About Martin
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- Martin
Having spent a few days in the snow, I longed for a normal surface again. Walkable as dry as possible.
Christmas is just over and January hardly offers any room for noble wishes. The Black Forest itself is snow-covered down to the lower elevations, not to mention the Alb. Reading out various webcams in the Ländle promised decent conditions in the northernmost part of the Black Forest, which brought me a little closer to the mountain villages Grenzweg.
The combination of "mountain" and "path" alone sounded tempting, the length of almost 27 km seemed feasible even in winter.
You didn't even have to go to extremes and go out at night. A leisurely breakfast as a basis for the day's exertions was still acceptable.
It started at 900. The rain of the night had softened the path a little, a fresh wind ensured a reasonable walking pace. Duster the forest, januarkarg the inflorescence of meadows and trees. Nature adapted to the gloomy weather. You could have guessed it.
Through wide forest aisles, often paved dirt roads, past and through localities, I learned that "mountain villages" is a flexible term and that in some "mountains" there is at most a hill, while many a village is almost like a town. Accordingly, there were few paths to follow. A circumstance that was compensated for by the route planners through some "village" passages. Some carvings or sculptures at crossroads - all very nicely designed - could hardly hide the insignificance of the route. The statement: "the more fuss along the way, the more unimportant the route", also applied here again. I don't know which stretch of the Alb would have to be spruced up with sculptures.
The beauty of an idyllic gorge, steeply up the hump, was almost masked by the roar of the nearby motorway. An enchanted forest with trees that looked like enchanted figures as well as a few buildings or objects worth seeing on both sides of the path, the highlights were already listed.
I don't want to know how much money went into the conception of this path ... but it occurred to me several times that every conceivable route over this distance, starting from my front door, would have offered more.
Only the thought of the diligently run kilometers comforted me. No rain and mild temperatures later in the day. As I said: January. You have to be satisfied with that.January 9, 2022
- H.silvia, Daniela E. and 25 others like this.
- Martin
Although I exercised brave restraint, the culinary offerings over the holidays seemed to me to be overabundant.
Movement was necessary, the dog had to go out. The weather countered argumentatively with rain and clouds, but had little influence against our team of three on 8 legs.
We had to go out!
In the sense of a real micro-adventure, I let chance decide. A random generator threw me a number of degrees up to 359, as well as a distance between 5 and 10 kilometers. At the determined point, our way should lead past.
That's how I came up with Nuifra. Actually not a bad idea, as the pleasant could be combined with the useful. I was able to move parts of my overfilled bookshelf to the bookcase in the center of the village, and on top of that I was able to tinker a round that led us past well-known highlights on the 4-Burgen-Weg.
In the early afternoon we started our tour between Haiterbach and Salzstetten. On damp paths we went up through the forest to New Nuifra, which still rests lonely on its hill, as if time had stood still for a hundred years. There is historical to be explored in the town center. A coal kiln, an old distillery, figures that tell of hardships in earlier times. If you look at the loose network of old farms, you almost believe that you have arrived back at this time.
It went further down to the Waldach. Contrary to the well-intentioned advice of the signpost, we save the Bösinger water house for later. First we cross the river in the even smaller Vöhrbach, which with its few houses hardly does justice to the name place. A rustic half-timbered house has adorned its garden with oversized crystal balls. It's nice to see. On the other hand, I find the house itself even more beautiful, the warm light from the old windows, the white smoke that disappears from the chimney into the tops of the trees. Winter idyll in gray.
Here we climb up to the Nördlinger Hütte, which was built on the foundations of a former castle and heralds the great times of the Black Forest Association. The abandoned sandstone quarry behind it with the picnic benches and the barbecue area is deserted despite all the idyll. We don't stay either.
The darkness is already heralding itself when we arrive at the valley floor via a pretty path made of moss and leaves and through an enchanted meadow, take the path towards the Mandelberg ruins.
I know this area from many visits. How beautiful it is here when the sun shines through the fir trees, the dry meadows beside the path smell. Memories that brighten up our group. No less the great experiences that I already had at the ruins.
Today she was just a flying visit on the steep path down to the Bösinger Wasserhäusle. It is more than 125 years old and still adorns the banks of the Waldach. If you are looking, you will also find the water wheel on the back, which is diligently doing its job hidden behind a door. The dammed Mühlkanal, however, is only a decoration. It's a shame that today's functional buildings no longer have this charm and are only on duty.
It was almost dark now. We struggled uphill in the dull light of dusk to Alt-Nuifra, which quietly warms the darkness in the glow of the Christmas lights.
