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Return The lexicon explains everything worth knowing about the Black Forest region in terms of landscape, culture and tourism in numerous illustrated articles. The work is based on careful and critical research. The author (Dr. Andreas Fischer) was born in the Black Forest, studied linguistics in Konstanz, did his doctorate at the Humboldt University in Berlin and works as a proofreader and editor at a publishing house. sources literature HB Bildatlas Südschwarzwald, HB Verlags- und Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH, Hamburg Schäfer, Jens: Totally everything about the Black Forest. Folio, Vienna, ISBN 783852568201 Scharf, Hans-Wolfgang: The Black Forest Railway and the Villingen depot. Eisenbahn-Kurier Verlag, Freiburg. ISBN 3882557737 internet www.wikipedia.org

Return Treetop path Bad Wildbad At eye level with the birds Hiking in the treetops? Yes, you can. On the treetop path in Bad Wildbad in the Northern Black Forest, which has been there since 2014. The total length of the walkable path is 1,250 meters. You move at a height of between four and twenty meters above the ground and therefore have a fascinating view. But that's not all. The treetop path consists not only of the route itself, but also contains a number of intermediate stations, which encourage climbing as well as learning and provide information worth knowing about the flora and fauna of the area. The trail is located on the mountain Sommerberg in a mixed forest at about 750 meters above sea level. Since it has only a very slight incline, it is quite manageable with a stroller. But first you have to climb the mountain. For this you can use the funicular railroad Sommerbergbahn, which was opened back in 1908. It goes from the city to its local mountain, overcoming a gradient of up to 53% on its route. The highlight of the tree top walk comes at the end. What looks like a cup standing on its head is an observation tower. It is mostly made of wood and offers a platform from which you can see as far as the Rhine Valley in the west and the Swabian Alb in the east. If you want to return to the ground, you don't have to walk. There is a tunnel slide with a length of 55 meters, which takes you down much faster. Bad Wildbad is a spa town on the Enz river. It is located in the valley at about 424 meters above sea level, which means that it gets a little less sun than its neighboring towns. The Sommerberg, on the other hand, is not affected by this, hence its name. You can also climb to heights elsewhere in the Black Forest, namely in high ropes courses. You can find them in Schiltach, Höchenschwand, Schramberg or Triberg, for example.

Return Cross-country skiing Here comes a text about cross-country skiing Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consetetur sadipscing elitr, sed diam nonumy eirmod tempor invidunt ut labore et dolore magna aliquyam erat, sed diam voluptua. At vero eos et accusam et justo duo dolores et ea rebum. Stet clita kasd gubergren, no sea takimata sanctus est Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consetetur sadipscing elitr, sed diam nonumy eirmod tempor invidunt ut labore et dolore magna aliquyam erat, sed diam voluptua. At vero eos et accusam et justo duo dolores et ea rebum. Stet clita kasd gubergren, no sea takimata sanctus est Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consetetur sadipscing elitr, sed diam nonumy eirmod tempor invidunt ut labore et dolore magna aliquyam erat, sed diam voluptua. At vero eos et accusam et justo duo dolores et ea rebum. Stet clita kasd gubergren, no sea takimata sanctus est Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consetetur sadipscing elitr, sed diam nonumy eirmod tempor invidunt ut labore et dolore magna aliquyam erat, sed diam voluptua. At vero eos et accusam et justo duo dolores et ea rebum. Stet clita kasd gubergren, no sea takimata sanctus est Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.

