Welcome to Transeurotrek.com - 1st Trek: Germany - Black Forest
Germany Munsterland to Brandenburg
France Aveyron to Haute Provence
FROM NORTH SEA TO MEDITERRANEAN
Germany - Black Forest
SEVENTH SECTION Friday 4 to Thursday 10 March 2005 Bad Mingolsheim (Baden-Württemberg) to Kaltenbronn (Baden-Württemberg) along regional routes, Westweg and E1 - 104 Km (1248Km).
Started with half day visit to Heidelberg - picturesque in the snow but cold and streets slippery. Train to Bad Mingolsheim and stayed in same lovely Landhaus as before. Jolly meal in village Greek restaurant. In the morning it was very cold and snowing heavily. The locals were amazed that we were walking. Followed bicycle routes and footpaths south through woods and farmland to Bruchsal. Very slippery, deep snow and icy. Visited beautiful large 18th century baroque palace in Bruchsal. Two days from there through snow to Pforzheim on the northern edge of the Black Forest. Then climbed slowly into the Black Forest National Park where the snow became heavier and the going harder. It snowed all night and was well below freezing. Difficult to find the way as the snow was so deep and the waysigns were obscured. Lots of cross-country skiers which helped as we could follow their tracks but sometimes we were in their way. The wind gusted and blew ice off the trees at us and we kept walking into snowdrifts. It snowed and snowed and the mist came down for two days. At Kaltenbronn (1000m) the snow was too deep and the mist too thick for us to continue. Returned to England early.
EIGHTH SECTION Wednesday 13 to Saturday 23 April 2005 Kaltenbronn (Baden-Württemberg) to Titisee (Baden-Württemberg) along Westweg and E1 – 170 Km (1418Km).
This time the way was clear from Kaltenbronn although the snow had only just gone. Beautiful forest walk at 1000m for the whole week with two descents and ascents at Forbach and Wolfach. Northern section before Wolfach was dense forests with moorlands on the tops with bleached grasses, heathers, peat and larks, especially on Hornisgruende (1200m) where the snow remained. Sections of the forest were really 'black' as they were so dense and dark, cold, mossy and wet. Frozen lake, poor hotel and noisy youth at Mummersee. Great deal of long-term storm damage to the forests - whole SW facing mountainsides were flattened. They were left to re-grow naturally and were doing so but had a dead bleached look. Some sections had only recently come down. Great views over the Rhine to the west. Succession of ugly ski resorts which we scampered through quickly. Followed 300-400 year old old boundary stones on the the moorland ridge between Zuflucht and Palm Spring, where we saw red squirrels, woodpeckers, frog spawn, finches, crows, buzzards, wagtails, beetles, bees. Weather started warm and even hot on the exposed forest walks but changed to cold, rain and snow for the last three days. Southern forest after Wolfach was more varied with open farmland and deciduous tress too. Line of Middle Ages forts against the French on the heights in dense forest above the Rhine valley. Farmhouses had crosses and bells calling to prayer in the farm chapel. Ended at busy lake resort in Titisee.
NINTH SECTION Saturday 3 to Thursday 8 September 2005 Titisee (Baden Würrtemburg) to Konstanz (Baden Würrtemburg) – 386 Km (1804Km).
Sunny warm, dry weather for this section - very hot some days. Started from Titisee, busy with tourists at the lovely lake, on the southern edges of the Black Forest in picturesque and rolling forests. Followed the Wutachschluct which promised a beautiful walk with lots of flowers and butterflies but turned out to be an arduous up and down narrow track alongside the river - with the Sunday crowds for the first half. The river had been flooded the previous month and the track was muddy and slippery. Nonetheless it was lovely and we saw mushrooms, toadstools, raspberries, bilberries, red admirals, peacocks and tortoiseshells. Once out of the Wutachschluct we gained height and good views on the open country to Tengen. Lots of minor roads through small villages. Many friut trees - apples, pears, walnuts. Some cows now have bells. Started losing height through farms and woods at Hohentweil. From Güttingen we had views all day over Lake Konstanz where we descended to the town and the River Rhine.
DISTANCE IN GERMANY – 846Km = 529 miles
DISTANCE FROM NORTH SEA – 1540Km = 962 miles
