The Black Forest- 4th - 7th June

Our first dip into the Black Forest was only a few km's south east of Freiburg.  We took the cable car (at 3600m long Germany's longest uninterrupted cable car) up to the top of the Schauinsland.  The views probably would have been really pretty if it hadn't been incredibly foggy.  As it was it was very atmospheric and definitely cooler up on top (the weather had changed again, back up to high 20's).

Cable car to... nowhere? 

The views from the observation tower were...foggy

Wooden sculpture trail

The fog finally cleared a bit while we were in the cable car on the way down of course

From there we drove north through the Hollental (Hell's Valley) and into the Black Forest.  We stopped at a town called Triburg to see the Gutach waterfall.  The waters plunge over 160m in seven cascades and it's a very beautiful spot.  The rest of the town looked a bit touristy and two minutes in a tourist shop was enough for us to cross cuckoo clocks off our list of 'things to see'!  The highlight of the day, and the following, though was the scenery.  It was incredibly refreshing to be amongst hills, mountains and trees.  There were cute little villages tucked into valleys and sweeping views from the crests of the hills.

Approaching Hell's Valley, the narrowest point of the black forest valley

Cuckoo clocks.  Don't really get it.  There were at least two "biggest cuckoo clocks in Germany" in this town alone!

The Triburg waterfall, or part of it anyway

Triburg

We stayed that night in a campground out of a town called Wolfach.  It was a beautiful site on the side of a hill and surrounded by forest.  Having a beer on the restaurant balcony and watching the sun set over the Black Forest valley- bliss!  We also ran into a couple of kiwis while we were there.  They thought it was "great to hear a kiwi voice"! but we've obviously been away from NZ for a bit too long as it took us a couple of minutes to figure out if they were kiwis or aussies!!

The following day we spent the morning in a village called Schiltach.  I know I say it all the time but this was the cutest village ever!  There was a little stream rambling through the centre of town and the streets were lined with half timbered and mural painted houses.  Gorgeous.  After this we headed north along the Schwarzwald-Hochstrasse, the Black Forest Panoramic Highway.  The road was generally great, although we did go around one turn that was limited to 10km!!  Otherwise it definitely lived up to its name with incredible views!

Schiltach town

The stream was actually cobbled!

Teeny tiny little house.  That appeared to be the whole thing.

The town square with half timbered houses.

Ye lode german knitting machine.  I've pretty sure it's the same one my mum had...

Devil mask in the museum.  This, or ones like it, are used in the festival that commemorates one of the many times the village burnt down.  Basically they blamed a lass from a nearby town and after "extensive questioning" she "admitted" that the "devil" made her tip hot coals onto a roof.  Modern justice system perhaps not so bad.

An actual tannery.  Luckily we were down-wind

We spent the next couple of night just out of the town of Bad Wildbad, chosen specifically for the name of course!  Despite a couple of decent storms we did some good walks in the nearby Black Forest.  I think I've mentioned before that 'Bad' means something like spa in german, so we figured Bad Wildbad would have a spa in town.  It did and it was amazing.  The renovated ancient spa had so many different rooms, some with spas to fit two people, others with larger pools, and varying temperatures.  All were decorated with ornate tiles, painted ceilings and amazing art-deco type stained glass windows.  The down side was the "bathing suits optional" policy, particularly as Morgan failed to see any of the half naked attractive ladies that were included in the advertising material!  We couldn't take our camera in with us of course but if you're interested have a look at their website http://www.bad-wildbad.eu/index.cfm?fuseaction=spas&rubrik=palaisthermal_en

Views from the Schwarzurald-Hochstrasse and Black Forest

Black Forest gateaux, or something sweet enough to make me satisfied!

The short walk into Bad Wildbad was through a beautiful park bordering the stream

The Palais Thermale in Bad Wildbad

Random pretty building in Bad Wildbad

Sadly for now it's Auf Wiedersehen Germany.  We're off to France now, although we'll only be there for a few days.  In less than a week we fly to Sicily to meet my sister Sarah, to help her celebrate her birthday.   Sicily baby!

Oh and mileage at the end of our Black Forest leg = 2671 miles