Sunday, 05th June 2011
Just before I reached the upper station wind started to rock the gondola and it stopped fairly abrupt. At the summit it was very foggy and I could not even see the Bismarck memorial, which is just 50 m from the upper station. But I started my way through the fog and suddenly I stood in front of a tower, a lookout point (I could not see it in the cloud).
After 1 ½ hour walking down hill I reached the Feldsee, a small lake in a valley. I could walk around it in a bit more than half an hour. But the worst was yet to come.
There were two ways back to the cable car station (I had to go back, I parked Fridolin there) one about 2.2 km and another one with a bit more the 4 km. Not knowing how the way was I made my decision for the shorter track. If only I had known that before. For more than 2 km I had to climb uphill. And for a way, only for people with re4al good shoes and you had be quite sure on your feet otherwise – farewell and good bye – the path went over hill and dale really. Rocks wherever your eyes look anything else then harmless. And as I said only uphill, the difference in elevation from 1108 m (Feldsee) to 1287 m (cable car station) had to be managed.
When I reached the cable car station I fairly short of breath. Now I had to go to my car and pay for the parking. 4 Euros was written on big boards at the parking area. As I went to the “Haus der Natur” the boys there told me, that if I go to the cable car station I could park for free because I got the “Hochschwarzwaldcard”. So I went again to the station change the ticket to one which one I could leave the parking area and then, finally I could sit down even if it was just in the car. Although in the meantime I felt quite good again. With the “Hochschwarzwaldcard” you can do a lot of thing for free for example go with the cable car……..Back home again the first thing I did was to lay down and sleep a bit. After that I felt a wee bit cold and I went out into the sun. I took one of these wonderful relax chair Thomas and Alex have got. And of course I went back to sleep. In a result I got beside a red underarm (happened on the trip down to Falkau, the sun burned my arm through the open window) a red décolleté. I guess it will turn to a light brown soon even though I don’t get really brown, better a bit brown then not at all. It will turn alright it is just itching a bit at the moment.
Tuesday, 7th July
Today Feldberg the 2nd. Because today the sun is shining I am going on the Feldberg again. Of course I went up with the cable car again. Why walk if I can have it easier. So I drove again on the parking area and park Fridolin there. Then I changed the park ticket at the cable car station so I didn’t have to do it afterwards. What at different look today. A wonderful distant view (even though not completely to the Alps) and beautiful warm sun. Unfortunately I had forgotten my camera so there are no pictures from the sunny Feldberg.
For the start I went to the weather station at the summit. First like yesterday, pass the lookout tower ant than further, this time no turn right. Firstly the path leaded downhill, I knew that from yesterday, but then it constantly went up to the station at the summit. Here was a school class occupying the top place. So it was not so easy to reach the boards with information about the ice age in the black forest (or better short after, during the ice age the black forest was a glacier). After that the way leaded downhill. Firstly over a comfortable wide way and then over a narrow path, it also could have been a drain for rainwater but it was marked as hiking trail. The neck breaking drain ended again on a wide way, here also drove cars! From this wide comfortable way another way leaded up to the Feldberg summit. At the intersection I med a very nice couple who told me about a real existing tour through the Wutachschlucht (a canyon). But it was only possible to do it as guided tour. Start of the tour in Titisee on Wednesday, registration necessary until Tuesday 12 am. Too late, it was after 12 so I had to make a note for some time later.
After I was back at the parking area I firstly drove back to my bed and breakfast. There was more I had planned today but therefore I needed my camera. Then I drove on to Todtnau, here you can see the highest waterfall in Germany. That there were boy of a school class climbing around and through the waterfall I could deal with but that an adult man stood in the middle right in front of the waterfall and took videos, not only with his mobile also with his video camera and again with his mobile and then stood more than 10 minutes prayerful and look at the waterfall that was too much. Fortunately one of the teachers asked one of the boy to tell the “kind” man to move out of the way. Finally I could take some photos of the waterfall without people. As I said the boy at the edge were not so bad.
Now I went on to Freiburg. Thomas told me to take the route called “Schau ins Land” (Look into the country). Unfortunately the road had a great alikeness with “Highcliff Road” at the Otago Pensinsula from Dunedin to Taiaroa Head. Steep chasm close to the road, help!! But I managed that also like I did in New Zealand and the way down was again very similar to the way down to the coast at Portobello. Of course here was no sea only the Rheinebene. In Freiburg I found my way amazingly easy and I left Fridolin in a multistory car park. Then I went to the old town. Whoever visit Freiburg should look down to the ground. Here are old drains, today no longer for wast water like in the old day, boy must it have smelled awful…………………….
After I had round feet from walking around in the town I wanted something to eat because Thomas and Alex had there day of like every Tuesday. At an Italian Restaurant I ordered a salad. When the bread came I left it untouched on the table. And then I did not trust my eyes!! A sparrow flew right to the bread basket and took one slices of bread. Of course it was too heavy for it and the bread slices dropped on the ground. But then the show really started. More and more sparrows came and picked from the bread. Finally only the crust was left to hard for sparrow beaks. Quite cheeky but somehow also really cute the sparrows.
On my way back I stopped at the entry into the Black Forest und took some photos. Here also picture from New Zealand came to my mind. Anyhow New Zealand was very present on this journey anyway, maybe alone already because I knew Thomas and Alex from there. Back at the bed and breakfast I sat outside until thick clouds covered the sky and it started to thunder. And very quick the thunderstorm arrived and it started to rain and did not stopped the for the next 24 hours.
Wednesday, 8th June 2011
So I had to look for something else to do on Wednesday instead of hiking. First I thought about a boat trip over the Schluchsee and Titisee. But then I remembered that I had seen a traffic sign to Basel and the kilometres were something about 74 km or so. So I followed the sign. And finally I reached Basel. But I did not see much of the town it was still raining. So I drove just around the centre once, the main road up and down and then out of the town again. On the way back I realised, that I was crossing the Rhein (I did not noticed that on my way into the town). So I was looking for a way to get there. I just turned right twice and stood at the Rhein. But the walk last only 5 minutes, it was just too wet. On the way back I saw right behind Lörrach a castle on the hill and at that moment it was in the sunshine. It stayed dry for a while so I had enough time to look at the castle. When it started to rain again I moved on towards home. After an hour rest in my room I saw that it was dry at the Feldberg too. So I used the chance to take a walk to the Windgfällweiher, ca. 2.5 km from Falkau/Feldberg, just a little 5 km walk. Unfortunately it started to rain again and I became soaking wet. Anyway I am not made from sugar only I got cold because I was so wet and I did got warm the whole evening, I must have caught a cold then.
Thursday, 9th of June 2011
The next day I did not felt very well. Nevertheless I did the deferred boat trip on the Schluchsee. As a harded up North German of course I took a seat on the top of the boat outside. Towards the end of the trip it became real cold but I was not in the mood to go downstairs for the last 5 minutes, it was crowded there anyway. And further to the Titisee, here also I took a trip with the boat on the lake. Titisee is a town for tourist – nothing for me.
Friday, 10th of June 2011
And suddenly the days in the Black Forest were over. On Friday I had another fantastic “Thomas”-breakfast and about 10.30 am I slowly started my trip to my sister in Heidenheim. First the direction to Stuttgart and from there through the ”back door” to Heidenheim.