Black Forest Blog

Traditional christmas markets take place in many places in the Black Forest every year. The flavour of mulled wine, waffles and fir needles, candlelights and the cosy atmosphere attract the guests every year anew. Besides eating and drinking of course you can find lots of local products for your own or for your christmas gifts.

Here you find dates and places of the biggest and most beautiful markets:

• 26 November - 27 December 2009: Christkindles market in Baden-Baden
• 23 November - 23 December 2009: Christmas market in Freiburg
• 24 November - 23 December 2009: Christmas market in Offenburg
• 26 November - 23 December 2009: Christkindlesmarkt in Karlsruhe
• 28 November - 28 December 2009: Sternlesmarkt in Ettlingen
• 26-29 November 2009: Magical Christmas market in Calw
• 23 November - 22 December 2009: Christmas market in Pforzheim
• 4 December - 13 December 2009: Christmas market in Freudenstadt
• 30 November - 23 December 2009: Advent's market and the world's biggest 'advent calendar house' in Gengenbach
• 27 November - 6 December 2009: Advent's market in Gaggenau
• 27 November - 13 December 2009: Christmas market in Bühl
• 27 November - 20 December 2009: Christmas market in Rastatt
• 28-29 November 2009: Christkindlemarkt in Bad Dürrheim
• 28 November - 23 December 2009: Advent and Christmas market in Lahr
• 10-20 December 2009: Christmas market in Bad Krozingen
• 3-13 December 2009: Christmas market in Lörrach
• 10- 20 December 2009: Christmas market in Rottweil
• 4-6 December 2009: Christmas market Bad Säckingen
• 4-6 December 2009: Christmas market in St. Blasien
• 5-6 December 2009: Christmas market in Titisee-Neustadt
• 10-13 December 2009: Christmas market on the Rosenplatz in Baiersbronn
• 11-13 December 2009: Christmas market in Oberkirch
• 25 December 2009 - 3 January 2010: Triberg Christmas Magic - thousands of lights illuminate the waterfalls and the nature park nearby

The Feldberg (1493m above sea level) is the highest mountain in the Black Forest, Germany. The Felderg Mountain is located in the south-west of Germany, about 25 km south-east of the city of Freiburg.

Photo on the right: The Feldberg summit on the left side, on the right side the Seebuck foothill with the lookout tower.

A cableway runs from the car park at the Haus der Natur (House of Nature) to the Seebuck foothill. Incidentally, the cableway is operated as a 6-seater chair lift in winter. The actual summit of the Feldberg is reached from the upper terminus via a 2km footpath. There are several sign-posted hiking trails leading round the summit area with a walking time of between 30 minutes and 3 hours, from which you can enjoy the beauty of the landscape in its entirety and the magnificent views in every imaginable direction.

Ascend the Feldberg Tower and you can let your eyes wander even further into the countryside. However, you have a lovely uninterrupted view even without ascending the tower because there are no trees in the summit area.

The Feldberg is centre of the biggest skiing area in the Black Forest. Usually from November to April thousands of skiers use the 14 ski-lifts and downhills of all categories.

Places nearby

• Feldberg municipality
• Titisee-Neustadt
• Hinterzarten
• Todtnau
• Bernau

A very special event took place once again this year in the small community of Dachsberg in the southern Black Forest: the Dachsberger Charcoal Pile Festival. The charcoal pile at the forest sports ground in the district of Wolpadingen smoked from the 25th July to the 9th August 2009, and a great deal of entertainment was on offer at the same time.

The Markgräfler Bergturnfest gymnastic festival and the jubilee weekend of the Dachsberg traditional costume band with its regional music festival had already taken place on the first two weekends. The climax was the folklore day on Sunday the 9th of August with plenty of music, a national park market and demonstrations of old Black Forest handicraft trades. The charcoal pile will be opened on 21st/22nd August, and the charcoal offered for sale on 22nd August.

In the Dachsberg charcoal pile, charcoal is produced in the traditional manner from approximately 20 steres (cubic metres) of beechwood in approx. 4 weeks (2 weeks just for cooling). The charcoal stack is watched around the clock by the charburners during this time (the shelter can be seen on the left in the top picture, the charburner is clearing the smoke holes in the bottom picture). The charburners also enjoy answering visitors' questions and providing expert information about the composition of the charcoal pile and the history of charcoal burning in the Black Forest.

Charcoal burning was an important industry in the Black Forest for a long time. The charcoal was mainly required for ironworks and glass manufacture. Increasingly larger quantities were needed, which meant that vast areas of the Black Forest were bare and not covered by dense forest as they are today. Coal was increasingly used in industry from the 18th century, so that the trees grew back and the forest could recover.

Incidentally, the community of Dachsberg is set in a beautiful location on a plateau in the Hotzenwald Forest, the southernmost part of the Black Forest. Well-known places in the area include St. Blasien and Todtmoos. Lake Schluchsee, Lake Titisee and Feldberg Mountain are also not far away.

The 'Bähnle cycle route' is a cycle route on a disused railway line in the Southern Black Forest from Titisee-Neustadt to Bonndorf via Lenzkirch over a distance of more than 30 km.

The Bähnle cycle route, completed in 2008, runs mostly along the route of the disused Lenzkirch - Bonndorf railway line in the southern Black Forest. As a result, there are only slight uphill gradients over the whole route, so that the Bähnle cycle route is suitable for a cycle tour with the whole family.

The route is not only scenically attractive, but interesting historical documents of the railway line can also be seen, e.g. railway stations and bridges. Further information on the history of the railway is provided on display panels for people who are interested.

A nice way to see the South Black Forest regional park and some of its attractions on a one day, not to heavy bicycle tour.

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.