Black Forest Blog

Every year the readers of the hiking magazine (-> www.wandermagazin.de) vote for “Germany's most beautiful hiking trails”. The result of the 2020 election was published on August 27th - and the Black Forest took first place in both categories!

The Belchensteig won the title in the day tours category, while the Baden-Baden panorama trail received the most votes in the multi-day tours category.

The Belchensteig leads almost 15 km as a circular route through the southern Black Forest and of course to the summit of the Belchen Mountain. This is 1414 meters above sea level. the third highest mountain in the Black Forest, and offers wonderful views in all directions from its treeless summit. The starting point is the Wiedener Eck (municipality of Wieden), but of course you can join the tour at any point. In addition, you can include the Belchenbahn (cable car) in the hike, depending on which direction you go as an aid to ascent or descent.

The Baden-Baden Panoramaweg leads around 45 km around Baden-Baden and into the Black Forest. Here, too, you can include a mountain railway in the tour and take the railway of the same name to Baden-Baden's local mountain, Merkur. The Panoramaweg is a circular route and can be divided into any number of stages. There are several entry and exit points that can be easily reached by car or public transport.

The two excellent hiking trails are undoubtedly highlights - but of course there are many, many more, each with their own charm, varying degrees of difficulty and length. You can find out more about the long-distance hiking trails here at www.black-forest-travel.com in the hiking section.

In Bad Herrenalb in the northern Black Forest, the so-called "Kleine Landesgartenschau" began on the last Saturday, May 13, 2017, until September 10 visitors can visit the show.

In the newly designed spa park, the facilities along the river Alb, on the Swiss meadow and the historic monastery district, there is plenty to see and discover. Also, many cozy places were created for relaxing and relaxing. An extensive supporting program with events, games and fun, and activities for nature and garden friends are offered.

In any case worth a visit - here a small photo gallery from 16 May 2017.

The flower show 'Chrysanthema' in Lahr still lasts until 13th November 2016. This is a huge flower show of autumnal chrysanthemums, which extends over the whole inner city. Nearly all buildings are decorated with flowers, and numerous flowering plants are also found in the larger and smaller squares of the city. The local clubs also contribute to the overall picture with imaginative arrangements.

On the market square, there are daily events, demonstrations of traditional crafts, participation, concerts, dance shows, show cooking and prize-giving. With a ferris wheel and children's carousel, there is also something for children, as well, there are some market areas, of course, chrysanthemums to buy, as well as numerous offers for the big and small hunger. There are also plenty of streetcafés for a short break.

In the southern Black Forest is currently under construction, the "Biosphere Reserve Black Forest". 29 municipalities in the counties of Lörrach, Waldshut and Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald participate on the establishment of the sanctuary on an area of ??over 600 km². A biosphere reserve is a model region for sustainable development, which is also equipped by UNESCO with a special certificate. Participating communities are related funding is available, which can be used among other things to the development of tourism infrastructure.

In a biosphere reserve are the traditional agricultural landscape in the foreground, unlike the National Park, where the natural development without direct human influence is sought. In the National Park 75% of the total area of ??use are deprived of human use, in the biosphere reserve are the only 3%.

"With the establishment of the biosphere reserve Black Forest, a unique model region with significant added value for the economy, tourism and nature. Together we are a strong impetus for the sustainable development of the whole region - in ecological, economic and social point of view ", the Baden-Württembergische Conservation Minister Alexander Bonde said at the signing of the agreement on 19 February 2016 in Schönau. Schonau is also location of the office of the biosphere area.

The following 29 municipalities participating in the biosphere region Black Forest:

• Aitern
• Albbruck
• Bernau
• Böllen
• Dachsberg
• Freiburg
• Fröhnd
• Häg-Ehrsberg
• Hausen
• Häusern
• Hinterzarten
• Höchenschwand
• Horben
• Ibach
• Kleines Wiesental
• Oberried
• Schluchsee
• Schönau
• Schönenberg
• Schopfheim
• St. Blasien
• Todtnau
• Tunau
• Ühlingen-Birkendorf
• Utzenfeld
• Wehr
• Wembach
• Wieden
• Zell im Wiesental

End of September 2014, the Treetop Trail Black Forest was opened in Bad Wildbad. The up to 20m high bridge and the 40m high observation tower offer really interesting perspectives and views and are certainly worth a visit.