Return Forest Why is the forest actually black? You have surely asked yourself why the Black Forest is called black. It is no longer possible to determine exactly, but it is assumed that the naming is related to the impenetrability of the forest, which was often mentioned at that time and which made it "black", i.e. "not visible". Nowadays, spruce trees are the main species found here, although they were not always so common. In fact, this tree species has dominated the Black Forest only since the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Until then, the forest was much more mixed and the majority of spruces were only found on the higher peaks from about 1,000 meters. Otherwise, almost all tree species native to Germany occurred. Three economic activities in particular in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries led to almost blanket clearing of forests, namely rafting, glassblowing, and charcoal burning. While rafting transported logs across rivers to other towns and countries where they were needed as building materials, glassblowers and charcoal burners needed a lot of firewood for their furnaces and kilns. Apart from that, wood was also used by farmers as a source of energy for heating, as well as a basic material for house construction and utensils. The result of all this was that the Black Forest was almost bare by the end of the nineteenth century. It was obvious that this could not remain so, because the absence of trees has fatal consequences for the soil. The humus that forms the subsoil of any forest can no longer hold without the living root system of the trees and is eroded away. This allows water to run off the mountain slopes more quickly, leading to more flooding in the plains along the rivers. So something had to be done to reforest the Black Forest. The first reforestation law of the former Baden government to save the Black Forest was enacted in 1833. At the beginning of the twentieth century, there were increased efforts to reforest. Since the main aim was to plant trees that grew very quickly, spruce was chosen, which increasingly led to the development of monocultures. Since then, spruces form almost half of the tree population. They are followed by beech and fir, each with about one sixth. Today, three quarters of the Black Forest is forested and efforts are being made to reforest more mixed forests in order to cope with climate change. Spruces in particular do not tolerate prolonged periods of drought well because of their comparatively shallow roots, but increasing warming means that rain is failing more and more often, especially in the summer months. A mixed forest can better compensate for such dry periods. In addition, strong storms have been occurring much more frequently in recent years, which have a more drastic effect on a monoculture.

Return (Black Forest) kirschwasser Don't even smell it. Black Forest Kirsch has been known for a long time. It is mostly made from sweet cherry varieties such as the black cherry, which grow on the western edge of the Black Forest. It is a high-proof drink and is considered in the Black Forest as the crowning conclusion of every meal with ham and bread, at least that is the tradition. However, it is not recommended for you, because there is so much alcohol in it that the water burns. Black Forest Kirsch is a fruit brandy. It is produced by soaking the cherries in water without the pits. With the addition of special yeast, the so-called mash is created, which ferments for a period of up to three weeks and is then distilled in a still. Depending on the alcohol content of the finished brandy, water must be added to reduce the sharpness. Such fruit brandies can be obtained not only from cherries, but from many different types of fruit, such as apples, pears or plums. One must always register a distillery with the relevant authorities if one wants to produce fruit brandies. In the past, fruit was already grown on Black Forest farms, but not in fields or plantations, but in the form of individual trees. Often there was even an overproduction, so there was more fruit than the farmers could consume. In order not to have to throw it away, it was further utilized. It was either dried in the bakehouse, after bread had been prepared there and the oven was still warm, or it was distilled into alcoholic beverages. A fruit distillery was also part of the Black Forest farms, as was the farm garden. Farm gardens are also cultivated in the present day. On the farm garden route you (a particular hiking path) can see the most beautiful of them.

Return Mountain bike Over hill and dale You can also explore the Black Forest by bike. Especially for mountain biking, there are a variety of routes with different levels of difficulty, including challenging cross-country trails. As always when cycling, please watch out for pedestrians. In addition, as in all of Baden-Württemberg, please also observe the two-meter rule. It states that trails less than two meters wide are reserved for pedestrians unless they are explicitly signposted as bike trails. But have no fear: Trail signage in the Black Forest is exemplary, so hikers and bikers alike get their money's worth. For mountain biking, there are routes around the Feldberg or Schluchsee, as well as some that start from Freiburg. Very popular is the round from Kybfelsen to the lookout tower Schauinsland or the one from Rosskopf over the Kandelhöhenweg. In addition, you can also improve your skills in one of several biker parks, such as those in Bad Wildbad or Todtnau. Not only for mountain biking there is the Black Forest Panorama Bike Path, which stretches from Pforzheim in the north to Waldshut-Tiengen across the entire low mountain range. Most famous and popular, however, is the Bike-Crossing Schwarzwald, a route of about 440 kilometers that runs from Pforzheim to Bad Säckingen, but is quite demanding, as you have to overcome up to 16,000 meters of altitude here. The good thing about it is that it goes down almost as far again, so you can enjoy the magnificent landscape. Since many of the routes are anything but flat, you should be careful when going downhill, often it is quite dangerous. If you don't like to pedal much on the climbs, you can use an e-bike rental. There are charging stations almost everywhere in the region, 170 in total. In the valley of the river Kinzig there are also paths especially for inline skaters.