Two kilometers separated us from the car. The rain, which had seen us up to this point, no longer bothered. Wet but satisfied with the 12 kilometers of calorie consumption, we found the car even in the dark.December 31, 2021
- Martin
I don't have to say many words about today anymore. Once again it was shown that the Black Forest and its heights are not only hikable in summer. Once again the Hornisgrinde gave me a remarkable winter experience. Frozen in ice last year, in this one, shone by the shine of the sun.I don't have to lose more words, because our comrade Uli put everything epically into words, to which there is nothing more to add: komoot.de/tour/605665743?ref=wtdI just want to express my thanks to our team, who spontaneously decided to go on a winter hike despite the uncertain weather forecast. The brave were helped by luck, in the form of great weather, which accompanied us from morning to evening and gave us wonderful views over the sea of clouds to the Alps.Special thanks, of course, to Uli, who motivated me to come up with the idea, and Uwe for his Swedish souvenir in the form of cloudberry jam, which brings back memories of the early 90s, when I last spread this delicious spread over my bread.Conclusion: gladly again.
December 19, 2021
- 08:5315.4 mi1.7 mph3,775 ft3,700 ftEwa und Christof, Sandra and 210 others like this.
- ulinator
All good things start with a good idea and this came once again from Martin, who spontaneously felt great motivation to set up another group hike. The seeds fell on fertile ground and so a team of Rusty, Verena, Rainer, Christof, Ulrike, Eric, Steffen and me formed next to the organizer.
Still in the full moon and foggy darkness, Eric and I made our way to Sasbachwalden, an unknown place for me, which at most I had heard from hearsay, which also applied to the rest of the tour.
In a three-colored dawn, we quickly strengthened ourselves with Rusty's coffee supply and were then ready for the first steps.
Already at the nearby Friedenskapelle we were promptly reminded to write December 18th and to find ourselves in the middle of the calendar winter, because ice-covered cobblestones demanded the first tribute, which however could be paid without promissory notes.
We felt a little more cautiously over the first few meters until we felt a little safer on the frozen leaves between the trees.
A first view of the already deep valley gave an idea of what we would see with every further meter in the vertical.
We passed the distinctive Katzenstein (which the computer gamer in me associated more with Pacman) in the glow of the now visible morning sun and enjoyed the first real reward for the effort at the Brigittenschloss, where, in addition to the dominant remains of the wall, there was also a small vantage point to climb.
Soaked with these impressions and last but not least with the first beads of sweat, it was now a matter of preparing the ascent to the Hornisgrinde and we did that with a hearty descent into the valley until shortly before Seebach. At the Grimmerswaldbach we feasted on its roar, although it cannot be ruled out that it was perhaps also the rush of the schnapps fountain that we fell for in order to warm up a little internally.
But this effect was probably the most unnecessary, because from now on the incline up to the high plateau should never end.
The path also showed itself in a condition that one would expect on a winter hike: covered by snow of various types.
There was the rather soft ground, in which you sometimes sank well above your ankles, you found hard-frozen stages that required a lot of surefootedness in a fairly smooth manner, or there were mixtures. Although we made good progress and leaned back on the steep sections at the beginning, sliding back and forth required a certain amount of stamina and we were happy to be able to take a break after two long hairpin bends at the Busterbachhütte. Well protected, however, the hut could not permanently shut out the cold, so we moved on quickly after a rather short lunch break, so that the cooled-down bodies could be brought back to normal temperature.
At the Hohfelsen we were allowed to have our first summit experience, which we had to buy with small climbing inserts. The price was absolutely reasonable for what was on offer.
On the still icy way to the Mummelsee we noticed the beginnings of the predominant tourism there, because suddenly we were no longer among ourselves and met other small groups or energetic lone fighters here and there.
We reached the civilization shock immediately after getting off the main road, where Black Forest tourism was boiling on a hot flame. The fantastic view from the parking lot made us linger for a moment, but the first gusts of wind quickly provided the necessary drive to bring the last meters of altitude to the Hornisgrinde behind us.
Although this path was not too steep either, it presented some difficulties. Safe progress was a tough concentration exercise that was made even more difficult by the constant oncoming traffic.
In addition, there was another small incident, which luckily had only temporary consequences with a strain and accompanying cramps.
On the plateau, we found exactly what we expected: a clear view of the valley, which is criss-crossed by a sea of clouds, with far-reaching views into sheer infinity.
Although I don't particularly appreciate the combination of a sweaty body and a sharp wind, I couldn't help but capture the scenery with all of my senses. The winter landscape has a different flair than in snow-free seasons.
