Pedestrian Tour of eleven days from Baden. 1st. Ebersteinschloss, Forbach, Schönmünzach (p. 296). — 2nd. Hornisgrinde, Mummelsee, Allerheiligen (p. 298). — 3rd. Oppenau, (drive to) Griesbach, (walk to) Holzwalderhöhe, Rippoldsau, Schapbach (p. 303). — 4th. Wolfach, Triberg (p. 305), Furtwangen. — 5th. Simonswald, Waldkirch, Denzlingen, railway to Freiburg (p. 287). — 6th. Freiburg and Environs. — 7th. (Drive to entrance of the) Höllenthal, Feldberg (p. 312). — 8th. 8t. Blasien, Höchenschwand (p. 317) the Albstrasse to Albbruck, — 9th. Railway to Brennet, Wehr (cavern at Hasel), Todtmous (p. 316). — 10th. Präg, Schonau, Belchen (p. 321). — 11th. Badenweiler and environs (p. 318).
The following routes are so planned, that after a walk of 2-3 days the railway may always be regained.
The best maps are the Ordnance Maps of Baden on a scale of 1: 50,000 (134. per sheet), and the more general maps on a scale of 1 : 200.000 (LL. per sheet). Several good special maps have also been published by Herder of Freiburg.
Of all the wooded districts of Germany, none present so beautiful and varied landscapes as the Black Forest, especially the W. portion, belonging to Baden, the spurs of which decline precipitously towards the plain of the Rhine, whilst the E. slopes are more gradual. The Kinzigthal (p. 302) divides the mountains of the Black Forest into two portions, which are also distinct in regard to their geological formation: viz. the LOWER BLACK FOREST to the N., consisting chiefly of variegated sandstone, and culminating in the Hornisgrinde (3825 ft.; p. 298); and the UPPER BLACK FOREST to the S., in which granite and gneiss predominate, and of which the Feldberg (4921 ft. ; p. 322), the Belchen (4644 ft.; p. 321), the Herzogshorn (4583 ft.), and the Bärenhalde (4334 ft. ) are the highest mountains, The lower heights are covered with fragrant pine forests, while the populous valleys are generally fertile and well cultivated. Numerous mineral springs have given rise to a number of little watering places, which offer tempting retreats, and good inns are to be found in various other places. Charges have risen considerably of late years, so that living, even in the remotest districts, is no longer cheap. (The following is the average scale: R. 11/9-2.7, B. 60 pf. 1.4, D. 11/,-2'/yM.)
The staple commodity is timber, which is floated down the principal streams to the Rhine, where larger rafts are constructed and navigated to Holland. The great timber-merchants, locally called ‘Schiffer’, have been for centuries formed into the so-called ‘Schiffergesellschaften’ (p. 282), whose profits are divided in shares termed ‘Stämme’. Their extensive forests are known as ‘Schifferwald’ in contradistinction to the ‘herrschaftliche Wald’ or private property. The chief branch of industry in the Black Forest is clock-making, while straw-hats, brushes, and wooden wares are also extensively manufactured. In this prosperous district beggars are unknown, To German scholars the charms of the Black Forest will be much enhanced by a perusal of the beautiful Allemannische Gedichte of Hebel.
a. From Baden to Gernsbach and Allerheiligen. Murgthal, Hornisgrinde, Mummelsee."
Comp. Map, p.294.
Two Days. 1st. Baden to Gernsbach 6 M., thence to Forbach 10 M (or from Baden to Forbach direct 12 M., see p- 296), Forbach to Schönmünzach 7 M.; 2nd. Schönmünzach to the summit of the Hornisgrinde 4 ½ hrs, down to the Mummelsee 1/2 hr., Seebach 1 lir., Ottenhöfen 3/4 hr. and thence over the hill to Allerheiligen 1 ½ hr. Conveyances may be hired at Gernsbach, Forbach, and Schönmünzach; tariff from Gernsbach, see p. 282 — From Gernsbach to (14 1/4 M.) Schönmünzach diligence twice daily in summer in 4 1/4 hrs., and to (27 1/2 M.) Freudenstadt in 7 ¾ hrs.