Return Titisee Just jump into the cool water! Lake Titisee is located at 846 meters above sea level in the Bärental valley near Titisee-Neustadt. It is 750 meters wide and about 1.9 kilometers long. At its deepest point, the water level measures 39 meters. A small river flows through it, which is called Seebach at the confluence, but Gutach at the outflow. It is the later river Wutach, which falls into a breathtaking gorge behind Titisee-Neustadt. Lake Titisee was formed naturally, i.e. it was not dammed. It was formed by a moraine of the former Feldberg glacier during the last ice age and is the largest natural lake in the Black Forest. It is known for its excellent water quality. Numerous species of fish can be found in the lake, and you can even see a gray heron on the shores. Moraines, by the way, are deposits of debris and rubble that a glacier pushes along with its movement. In contrast to Schluchsee, you can ice skate on Lake Titisee in winter because the water here freezes. However, the winds in the valley keep it moving in such a way that a longer time is needed before it is safe to walk on. If it is not frozen, a boat trip is a good option. There is a very famous boat rental for that. And of course you can swim or even surf here. On the lake lies the town of Titisee-Neustadt, a spa town that is also widely known for its great importance in winter sports. Its territory extends over an altitude ranging from 780 to 1,197 meters, with the highest elevation being the peak of the mountain Hochfirst. The town has had its present name only since 1971, when the towns of Titisee and Neustadt and a number of smaller surrounding villages were merged to form the new municipality of Titisee-Neustadt. Titisee-Neustadt also includes the district of Waldau, the very Waldau where the Kreutz family built the first balance beam clock in the Black Forest in the seventeenth century. Titisee-Neustadt was also important for the further development of the Waldau clocks. You must have wondered where the unusual name of Lake Titisee comes from. In any case, it has nothing to do with Lake Titicaca. What it means exactly is not clear at all. It could come from a dialect word for "child" or from the name of the Roman commander Titus.

Return (Black Forest) cake Probably the sweetest treat of the region You know it for sure, the delicious temptation made of cream, chocolate shavings and cherries with a dash of kirsch? Since the thirties of the twentieth century, the Black Forest Cake is well known, a real export hit and is also produced and served far outside the Black Forest, practically everywhere in the world. They are even said to exist in faraway countries like Tibet, perhaps not always prepared quite true to the original, but the name alone makes the taste. You'll notice that too when you try one. How the recipe originated is still unclear. Conjecture suggests that either the Black Forest woman's costume with the red Bollenhut and the black dress including white blouse could have led to the naming of the cake. However, it could also have been due to the ingredient Black Forest kirsch. In any case, in the 19th century there was a dessert in the Black Forest that was made from kirsch, boiled cherries and cream. Possibly the tart originated from it. The first written record of a cherry tart recipe can be found in 1934 in a book by Johannes Martin Erich Weber from Dresden. The base of the cake is a shortcrust pastry. Several layers are applied on top, to which chocolate sprinkles, cream, kirsch and cherries are added. Of course, the recipe can be varied somewhat. Individual intermediate layers are formed with a chocolate sponge. If you want to measure yourself as an amateur chef against like-minded people and professional pastry chefs, you can do so at the Black Forest Cherry Cake Festival in Todtnau. Since 2006, the festival has been held every two years. In addition to the kirsch cake, there are seasonal cake specialties in the Black Forest. The strawberry cake in the spring and the plum cake in the summer are particularly worthy of mention.

