town of Forbach.
Above the clouds on the Dobel plateau (Stage 1/2)
The deeply cut valleys of the northern Black Forest are experienced on the third stage – one of the most demanding sections of the entire route. Some rather steep climbs add up to about 1000 cumulative altitude metres between Forbach and Unterstmatt, taking in the peaks of Badener Höhe (1002m), Hundseck (856m) and Hochkopf (1041m) along the way.
The fourth stage is relatively easy, and very scenic, although it’s a long day’s hike. After a steep climb to Hornisgrinde (1163m), the highest peak in the north, the trail runs along the central ridge via Ruhestein (997m) and Schliffkopf (1054m) to Alexanderschanze, with wonderful long-distance views for most of the way.
The following two days provide a complete contrast as the route runs almost entirely through the forest, with only occasional passages through open terrain and glimpses of the valleys below as the trail approaches Hausach in the Kinzig valley, which lies approximately at the midpoint of the route and also at its lowest point of elevation.
Hausach is the gateway to the central/southern Black Forest – a region of more open farmland and softer contours. But the climb back up to the ridge is pretty steep, and this stage tots up another 1000+ altitude metres on its way to Wilhelmshöhe. The higher mountains are getting closer now and the open long-distance views across the rolling hills lift the spirit – compensating for the fact that from Neueck to Süßes Häusle the trail runs rather close to the busy B500. Thereafter, the panoramic vistas are unimpeded and a pure joy, almost all the way to Titisee – a busy tourist spot on the largest natural lake in the Black Forest.
Lake Titisee, the largest natural lake in the Black Forest region (Stage 9)
In Titisee the trail splits and you have to decide whether to continue along the western edge of the massif, taking in some of the highest peaks – Feldberg, Belchen and Hochblauen – before descending through the rolling vineyards and orchards of Markgräflerland, or whether to take a more easterly route, via Herzogenhorn and Blößling to Todtmoos and the open farmland of Dinkelberg, to reach Basel.
Both routes are quite beautiful and each has its own highlights, but the western route is arguably the more interesting – and thus the more popular and busier of the two. The eastern branch is quieter, less dramatic (but not necessarily ‘easier’ in terms of altitude metres) and has more contact with towns and traffic along the way.
North to South or South to North?
Although the route is marked in both directions, almost everybody walks it from north to south – and with good reason. While the mountains are the same, the views are not. Walking from north to south, the anticipation grows as one approaches the higher hills ahead, and majestic Alpine peaks tower on the distant horizon. Basel, with its allure of cultural attractions and old-world charms, holds its own appeal as the final destination, whereas Pforzheim – well, lets just say it can’t compete. But if all one wants to do is walk a small section, or some individual stages, the direction really does not matter much.
Getting there
The Black Forest is very accessible and well served by a number of regional airports. If you are planning to start the Westweg in the north (recommended), the most useful airports to fly into are Stuttgart, Baden-Baden, or even Strasbourg, just over the border in France. If none of these are convenient, the next best international hub is Frankfurt. When you have completed the walk, rather than returning to the arrival airport it would make more sense to fly out of Basel’s Euroairport, or even Geneva or Zurich – especially if you’re walking the full length of the trail.
Stuttgart airport (www.stuttgart-airport.com) is served by several airlines from various cities in the UK and Ireland and from all over the world. The S2 or S3 light railway lines connect the airport with the central station (Hauptbahnhof), from where a local train takes you directly to Pforzheim.
Baden-Baden is not the most convenient airport for getting to Pforzheim. However, it is a good option for those wishing to spend a little extra time exploring Baden-Baden. The airport is very small and schedules frequently change. Current flight information is available at: www.baden-airpark.de/startseite
There are several buses that connect Baden-Baden airport with other destinations. Hahn Express (www.hahn-express.de) connects it with Hahn airport (Ryanair’s Frankfurt outpost), with stops in Baden-Baden and Karlsruhe. There is no direct service from Baden-Baden to Pforzheim; switch to a local train in Karlsruhe.
Thanks to its role as a political hub in Europe, Strasbourg airport (strasbourg.aeroport.fr/en) is reasonably well connected to many European cities, including London. Both a shuttle train and bus service connect the airport with the city centre several times per hour. A trans-border train service departs from the central station to Karlsruhe, where local trains leave for Pforzheim.
Frankfurt (www.frankfurt-airport.com) is Germany’s main international airport hub, served by every major airline. There is a train station right at the airport with direct (fast) trains to either Stuttgart or Karlsruhe, where local trains leave for Pforzheim.
Basel/Mulhouse (EuroAirport: www.euroairport.com/en) is well connected to many airports in the UK, Ireland and other parts of Europe. Since the Westweg ends in Basel it is a convenient airport to fly out of. But beware – although the terminal is quite small, it can be a bit confusing. The terminal building is divided into a Swiss and a French side, each with its separate entrances, customs and passport controls. Be sure to know which side your flight departs from (or which exit you want to take, if you arrive here!).
Basel also has three train stations: the central station (Basel SBB), the French SNCF right next to it and Badischer Bahnhof on the other side of the Rhine, which is located on Swiss territory but run by the German train service, DB.
A regular airport shuttle bus (#50) runs between the central station (Basel SBB) and the airport (Swiss side). If you arrive here, don’t take the French shuttle bus service, Distribus #11, as it only goes to the Gare SNCF in Saint Louis (the French part of Basel) and this would make your onward journey rather complicated.
The Swiss and German stations are connected by a local train service (S6), by tram (#2) and by bus (#30).
Should you arrive in Basel, the quickest and least complicated way to get to Pforzheim is to take the ICE (fast train) from Basel SBB to Karlsruhe and then switch to a local train to Pforzheim.
Getting around
If you start the Westweg in Pforzheim or Basel you should have no difficulty finding the trailhead. But if you want to walk only part of the way or explore individual sections as day walks, you should request or download the brochure ‘Westweg mit Bus und Bahn’ from the Black Forest tourist board (unfortunately only available in German) by going to www.schwarzwald-tourismus.info, placing your cursor on the ‘Info’ tab at the top of the page, and selecting ‘Prospektbestellung’. Scroll down the page to get to the brochure, which includes a map showing the nearest bus stops for accessing various points along the route.
See Appendix C for further information on route-planning and transport providers.
Wollbach village (13A)
Konus card
Most hotels and guesthouses issue a ‘Konus card’ upon check-in (or checkout). This card is what you get for paying the local tourist tax. It entitles the