Südschwarzwald-Radweg – 5 stages of pleasing nature

Once on your bike around the mountainous southern Black Forest and without any major ascents - that's exactly what awaits you on the Südschwarzwald-Radweg. The highlight: the cycle path runs almost all the way through picturesque and tranquil river valleys with little incline, takes you along the banks of the Rhine close to the Swiss border and across the extensive meadows of the Rhine plain. On your way you will find dense forests and lonely mountain pastures, lively towns and sleepy villages and, of course, the calmly flowing Rhine. Because of the perfectly maintained and signposted cycle paths, the cosy accommodation and the famous Black Forest cuisine, the ADFC awarded the Südschwarzwald-Radweg with three stars.

The cycle path leads as a round tour from Kirchzarten in the middle of the Upper Black Forest in five stages once around the nature park Southern Black Forest. You will cover a distance of around 260 kilometres. First you cycle through the valleys of Gutach, Haslach and Wutach and then follow the quiet course of the Rhine on excellent riverside paths. From the Rhine plain you can enjoy the view of the distant mountains of the Black Forest. In between, you will visit old half-timbered towns and Freiburg, the unofficial capital of the Black Forest. Since the bike tour is a circuit, you can of course get on at any point or go the other way round.

The first four stages are flat or even mainly downhill, making them real epicures. Only the fifth stage challenges you with the ascent to the Rinkelpass – but rewards you with an even more beautiful view and secluded nature. If the pass ascent instills respect in you, no problem: there are good connections to the railway at all stage locations, so you can skip individual stages or plan a shorter tour without any problems.

For the third stage we have also worked out a charming alternative: the Basel variant. It takes you on flat paths to sophisticated Basel, where you have time for a short sightseeing tour. Your route will then take you through Switzerland and France before returning to Germany. It seems like half a "world trip" is waiting for you - not so much in distance, but in the many great impressions you will have.