From the Bismarck tower I got a few more impressions of the area before we turned back to the descent.
Past the radio tower we used the Hornisgrindenpfad, which made us happy again for the most part with snow and ice, iDecember 18, 2021
- Martin
... and a little green. I don't want to hide it!
The plan for the day was to discuss the situation in the western Black Forest for a larger project in the coming week and to fill the day with movement.
Conveniently located, I used the currently unavailable Illenau car park as a starting point for an extended tour to Sasbachwalden and back.
The weather: very autumnal. Cloudy and gray, not a ray of sunshine that pushed its way through the thick cloud cover and enriched my hike with light.I started from the Illenau cemetery and got a little warm at 150 m above sea level. Damp leaves on the roadside, dew drops on the grass. The autumn barren trees gave a view of the Black Forest heights. The deep green of the woods gradually merged into the white of the snow, which sat like a cap on the hornis bark. The towers bravely braced themselves against wind and ice on this inhospitable plain.Quaint paths led across the forest lake up to the Lourdes grotto formed from large boulders. Moss laid a patina on the rocks, benches invited to rest, which in the cool, shady ambience, however, hardly seemed appealing.
One turn higher I came to the idyllic mountain lake. Half-bounded by a steep cliff face, Wackersteine piled up on the other bank as a natural boundary. This body of water was formed as early as the last ice age and appears so unexpectedly on the ascent to the Jockele along the way.The view from the Jockele, of the gray sky over Achern, couldn't warm me up. I quickly moved on over the bee hump over to Anna's rest, who took her name literally in a lonely wintry way. The otherwise so pretty view over the vineyards to the Vosges today only revealed their outline. No reason to rest for a long time.
Further through the rainy landscape, past the Knetschwasen up to the Upper Corner, I reached the realm of Alde Gott with its typical local half-timbered courtyards. Old wine presses and stills adorned the front gardens. Plenty of Tinnef left and right of the path. Schnapps fountains in hibernation, looked expansive, like the weather, but encouraged my step up to Gaishölle, which I only crossed briefly in view of the advancing day. I didn’t miss a look at the huge stone balls, over which the water falls in many small steps into the valley. I remembered my recent visit to the Gertelsbach Gorge, where the masses of water make their way through the shadow of the forest in an equally idyllic way, gushing fresh and breathing life into the dead rock.
My way led me a little uphill from here to the big rocks, hidden in the forest, which I had to explore.
Then I turned around. A liquor fountain directed me towards the valley. Cherry liqueur enriched the meager tea leftover in my thermos flask and gave me momentum for the descent, which led me via Sasbachwalden and the unfortunate hiking trail to Achern. Only the Illenkreuz stopped me for a few photos on the last kilometer. The rest of the Black Forest beauties of this region turned gray in the hazy light of the day, which despite everything gave me a beautiful, strenuous hike.December 13, 2021
- Martin
Rappschwihr is the Alsatian name of the picturesque place that is now called Ribeauvillé. Located in the middle of vineyards, the old structure, with the many colorful half-timbered houses, is much more in keeping with the old name, which embodies the traditional in the pretty ambience. Wine is offered - what else - a couple of taverns line the narrow, bumpy cobblestone streets.
Three castles tower over the medieval town. Heralds of past wealth and importance.
Above all Ortisei, wide in front, mighty and sublime, next to it the smaller Chateau Giersberg, while at the top - only pinnacles can be seen - the oldest of the 3 castles Haute-Ribeaupiere is hidden in the forest.
The way there leads beautifully. First through the vineyards to the autumn forest, whose last yellow leaves shine through the foggy November day. Rocks on both sides of the path ensure the right adventure mood long before reaching the castles. The path, criss-crossed with roots, wound its way up through the shadow of the ruins. The eye can hardly decide between the pointed walls of the Giersberg and the winding buildings of Ortisei until the latter is reached.
A round arch leads into the interior of the castle. Corbels and Gothic arches, closed cisterns and inner courtyards fire the imagination and bring back centuries to life, when there was still activity here. The size of the walls hardly belies the uncomfortable way of life in the cool walls that one was exposed to at the time.
We explore all the niches, towers and bay windows. Our eyes often fall on the neighboring castle, the Chateau Giersberg, which is our next destination in a few hundred meters. Again, steep cliffs flank the way there. There is not much more than a high wall. Over narrow steps, you can fight your way up to higher rooms on slippery stone. The child in the man (and not to forget my daughter's thirst for adventure) make us ignore dangers. We explore and find a great view of Ortisei, which has apparently grown in size in the meantime.