The *Murgthal between Gernsbach and Schönmünzach is wild and beautiful. The slopes are richly clothed with wood. As far as Schönmünzach the rocks consist of granite, huge blocks of which lie scattered about ; beyond it the formation is gneiss, whence the smooth, rounded aspect of the slopes. Variegated sandstone also occurs. The valley then widens and loses much of its peculiar charm. It is seen to the best advantage in descending.
From Baden to Gernsbach and the Ebersteinschloss, see pp. 281. 282. The road in the Murgthal gradually ascends at the foot of the hill on which the Ebersteinschloss stands. The pedestrian coming from Forbach follows the footpath by the last house at Obertsroth (1 M. from Gernsbach) in order to reach the castle. At (1 M.) Hilpertsau the road crosses the Murg.
A road traversing picturesque scenery leads hence by Reichenthal and the forester’s house of Kaltenbronn, and past the (right) Hohlochthurm to (21 M) Wildbad (comp. p. 283).
The next village is (1 M.) Weissenbach (636 ft.; *Grüner Baum), the modern Gothic church of which contains some good stained glass and modern altar-pieces. The timber felled in the neighbouring forests is conveyed by land to Weissenbach, and is thence floated down the river. The hamlet of Au lies picturesquely on the left bank of the Murg. The valley becomes narrower and wilder; (2 1/2 M.) Langenbrand (Ochs); (1 1/2 M.) Gausbach (*Waldhorn). Near (3/4 M.) Forbach the new road crosses the Murg by a lofty iron bridge.
Forbach (1090 ft.; Grüner Hof, near the new bridge; *Krone, a little farther from the bridge, R. 1 1/2 %, B. 60 pf.; Hirsch and Löwe, by the old bridge; Adler, moderate), a thriving village, with a picturesque church on a hill, is the finest point in the valley.
The Direct Route from Baden is Forbach (12 M) diverges to the right from the road to Ebersteinschloss at a finger-post 3/4 M. beyond Oberbeuern (p. 279), being at first a carriage road (comp. p. 279); 3/4 M. Geisbach, then (1 ½ M) Schmalbuch, where we take the road to the left; 1 ½ M. farther, the broad path diverges to the right from the road and leads for 1 M. along the E. slope of the hill, passing a meadow. At the end of the meadow we turn to the left; at a cross-way, 1/4 M. farther, we ascend the hill in a straight direction; in ¼ M. more the main road is reached and is then followed for 1/2 M.; at the finger-post we turn to the left to (1 1/4 M.) Bermersbach (Zur Blume). The path now ascends to the right at the second fountain in the village, and 1 1/4 M. farther reaches Forbach. The first 9 M. are chiefly through wood.
A lonely, but easily’ traced forest-path leads from Forbach to the W. to (3 hrs.) Herrenwies (Auerhahn), a village situated on a bleak and lofty plain surrounded by high mountains. About 1/2 hr. distant is the foresthouse of Sand (Inn; summer resort). Thence carriage -road to (3 hrs) Baden; also beautiful walk of 2 hrs. through the Bühlerthal, to railway stat. Bühl (p. 284); across the Hundseck (with guide) to the Hornisgrinde and Mummelsee (p. 298) 3 hrs.
Beyond Forbach the Murgthal, although more secluded, continues grand and beautiful, resembling some of the wildest Swiss valleys. About halfway to Schönmünzach the Rauhmünzach falls into the Murg; 1 M. above the confluence the former is augmented by the Schwarzbach. A new road leads through the valley of the Schwarzbach to (10 1/2 M.) Herrenwies (see above).
