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Published: June 23rd 2017
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One of the several mills in the ravine
Several of the mills still look to be operating at specific times. The wheels are large and made of metal with water races coming from the steep stream with plenty of flow. I didn't bother to write up yesterday as it was another train trip to Freiburg following up places we hadn't been to, doing some shopping and getting very hot again.
Today is our last day in the Black Forest and we chose another fairly long hike for the day. The hike was the Black Forest Highlands Heritage Trail (Heimatpfad) which took in both heritage and historic spots. We took the train to Hinterzarten about 5kms from Titisee and set off on the route marked with water wheel symbols. The first part of the trail goes down alongside a river in a narrow gulch to several mills with water wheels mainly used for sawing timber and milling grain. We crossed under the main road and to a location that used to have rope makers, millers, barrel makers, a glass blower and merchants for supporting them all. We wondered where people suddenly came from and encountered a car park leading to Hofgut Sternen nearby. this place was very touristy but fascinating - a hotel or two, restaurant (of course) a glass blowing shop (nice) and an amazing building with a giant cuckoo clock. At 11am the cuckoo came out of the top
A walk in the Ravenna Gorge
The trail runs alongside a fast running stream of cascades and waterfalls. of the building and the figures below danced around. Below was the clock. We had stumbled across one of the more famous locations in the Black Forest. I should mention that I had always associated cuckoo clocks with Switzerland but in fact they came from this area.
Alongside the Hofgut Sternen location is the Ravenna Viaduct, 34m high and 220m long, made entirely of rock. It's most impressive. We had been over it in the train several times and had not known what we were on. We had also looked down on the trail we were headed out on. You see things from an entirely different perspective at ground level.
From Hofgut Sternen the trail then heads uphill through a beautiful narrow gorge. It is steep and has cascades and waterfalls along the way with several old mills with water wheels still in existence. At the top of the gorge we came out into lovely rolling meadows which we walked through back to Hinterzarten. Here, we looked for a sitting place to have a picnic lunch but if I can fault the trail for anything, it's the lack of seats. There aren't any so we sat on the
grass and had many German comments made to us as people passed. We just replied with a "Ja, ja".
We completed the 8km walk back in Hinterzarten and decided to walk another 5kms back to Titisee. Walking through Hinterzarten we realised what a lovely place it is. It's quieter and in a lovely setting which you don't see from the main road. It lacks the chaos of Titisee but has all the ingredients of a great place to stay. I would choose this town in preference to Titisee which is only a few kilometres down the road if it's peace you want.
The walk back to Titisee is across rolling meadows and eventually through the forest back into the town. All is peace and quietness until you hit the main street. Oh boy, they sure unload them from the buses here. There would be 10 or more buses parked at any one time disgorging heaps of people who really can only wander down the street and back and admire the view or sit in a restaurant. Most obviously do the latter by the size of so many people They are fat. Pure and simple!
Back at the
Cuckoo Clock house
The front of the house is a clock with the cuckoo at the top, dancing figures below and the clock below that. apartment it was all peace and calmness again. Christian owns all the land around the Biohaus and intends to leave it that way. It could so easily become a sea of holiday apartments if he chose to sell it. We have been very happy with our choice of accomodation and the Black Forest area has a lot to offer. It's a great place for nature lovers, cyclists, hikers and families.
By all accounts, the Black Forest has just been added as a Unesco Biosphere Reserve where people and nature live in tune with each other.
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