Return Clock-maker's workshop The cuckoo clock was only the beginning. The beginnings of the clock-making trade in the Black Forest date back to the seventeenth century. It is said that a first clock was made around 1667, on the "Glashof" ("glass farm") in Waldau, which today belongs to Titisee-Neustadt. A Kreutz family lived there at the time, and although they did not invent the clock, they were the first in the Black Forest to build one on their farm. At that time, agriculture hardly brought any profit for the farmers, but served solely for their own survival. Since the evenings were long in the winter, they lent themselves to fiddling around. And because there was always plenty of wood, the clocks were also made from it. At first, these were quite simple, able to show only the hours. They consisted of three carved wheels, a dial with a single hand, and a horizontal bar. From this derives the name "Waagbalkenuhr" ("balance beam clock"). It was driven by a stone attached to a chain. The clock of the Kreutz family from Waldau was of this type. Around 1738, the first example of the clock that is associated with the Black Forest all over the world is said to have been created: the cuckoo clock. It is assumed that it goes back to Franz Anton Ketterer from Schönwald. Almost at the same time, around 1740, a first pendulum clock was built by Christian Wehrle from Simonswald. From about 1770, clocks were made with a wooden shield on which various motifs were painted with lacquer. They are called "lacquer shield clocks". In the following period, they were first the symbol of the Black Forest clock, before they were replaced in the middle of the nineteenth century by the cuckoo clock in the shape of a railroad guard's house. However, there were other types of clocks that originated in the Black Forest, such as the so-called "Männleuhr" ("man clock"), which can best be described as music boxes. They had small figures on them that moved on the hour. A clock-maker from Hinterzarten, Jakob Herbstrieth, built the "Jockeleuhr" named after him, which had the characteristic of being quite small. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the craft developed into an important industry, mainly because Black Forest clocks were cheaper than those made of metal constructed by clock-makers in the cities, due to the fact that wood was the building material. In addition, the manufacturing process in the Black Forest became more and more sophisticated. Thus, until the middle of the nineteenth century, clocks were made in numerous small home workshops, mainly in the area between St. Georgen and Titisee-Neustadt. It is estimated that they numbered about a thousand in 1840. However, the clock-makers of those days did not work alone. A rather sophisticated division of labor already existed in the Black Forest towards the end of the eighteenth century. The clock-maker received prefabricated parts from other craftsmen, often blacksmiths, to build the clocks from. For example, he was provided with bells, frames and shields. Finally, they even received brass wheels for the movement. The finished clocks were sold at markets, to which they first arrived with the help of the glass bearers. As some of them specialized in marketing clocks, the profession of clock carrier was born. Subsequently, watch factories were established, especially from the middle of the nineteenth century. This happened first in Lenzkirch and Furtwangen, and later also in Triberg and St. Georgen, as well as in Titisee-Neustadt. At the end of the nineteenth century, Schramberg and Schwenningen followed. Of particular interest to visitors is the German Clock Museum in Furtwangen. It not only presents Black Forest clock-making, but also offers a cross-section that goes far beyond it, with about 1,000 exhibits and a total inventory of 8,000 pieces. Incidentally, it was founded by Robert Gerwig, the designer of the Black Forest Railway, who was also the first director of a clock-making school from 1850 to 1857, which was also located in Furtwangen. Through his influence, the so-called "Bahnhäusleform" ("shape of a railroad guard's cottage") of the cuckoo clock achieved its worldwide distribution. The concept of combining a railroad guard's cottage with a clock face goes back to Friedrich Eisenlohr. A clock-maker's workshop can also be visited in Triberg's local history museum, and a clock-maker's cottage dating from 1726 is located in Vöhrenbach. Another one is open to visitors in Titisee-Neustadt. The German Clock Route, a popular vacation route, connects the former centers of the clock-making trade along its course.

Return Visitor Center Every expedition starts from here. In 2014, the Black Forest National Park was founded. The first and so far only national park in Baden-Württemberg was thus created in two closely spaced areas in the Northern Black Forest. The northern of the two areas belonging to the national park is located around the mountain Hoher Ochsenkopf and covers about 2,400 hectares. The southern part has almost 7,600 hectares and surrounds Ruhestein, a pass at 912 meters above sea level. In the extreme northwest, the park borders directly on the highest mountain in the Northern Black Forest, the Hornisgrinde. The Black Forest National Park is one of the areas in Germany with the highest precipitation, with 180 days of fog. The task of the national park is primarily the preservation of the original nature of this region. In this it can already register clear successes, because above all the population of the capercaillie has stabilized since the establishment of the park. In addition, it fulfills an educational mission. The visitor center at Ruhestein offers a variety of exhibitions and lectures. From there, you can also take part in guided tours through the park. Not only the forests are protected in the national park, but also another type of landscape that is more common in the Black Forest, namely the upland moor. The term does not refer to a particularly high moor, but rather one that slowly curves upward. Similar to the cirque lakes, the upland moors are also a relic of the last ice age. They are areas where pond moss grows, while the subsoil is clayey. This type of soil keeps rainwater from running off, whereupon it is consumed by the moss, which subsequently grows upwards. A national park ranger takes care of the national park as well as guides the visitors. His field of activity is quite diverse. He not only ensures compliance with the measures for the protection of nature, but also supports scientific research by collecting data in the park area, takes care of necessary interventions, the disposal of waste from the park and does a lot of public relations work. The exact job title of the ranger in Germany is "Certified Nature and Landscape Keeper".