Schönmünzach (1496 ft.; *Glashütte, or Post, R. 1 3/4.#, A. 40, B. 80 pf.; * Waldhorn; Schiff), the first village in. Würtemberg, contains a glass-work; employing seventy hands. About 1 M. to the S. a guide-post by the road-side indicates the way to a swimming-bath. The Schönmünzach falls into the Murg here. To the Hornisgrinde, see below. Carriage to the Eckle 14, to Ottenhöfen 20, to Allerheiligen:28 #.
The Murg, 1 1/2 M. beyond Schönmünzach , penetrates a precipitous wall of rock, beyond which the valley loses its wild character. The village of Schwarzenberg (Ochs) on the height to the left commands a pleasant view; on the right Hutzenbach; then (2 1/4 M.) Schönengrund (Inn), whence a road leads to the N. by Besenfeld and Urnagold to Enzklösterle (*Waldhorn), and through the Enzthal to Wildbad (p. 283). On this road, 3/4 M. from Schönengrund, are situated the scanty remains of the castle of Königswart.
The next village in the Murgthal is (3 3/4 M.) Reichenbach (Sonne, also a pension), with a suppressed Benedictine abbey, founded in 1082; the church, a flat-roofed Romanesque basilica with a W. portico, was restored in 1849. Then (2 1/4 M.) Baiersbronn (1913 ft.; Zum Ochsen), a considerable village at the confluence of the Murg and the Forbach.
The road following the course of the latter passes the considerable government foundries of Friedricksthal and Christophsthal leads to (4 1/2 M.) Freudenstadt (Post. or Goldene Löwe, high charges; Linde; beer at the Rappen), loftily situated town of Würtemberg with 4200 inhab., and a curiously constructed Protestant church, built in 1601-8. This edifice consists of two naves at right angles to each other, in one of which the male, and in the other the female members of the congregation sit, while the altar and pulpit are placed at the angle. The Romanesque font and the skilfully carved choir-stalls are worthy of notice. Near the Roman Catholic church, 1/2 M. from the town, a *View of the Swabian Alb, Hohenzollern, &c. may be enjoyed, — Good roads lead from Freudenstade to the W. over the Kniebis (p. 301) to Oppenau, to, the S. to (1l 1/4 M.) Alpirsbach (p.303; diligence daily) and Schiltach (p. 303) and to the E. by Dornstetten to 15 1/2 M) Horb (diligence twice a day) and to (27 1/3 M.) Wildbad (diligence once daily in 7 hrs.), Comp. Baedeker’s S. Germany.
At Baiersbronn the valley of the Murg turns towards the N.W., and is traversed by a new road. From (3 M.) Mittelthal (Waldhorn) a good road leads S. to the (4 1/2 M.) Kniebis Refuge near the Schwedenschanze (p. 301). The next village in the Murgthal, into which numerous brooks are precipitated from the Kniebis, is (3M.) Oberthal (halfway to which the ruin of Tannenfels is situated on a precipitous rock in a wild gorge on the right); on the left is the large Buhlbach Glasshouse.
The road continues to ascend, towards the top in long windings, to (6 M.) the Ruhstein (Inn), its culminating point, whence it descends (commanding several fine views) to (3 M.) Seebach (p. 299). From the last bend in the road (finger-post on the right); the Mummelsee (see below) may be reached in 3/4 hr.
TO THE HORNISGRINDE AND MUMMELSEE two roads lead from Schönmünzach (see above), the Baden road on the left bank of the Schönmünzach, and the Würtemberg Road on the right. Following the latter, which diverges at the Schiff Inn, at the far end of the bridge, we reach (3 M.) Zwickgabel (Inn), where we cross the brook, and ascend to the right along the Langenbach, which at Zwickgabel unites with the Schönmünzach, The road then passes (1 1/2 M.) Vorder-Langenbach, and at (2 1/4 M.) Hinter-Langenbach (Züpfle) ascends to the left.