Happy back on safe ground, we use the steep path through the rocky landscape. A hundred meters separate us from the oldest castle in town. Haute Ribeaupierre. On the picturesque portal there are blunt warnings and prohibition signs "access interdit" - but who knows French?
These remains of the wall also enjoy further exploration. This castle, which has been privately owned for a long time, has hardly been renovated. Partly dilapidated, balustrades reasonably secured with wooden planks, an inner courtyard with a few fireplaces. We're done quickly here and we're going back. The "easy" descent is not an option. We again enjoy the steep serpentines over the angular granite (?) Until we reach the town again shortly after the vineyards.
Despite November wetness and dreariness, we had made the right decision for our day. A very recommendable round, which you can also complete in one of the cozy inns that Rappschwihr has to offer.November 16, 2021
- Angel_k👣 mit Roi🐾, Germännle and 22 others like this.
- Martin
I have often visited the Linge Head and every time I am seized by the tortured terrain, the blood-soaked honor that robbed so many young people of any prospect of the future. Arrogance, nationalism and chauvinism, the imperial striving for power of an irresponsible and selfish government, whose only striving meant personal advancement.
They are close together the trenches. Fog obscures the view of the half-collapsed barriers, which offered protection behind more or less well-preserved walls. Soldiers stood face to face as "enemies", but were only seduced victims on the slaughterhouse. 17,000 died in the 3 months of 1915 alone. Died for an insignificant hill that was carelessly left behind after the heavy fighting.
Wooden crosses tower up next to the impressive memorial on the LIngenkopf, whose trenches run close together through the forest floor. There are always remains from the First World War.To the north the "historical path" follows positions. To the left and right of it, craters announce detonations, half-ruined trenches and observation bunkers, convey a stale feeling. Today you can walk peacefully through the undergrowth that was deadly terrain a few generations ago. The area is beautiful. Despite the drizzling fog on the November day. At clearings the view extends to the ups and downs of the Alsace heights, the open pastures with a moor character, the crude terrain of the forest.
At the Kleinkopf the view widens to Soultzeren, where the light scattered by the haze floats over it like a halo.
The path leads steeply down into the forest. Another observation post occupies a pretty vantage point. The bench, which can be found on the ridge next to it, invites you to visit again. For today the weather is not suitable for breaks.
It goes back to the north. A few kilometers through the clearly brown autumn forest, you reach the Hohenrod German military cemetery. Once again it's time to stop inside. Black crosses give names to the victims. Jewish steles testify that those sides fought to be treated like lepers and murdered a few years later.An interesting round came to an end here. Memorials of terror along the way make you think. How lucky we can be today to live in a united Europe. Hand in hand with the neighbors in peaceful coexistence. Grateful for the opportunities to find nature, landscape and friends beyond borders.November 15, 2021
- Martin
Spring showed itself today in autumn garb. In view of the warming sun, the blue-white of the sky tending to blue, you felt part of this seasonal masquerade when I started the day of hiking at the Schafbergbahn in Sankt Wolfgang accompanied by my big one.
The Wolfgangsee initially behind, after the steep start passage, soon found itself below us.
Small, shady valleys, noisily accentuated by the roar of the roaring water, meadows on which goats chewed their cud in peace and quiet, accentuated the mountain scenery with the typical alpine ambience. Behind us - as already mentioned - the Wolfgangsee, surrounded by mountain peaks, wild and threatening. In front of us is the Schafberg with its steeply sloping fur edge. Right of it the spinner.
We decided to climb over the Himmelspforte, passing the dark round of the Mönichsee, a cirque lake, as a relic of earlier glacier times.
We crossed the mountain range under the Töflspitze and descended into the shade for a while. With the Atternsee to the side, we saw the Schafkopfspitze high up in the distance. The underground difficult and stony, the view of the Mondsee, which was further to the west, beautiful. The Drachwand arched impressively from its contemplative side over the sickle-shaped lake.
Despite the sun, an icy wind blew up from the valley. Moss hangings gathered icicles in the shade. Some crows danced in flight and had less trouble with the up and down than we alone with the ascent over the serpentines to the sky gate.
A stone-carved staircase and iron-reinforced rock made it easier to pass through the narrow gap. We were up. The summit cross of the Schafberg was majestic. In front of a bright blue sky, it stands lofty above "its" lands, the Mondsee and Attersee, the associated mountains and towns.
A little further up, the highest point on the mountain belonged to the run-down hotel. Abandoned in a prime location, only surrounded by a few mountain railway tourists who - if they weren't looking for a free space in the nearby tavern with us - enjoyed the view from up there.
