburg and Donaueschingen, which connects East with West and runs through the higher parts of Southern Schwarzwald. Have a look at the map below and the time table. From Titisee, a sidetrack goes to Seebrugg. Münstertal and Zell are also connected by railway. Most of the other villages and towns are connected by buslines that run from early in the morning till around seven in the evening.

Hiking facilities

Hiking is facilitated by an elaborate system of signposted and marked paths, 23.000 kilometres! The larger trails, like the Westweg, are maintained by the Schwarzwaldverein. Just choose what you like.

Schwarzwaldverein

A good place to start is the website of the Schwarzwaldverein, loaded with practical information. They have a general introduction to the Black Forest. If the links above and below won't work anymore, refer to the Schwarzwaldverein start page. You should be able to read German, though.

Maps and books

I didn't find any guidebooks like the French Topoguides, describing the larger trails. Probably you can find them in the general hiking guides for the Black Forest. You don't really need them, because maps combined with the signposting are enough. Well known are the green Kompass maps (Deutscher Wanderverlag), 1:30.000, showing all the marked paths, hostels and isolated guesthouses. There are 18 maps, covering the Black Forest.

Personally, I prefer the yellow Atlasco maps, also 1:30.000 (some 1:25.000), showing more topographic detail. There are about 70 maps, altogether. Both series come with little booklets describing the paths and the villages.

Finally, maybe you will find some books or maps at G. Braun Buchverlag Karlsruhe.