About ¼ M. farther on is a way-post, indicating the route to the (4 M.) Wildsee and (12 M.) Allerheiligen. The road now ascends more rapidly to the (3 M.) Eckle, the angle of a wood, with a refuge-hut on the saddle of the mountain, where a stone marks the boundary between Würtemberg and Baden, and a view of the Vosges is obtained. The road to the left descends to Seebach, situated on the new road through the Murgthal; a footpath only leads to the Hornisgrinde.
THREE PATHS enter the Eckle wood: that most to the right leads straight to the S., and forms the boundary between the above-mentioned states; the second and most trodden, also inclining to the right, leads past the Drei-Fürstenstein, bearing the arms of Baden and Würtemberg, to the summit of the Hornisgrinde. The third path (to the Mummelsee), at first little trodden, after a few paces joins a broad track, which gradually ascends the hill-side (to the right); the broad, stony path ascending to the right, 10 min. from the Eckle, then leads to the lake in 1/4 hr.
The second of the above paths leads to the (1 hr.) *Hornisgrinde (3825 ft.), the massive tower on the summit of which may be ascended by a ladder. The bare and marshy summit commands a very extensive view, which however is frequently shrouded in mist: to the E. the Swabian Alb, the Achalm at Reutlingen, the Hohentwiel, and other peaks of the Höhgau; S. the heights of the Black Forest, the Feldberg, Belchen, Blauen, and beyond them even the Alps (comp. p. 322); S.W. the Kaiserstuhl (p. 292) and Vosges; W. the vast plain of the Rhine; nearly opposite rises the spire of Strassburg, and on a mountain in the foreground the extensive ruins of the Brigittenschloss (p. 285); N. the mountains around Baden, the Mercuriusberg (p. 281), and even the Thurmberg (p. 269) near Durlach,
From the Hornisgrinde a stony path, bearing to the right, descends in windings to the S.E. and reaches after 1/2 hr. the Mummelsee (3385 ft.), a gloomy little lake, surrounded by pine-clad mountains, and popularly believed to be inhabited by water-sprites. By the Seebach, the brook issuing from the lake on the S., is a hut which affords shelter in bad weather (refreshments in summer).
From the Mummelsee we descend for the first 20 min. by a winding footpath, and afterwards to the right, by a carriage-road to the (50 min.) Murgthal road (p. 297), reaching it at the inn Zum Wolfsbrunnen. About 1 M. farther on we come to Hinter-Seebach (*Zum Adler, moderate). A way-post opposite the ‘Adler’ indicates a path with steps leading to (2 hrs.) Allerheiligen; and others are placed at doubtful points. On reaching the summit, after a stiff climb of 3/4 hr., we keep to the right. The road at first traverses extensive tracts of debris, commanding a view of the valley of the Rhine, and then descends through forest.
The village of Vorder-Seebach (lower part 1174 ft., upper 1623 ft.; Krone; Hirsch) lies on the high-road, 1 ½ M. beyond Hinter-Seebach, and extends along the road for a considerable distance. Then (1/4 hr.) Hagenbrücke (Zum Kdelfrauengrab, see below), and (1/4 hr.) Ottenhöfen.
b. Allerheiligen and Büttenstein Waterfalls
Comp. Map, pp. 294, 308.
Two Days. 1st. From Achern to Griesbuch 24 M., better by carriage ; 2nd. To Hausach 24 M. — Or the traveller may accomplish this tour in one day by driving: From Achern to Ottenhöfen by diligence in 1 3/4 hr. (carr. see p. 285); walk to Allerheiligen 3/4 hr., from the inn to the foot of the falls 20 min.; then drive to Griesbuch 2 1/4 hrs.; walk over the Holzwälder Höhe to Rippoldsau 2 1/4 hivs.; drive (omnibus twice daily) to Hausach 3 hrs.