Return Beer brewery Beer and monks simply belong together – also in the Black Forest. From the eighth century onward, the Black Forest was settled primarily by farmers who opened up new areas for agriculture. Monasteries were also founded, such as in St. Blasien (858), St. Peter (1093), St. Georgen (1084), Alpirsbach (1095) and St. Märgen (ca 1100). The monastery of Hirsau in Calmbach near Bad Wildbad is already mentioned in the ninth century and was of immense importance at times, several other monasteries were founded from here. The monasteries not only administered the territories assigned to them, but also ensured the dissemination of written records by having the monks make copies of existing books. But that was not all. It was not uncommon for monasteries to have breweries that produced beer. But why? The reason was the fasting period. During fasting, monks were not allowed to eat solid food. Since the beer of the time was still quite thin, the monks tried to make it more nutritious. Hence, the art of brewing in the monasteries was refined more and more. Monastery beer thus became more superior than others, which is why the monks eventually began to sell it. Brewing is anything but a simple process, but requires several steps and, accordingly, a lot of time. First, you need grain, usually barley, from which brewing malt is made. This is ground, mixed with water and then heated. Part of it is then separated, namely the spent malt, which is not fermentable. What remains is the fermentable so-called "wort". This is heated in pans with the addition of hops and then filtered to remove suspended solids. Now the so-called "pitching wort" has been obtained. Yeast is added to this and allowed to cool down to a temperature at which it can ferment. During fermentation, which usually lasts about a week, the sugar contained in the wort is converted into ethanol. The resulting beer is usually stored for several weeks before bottling. Over time, other breweries have developed outside the monasteries. By far the oldest is the Fürstenberg Brewery in Donaueschingen. Much younger, but still venerable, are the Löwenbrauerei Bräunlingen (from 1783), the Privatbrauerei Waldhaus in Weilheim im Hotzenwald (1833), the Privatbrauerei Rogg in Lenzkirch (1846), the Löwenbrauerei O. Dold in Elzach (1856), the Brauerei Ganter in Freiburg (1865) and the Familienbrauerei M. Ketterer in Hornberg (1877). It is worth mentioning here that the Waldhaus brewery uses natural hops, a circumstance that is quite rare in breweries in Germany.

Return Capercaillie A quite rare bird, not only in the Black Forest A rather shy fellow is the capercaillie, the largest chicken bird found in Europe. It can be recognized by its typical gurgling mating sound as well as by its considerable size. It is native to the Black Forest, as it is generally found at high altitudes. The capercaillie is a so-called resident bird, which means that it remains in one region throughout the year, i.e. it is not a migratory bird. Unfortunately, the capercaillie is on the Red List of endangered animals in Germany. In the Northern Black Forest National Park, however, its population has been stabilized and preserved. This is no wonder, because it is primarily forestry that is changing the forests in such a way that they are unsuitable for the capercaillie. But why is this so? For one thing, the capercaillie needs lots of light, broken-up forest areas. Since it is very heavy, it needs some run-up to get off the ground. Secondly, its diet consists mainly of berries, although in winter, when there is snow, it has to resort to the needles or buds of trees. Unfortunately, forestry increasingly afforests small clearings where the berries can grow, so that the capercaillie no longer finds a suitable habitat. This is not the case in the Northern Black Forest National Park. Established in 2014, the forests here are largely left to their own devices over a total area of 10,062 hectares. This leads to the formation of small clearings, which are beneficial for the capercaillies. These are not only important for the birds, but also allow many plants to grow unhindered. As with many bird species, male and female capercaillie can be clearly distinguished from each other. A rooster can grow up to one meter tall and weigh five kilograms, the hen only about half that. The plumage of the cock is gray to brown and shimmering green on the breast. The hen has brown plumage on the back and wings, interspersed with silver and black stripes. On the underside of the animal the coloring is lighter and goes more into the yellowish. The chicks resemble the hen in appearance. By the way, a capercaillie egg looks almost like a hen's egg. However, it has distinct brown spots. Capercaillies leave clearly visible and typical tracks in the snow, because their feet are built similar to snowshoes and have horn pins that grow sideways to the toes. Thus, the animals have good footing even in the snow. This is especially important because capercaillies cannot fly very well and move primarily on the ground. The courtship display, during which the rooster makes its characteristic gurgling sound, takes place during the spring months. The dance that the rooster performs is complex, consisting of various processes. He has his feathers erected into a fan, similar to a peacock. The roosters also defend their territories against competitors, occasionally even against humans. There are usually four animals per hundred hectares. You can gather interesting information about the capercaillie while hiking on the Wichtelpfad Feldberg. In addition to the capercaillie, the Black Forest is home to the cuckoo and the crossbill. The red kite has also returned to the area. There are gray herons and cormorants, hawks and owls.