With a total length of 1,250 meters inclusive of the ramp in the tower, the path leads through the canopy of beech, fir and spruce trees of the forest on summer mountain in Bad Wildbad. In addition to the interesting insights into the treetops some stations show information about the local nature and wildlife and skill exercises.

The highlight is the 40m high observation tower at the end of the treetop path. As you climb up the ramp, the view raises more and more about the forest, and offers top a magnificent panoramic view over the forests of the Northern Black Forest.

Tip: Check with the city train S6 to stop Uhlandplatz/Sommerbergbahn or by car to the parking garage downtown. Then with the mountain railway (cable car) to the top terminal. From here it is only a few hundred meters to the Treetop Trail. There is a combined ticket for mountain railway and treetop path available.

The national park in the Black Forest was founded in January 2014, and is the first national park in Baden-Wuerttemberg in southwest Germany. This area lies in the northern part of the Black Forest between the Black Forest High Road and the Murg valley. It consists of two separate parts, the area in Ruhestein (district of Baiersbronn) and Hohen Ochsenkopf/Plättig which is near Baden-Baden.

In February, the visitor's program for 2014 has been published. A total of 283 tours, Guided visits and information sessions are offered in the National Park and the surrounding region in the northern Black Forest over the entire year. Other services and facilities will follow in the next months and years, especially interesting for tourists would be the establishment of a visitor's center offering suggestions for tours on foot or by bicycle as well as a travel concept for environmentally friendly travel etc.

Of course the national park priority is to look after the nature and its species. When the touristic concept exists it will become a top tourist attraction in the Black Forest. A taste of how it might look again in the national park, there is the protected forest 'Wild Lake' (photo) which now belongs to the National Park. This forest reserve was established over 100 years ago, since that time this area has looked after itself.

The time has finally come: the fruit trees in the Ortenau region have started to flower.

The entire landscape is covered by a sea of white flowers - this is spring in the purest sense! And with the current sunny weather, an outing and a short walk are definitely worth the effort.

The photo was taken yesterday, the 20th April 2010, near Durbach.

Who gave Lake Titisee its name? One of the legends (maybe its even true) say the Roman general Titus, who camped here with his troops, gave it his name, because he was so impressed by the beauty of the lake. The first authenticated reference to it, however, dates back to the year 1111 in documents belonging to the neighbouring village Saig, in which the names 'Dettesee' and 'Titinsee' are found; the today's name Titisee came into use about 1750.

Sure is: the Titisee is one of the most popular places for tourists in the Black Forest, Germany. Every year thousands of people enjoy the great landscape, the possibilities for water sports like swimming, wind-surfing, sailing or a pedalo ride. A very nice option for enjoying the Lake Titisee and the surrounding Black Forest landscape is a sightseeing tours by one of the pleasure boats. Since the waterfront promenade in Titisee-village was converted to a pedestrian zone, the 'Seestrasse' is considered the loveliest street for strolling and shopping in the Southern Black Forest.

The nicest view on Lake Titisee is without any doubt from the lookout tower on Hochfirst mountain (see photo).

Lake Titisee is located in the Southern Black Forest, 30km east of Freiburg in the south-west of Germany. The approach by car is possible from the autobahn A5, exit Freiburg-Mitte, from there the B31 direction Donaueschingen. Or from the autobahn A81, triangle Bad Dürrheim on the B31 direction Freiburg. The basin for lake was formed during the last ice age, just 10,000 years ago. A glacier extended from the Feldberg to the present-day lake. The basins gouged out by the glacier and the terminal moraine now form the basin of Lake Titisee. The lake is 850 m above sea level, 2 km long, just under 1 km wide and approx. 40 m deep.

Titisee village is also a climatic therapy resort and worth a visit all year round. Vacationing guests will find a selection of accommodation ranging from rustic, well-equipped inns to comfortable apartments and luxurious first-class hotels.