The Black Forest (Schwarzwald) Trail to Lake Constance (Bodensee)
€1050
per person
This self-guided hiking tour of Schwarzwald will take you through a truly diverse palate of landscapes in southwestern Germany. The Freiburg–Lake Constance Black Forest Trail is a long-distance footpath that runs in an east–west direction in the Black Forest region of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The highlights include the marvelous Titisee mountain lake, one of the largest at this altitude (845m), the stunning Wutach Gorge and the volcanic Hegau Mountains. The hike ends by the shores of Bodensee (Lake Constance), a unique lake situated between three countries – Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Level 3/4
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Destination
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Duration8 Days I Level: 3/4 (of 5)
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What is included7 nights in good middle class hotels and inns, incl. breakfast; luggage transfer (1 piece of luggage per person, max. 20 kg); detailed route description and navigation materials (1 set per room; incl. access to GPS tracks); emergency hotline
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What is not includedFlights, insurance (recommended), entry fees, other meals and drinks, transfer from/to airport, public transportation costs, tourist tax (if applicable).
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Best periodApril, May, June, July, August, September, mid-October
FROM OUR GALLERY
Self-guided inn to inn hiking tour in the Black Forest (Schwarzwald), Germany.
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Day 1: Individual arrival in Saig
Your independent hiking tour starts close to the shores of the Lake Titisee, located at the southern part of the Black Forest. *Easiest arrival via Zurich, Strasbourg or Stuttgart airports; take a train to Freiburg im Breisgau (2hrs ride by bus/train from Zurich) and then change to bus/train for Titisee (30-40min from Freiburg); from Titisee take a local bus (15min ride; timetable: dbregiobus-bawue.de, or a taxi to the hotel).
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Day 2: Saig/Lake Titisee - Schattenmühle/Löffingen (19km, 5-6hrs, +350m/-650m)
You start your independent walking route with an ascent of the ridge above the settlement revealing breathtaking views of Lake Titisee, Feldberg and the peaks of the Austrian and Swiss Alps. You follow the trail to the Wutach Gorge (Wutachschlucht), an amazing natural reserve, pristine and intact, a true Garden of Eden. This heavenly landscape of romantic gorges and cascading waterfalls is the highlight of today’s itinerary. Take the bus from Schattenmühle to reach Löffingen, where you stay overnight.
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Day 3: Löffingen/Schattenmühle - Blumberg (20km, 6hrs, +760m/-730m)
Take again the bus to rejoin the trail at Schattenmühle. Today’s walking route follows the Wutach River to Achdorf where it is deflected toward the Rhine. You will reach todays destination Blumberg via the thundering waterfalls of Schleifenbach. Once there, you should take a look at the fountain “Gänseliesel” (more than 120 years old) and the local carnival masks.
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Day 4: Blumberg - Tengen (19km, 5,30-6hrs, +490m/-625m)
While in Blumberg do not forget to see the steam locomotives of the infamous Sauschwänzlebahn (pigtail railway). The Wutach Valley Railway is one of the most picturesque and peculiar railways in the world. Today’s walk is off the beaten track to the so-called blue stones, a rock formation from up to 10 meters high basalt columns, formed during the eruption of the Hegau volcanoes. The overnight is in the town of Tengen.
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Day 5: Tengen - Engen (17km, 5-6hrs, +450m/-430m)
After a healthy breakfast you follow a trail up one of the higher wooded hills, Duggenhart, passing the Hegaualb bird sanctuaries. You walk through an idyllic forest landscape until you reach Engen where your next overnight will be. There you can visit the palace Krenkinger Schlössle, or explore the Old Town, its cobblestone streets and fountains of different styles dispersed all over the place.
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Day 6: Engen - Singen (20-24km, 6,30-7hrs, +390-735m/530-880m)
This stage of the self-guided walking tour takes you to the Hohenhewen peak and ruins from where you can contemplate the vast landscape of the Hegau volcano and on clear days even Lake Constance and the Alps. The seven Hegauberge mountains Hohentwiel, Hohenstoffeln, Hohenkrähen, Mägdeberg, Hohenhewen, Neuhewen and the Höwenegg are lined up next to each other. On top of the 845 m high mountain you still find remains of the Hohenhewen ruins. Eventually you will arrive in Singen, where you can spend some time to explore its numerous cultural monuments.
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Day 7: Singen - Radolfzell am Bodensee (20km, 6,30hrs, +430m/-455m)
The last walk leads past the old mansion “Friedinger Schlössle” and Steisslingen on to the ruins of Homberg, from where you have wonderful views over the Untersee with the isle Reichenau and the Peninsula Mettnau of Radolfzell . Soon you will leave the Freiburg–Lake Constance Black Forest Trail (a.k.a. “Querweg”) and walk through the nature reserve Mindelsee over to Lake Constance.
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Day 8: Departure
TOUR LOCATION
Price
1050 Euro per person in twin/dbl room (22/03-25/04; 27/09-12/10)
1120 Euro per person in twin/dbl room (26/04-26/09)
Single room & Solo traveler supplements
Single room supplement: 225 Euro
Solo traveler supplement (incl. sgl. room supplement): 315 Euro
Tips
Daily departures between the beginning of April and mid-October. A good level of fitness is required for hikes of up to 6 hours. The official routes lead along well-marked hiking trails and forest roads and are easy to walk. For some descents (eg Wutachschlucht) sure-footedness is necessary. Arrival and departure: Journey by train via Freiburg im Breisgau to Titisee, further on by Bus/Taxi to the hotel. Parking: free parking places close to the hotel available, no reservation possible. Return journey by train to Saig (2x change of trains): appr. 2 hours.
Accommodation
Good middle-class hotels and inns, incl. breakfast. Samples of the inns we would normally book (subject to availability), or similar category: Day 1: Saig - Hotel Hochfirst; Day 2: Schattenmühle/Löffingen - Gasthof Linde; Day 3: Blumberg - Gasthof Hirschen; Day 4: Tengen - Landhaus Waldfrieden; Day 5: Engen - Hotel Engener Höhe; Day 6: Singen - Hotel Hohentwiel; Day 7: Radolfzell am Bodensee - Hotel Zur Schmiede;
Send an enquiry about this tour
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