One soup further, a short break was enough for us to get down again. We only allowed ourselves the view of the spinner, which could be reached via an exposed mountain ridge, but was not part of our hike today. Then it went downhill. Without a break over steep paths, past green meadows, through colorful autumn forest, over stony, as if rooted paths, until after a good 2 hours we reached the valley floor again.Conclusion: due to the sustained ascent and the partly steep passages (also applies to the descent) demanding hike. At some points the path requires increased attention. Fortunately not in places where there is a risk of falling. You will be rewarded with a pretty all-round view of the neighboring lakes and the many imposing peaks. If you want to protect your joints, you can use the mountain railway for the descent, but then you miss a pretty route past alpine pastures and through the forest.October 24, 2021
- Martin
A few autumn impressions from the quarry at Märchensee. Nice what nature has created behind the sunlit slopes and the vineyards. Narrow paths lead nicely through the area and do not disturb the mystique of this place.
Anyone who knows it knows what I mean. If you don't, you can explore it on a walk. Almost incline-free and very relaxed.November 6, 2021
- Patrick Göser, Andi and 63 others like this.
- Martin
In the hope of the predicted autumn high pressure area, some recommendations led us to the Black Forest. The Gertelsbach waterfalls and the surrounding area wanted to be explored.
Choosing the parking lot suboptimally, our view initially extended over a sea of fog that covered the Rhine plain, which could only be guessed at, as far as the horizon. Only the annoying SMS from French network operators, as well as the Covid reception warnings from the federal government, stifled all doubts. We were right here.
Hiking sticks to machetes was the motto right from the start. The spacious park and picnic area had no connection to the road network, which required a search for clues due to the damp fern population.
After a 20-minute fight the time had come. Behind sand, past a still closed hiking home, the hiking trail was under your feet. The sun fought against the clouds with rare success, while our path was unspectacular and quite flat towards Badener Höhe.
Once there, the Friedrichsturm shone in all its beauty. The blue sky created wonderful contrasts, the unexpected motivations of which made us take the steep stairs up to the viewing platform. Black tops surrounded by fog could be seen. Out of the haze the Hornisgrinde greeted in the south with all sorts of towers and windmills. The day was not yet far advanced and the hopes - as mentioned at the beginning - for sun were high.
First of all, it was necessary to dive into the sea of fog.
Over the Brautsteinweg, soft ground caressed the soles. The narrow path led us slightly on the opposite of the route. At a small rest area we turned onto the wilderness path. Designed by the tourism authority (or whoever) into nothing, its stony subsoil with its cheeky roots attracted increased attention. Again and again it was necessary to overcome obstacles, to overcome recumbent monsters with different techniques. Kurzweil was the motto down to the Bühlerhöhe, over which - rather shabby - thick fog and silence lay.
It just grumbled in the middle of the body. Noises that could be eliminated from the Black Forest silence by a dangling in the direction of Kohlbergwiese. The meals weren't exactly suspicious of a star, but they were tasty and quickly prepared. Homemade cakes, pumpkin soup and classic French fries served their purpose, warmed up a little in the persistent cold, and provided motivation on the arduous path that led us over the ensemble of Falkenfelsen to the Brockenfelsen.
I found the landings carved into the rock, which led through massive rock monsters, up and down the rustic rock, grandiose and very worthwhile. Exposed places, such as at the Hertahütte or the Brockenfelsen itself (which a little apart from that received little tourist attention) could not offer a view in the swirling white of this afternoon. We took it easy, as the paths through the rocks were exciting enough to please our wanderers' hearts.
We climbed down into the valley via the Briefträgerwegle, crossed the street at the lowest point and got on the way to the Gertelsbach Falls.
While the Gertelsbach flowed nicely but inconspicuously through its rocky stones at valley level, its course became more spectacular with every meter of ascent, the rocks larger, the multitude of waterfalls larger. At the wayside, tree monsters with widely diversified roots clawed into the ground. The fog - disturbing at the viewpoints - rose through the rock thicket. Mystical, "elvish", beautiful. Surprisingly few hikers were to be found here, only the rushing water broke the mysterious silence, the climb up to the Wiedenfelsen, the last highlight of our day, which was covered by the fog and lost its magic.Conclusion: There are great paths to visit here. Even if the rocky landscape does not lose its appeal due to mystical fog, the sun is helpful. Plenty of warm rock and viewpoints that invite you to take this round again in summer. I will definitely accept this invitation.October 17, 2021