Achern (p. 285) is the starting-point for this tour. The road to Allerheiligen leads through the Kappeler Thal, a pleasant, green dale (to the left on the hill, the Brigittenschloss, p. 280), past the villages of (1/2 M.) Oberachern and (2 1/2 M.) Kappel (*Uchs), and ascends by the course of the Achernbach (to the right the château of Rodeck) to (4M.) Ottenhöfen (1020 ft. ; *Linde; *Pflug, R. 1.#40, B. 80 pf., D. 2.#; *Wagen; all unpretending, and with pension), a prettily situated village, forming suitable headquarters for a number of pleasant excursions.
From OTTENHÖFEN To ALLERHEILIGEN by the Edelfrauengrab and the Blöchereck (2 1/4 hrs.), a very attractive walk. In front of the church turn to the left, then’ follow the footpath immediately to the right, and the road to the left higher up, which diverges from the road to Allerheiligen at a point about 300 yds. Beyond the church. After 10 min. follow the middle road in a straight direction, traverse the pretty Gottschlägthal, cross the brook several times, and finally ascend by steps to the (20 min) Edelfrauengrab (‘grave of the noble lady), a very insignilicant grotto to which a romantic legend attaches. The environs are very picturesque, especially the road ascending beyond this point. Then (1 hr.) Blöchereck, beyond which the wood is traversed, and the new road soon reached (see below); 1/2 hr., Allerheiligen. — Travellers coming from Seebach (5 above) may diverge to the left at the Hagenbrücke, beyond the Edelfrauengrab, ¾ M. before reaching Ottenhöfen.
The carriage road from Ottenhöfen to Allerheiligen ascends the Unterwasser-Thal towards the S. to the (2 1/4 M.) Neuhaus (Erbprinz). Here the new road describes a wide curve in the valley towards the left, while the old road ascends the steep slope on the right, on the summit of which the roads again unite. Fine retrospective views from the new road; 1 1/2 M. from the Neuhaus a way – post indicates the way to the Edelfrauengrab by Blöchereck (see above).
From the top of the hill (from which a short cut descends by steps to the right) the road descends in windings (2 ¼ M.) *Allerheiligen (1968 ft.), the first glimpse of which is very striking. The grand ruins of the Premonstratensian abbey, founded by the Duchess Uta of Schauenburg in 1191 secularized, in 1802, and partly destroyed by lightning in 1803, occupy almost the entire breadth of the wooded dale. The Inn is often full.
Immediately below the monastery is a rugged cleft in the rocks, formed apparently by volcanic agency, through which the Grindenbach is precipitated into the valley beneath over blocks of granite in seven falls, called the ‘Sieben Bütten’ (seven cauldrons), or *Büttenstein Falls, some of them 50 ft. in height. A good path, cut through the rock at places, or supported by ladders, descends by the falls to the (20 min.) bottom of the valley, 300 ft. below. From the second ‘Rondel’, or platform, the double fall is best surveyed. The waterfalls, the picturesque accessories of which form their chief attraction, are seen to the best advantage in ascending from the valley below.
From ALLHEILIGEN TO RIPPOLDSAU direct (5 hrs.) over the Kniebis (guide unnecessary, way-posts everywhere). The route is through wood for the first hour; farther on, an extensive prospect is enjoyed, embracing the plain of the Rhine, Strassburg, and the Vosges Mts.; 2 1/2 hrs. Refuge (see below) by the Schwedenschanze; 1 hr. Kniebis; 1 ½ hr. Rippoldsau (p. 30). A shorter route thither leads from the Alexanderschanze: follow the Griesbach road for 1/2 M., then enter the wood to the left; after 20 min. more, where the path divides, select that descending rapidly to the right.
From ALLHEILIGEN TO OPPENAU, 2 1/2 hrs. The carriage-road, as above mentioned, passes at the foot of the waterfalls, crosses a bridge to the left, and follows the bank of the Lierbach (as the Grindenbach is now called), high on the slope of the hill. At the Kreuz Inn, near Oppenau, the Kniebis-Strasse and the road to.(3 M.) Antogest (p. 301) diverge to the right.