The Black Forest is one of my favorite places in Germany!
The Black Forest, or Schwarzwald in German, is located in Baden-Württemberg, Germany covering an area of 12,000 sq. km. It gets its name for the dense conifers that block out a lot of light. Here’s why I love it so much:
It offers many easy hiking trails with idyllic scenery. Although if you’re looking for something more challenging there are plenty of several hundred km long hikes to choose from as well!
The Black Forest does have a dark side though:
This is a henker site where women who were suspected of witchcraft were routinely beheaded. We came across it while hiking.
A “romantic” waterfall, which is how most waterfalls in Germany are described.
A lot of people living there are Catholic and it’s not uncommon to see huge crosses like the one above or statues of the Virgin Mary in pastures.
We see several crosses every time we go hiking in the Black Forest.
While hiking I’ve frequently come across quaint farm houses and pastures with either sheep or cows. I see them on almost every hike I have done.
It’s not just the Black Forest itself that I like, but also the half timber houses that you see in small towns and villages. They look like something out of a Hans Grimm fairy tale.
If I had to sum up the Black Forest in one photo, it would the one above.
Have you been to the Black Forest in Germany?
You may also enjoy: Tips for Hiking in the Black Forest and Hiking in the Black Forest
Beautiful photos. I’d love to go there sometime!
Glen recently posted..Bar-B-Que and Donuts
Stunning, to use an overused word – some parts of Germany are so beautiful…
robin recently posted..Confundido
Thanks for sharing. Your photos tell a beautiful story.
Jillian recently posted..Photo of the Day- Doner Kebab
@Glen – thanks, it really is a beautiful place
@Robin – I was really surprised at how Germany some part of Germany are, the Black Forest being one of them.
Wow, we have to get to Germany. Some beautiful photos! The waterfall you have featured above looks very similar to Bridal Falls in British Columbia, Canada. It looks like a veil. Great post, thanks for sharing.
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@Jillian -Thanks, The Black Forest like many things is better seen than described
@Peter – It’s a nice waterfall, but nothing like the waterfalls we have in Canada, I must say. I’m from Calgary, but haven’t heard of Bridal Falls. Where is it? But yes, it’s still worth coming to Germany, even if the waterfalls are smaller
Ah cool, we lived in Okotoks before this whole adventure started.
Bridal Falls is just outside Chilliwack, BC. Smaller or not, the falls look awesome. All the best!
Peter recently posted..The Hecktic Top 8
Looks like the setting for a Grimm bros fairy tale. You just miss Snow White and the seven dwarfs:)
Mette Christensen recently posted..Italian pop heritage
Beautiful! I’ll get there some day. We are planning to move to Europe in the near future and Germany is at the top of our list. This just makes me want to be there even more!
ellis recently posted..SOS- Save Our Soy
Love the large format photos, so pretty.
ayngelina recently posted..Releasing my inner cyborg with the Hare Krishnas
I went to university in Freiburg and know the Black Forest inside out. Your pictures catch the beauty perfectly. Did you try Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte and Schwarzwälder Schinken?
inka recently posted..The world’s weirdest gym
WOW, gorgeous pictures! I love all the green. While I will always love hiking in rugged, rocky, craggy mountains, rolling bright green hills are just as impressive. So beautiful. You got some spectacular shots here. Maybe Germany needs to move higher up our list??
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@Mette – I’m agree the Black Forest is a perfect place for the Grimm brothers to did get inspiration for their dark tales
@Ellis – Great that you’re moving to Europe. I love living here. Germany wasn’t really high up on my list before I visited it, but it has surpassed my expectations and I really enjoy living here. Hope you enjoy the European life style.
@Ayngelina – Thanks
@Inka – Very cool! I’m allergic to Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte
(gluten allergy) but I love the Schwarzwälder Schinken
@Adam – I was actually surprised at how much I enjoy hiking in Germany since I’m used to hiking in the Rockies and love the craggy mountains too and while hiking in Germany is different, it’s very enjoyable and you can often find a castle on route which is cool.
Beautiful place, that mountain road/path looks amazingly peaceful. Quite different from the big city landscape that surrounds me right now! Great photos!
Migrationology recently posted..Jaws Corner – Coffee and Conversation the Zanzibar Way
Wonderful photos, Laurel. The hiking must be spectacular and steeped in history.
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@Migrationology – Thanks and I can imagine that it does very different from where you’re at
@Barry – Thanks, the hiking is really good, but I’m still biased to the Canadian Rockies
Views of the Black Forest help to explain why the British, when they invited Germans to be their monarchs, also got the Christmas tree.
This photo journal is worth more than a thousand words, but i’ll only use one: supercalifragilisticexpialidoscious!
Great photos, Laurel. How much would we love to go hiking through that scenery?! You’re very lucky to have all this so close to you – and you’re doing a great job for the German tourist board and I bet they don’t even know!
Julia
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@June – good point about the Christmas trees, I hadn’t thought of that, love your word “supercalifragilisticexpialidoscious!”
@Turkeys for Life – Thanks, you should go, it’s not soooo far from Turkey :0
Wow!! How beautiful it is there! I’ve heard about the beauty of Black forest but never had the time to explore it for myself. Now I really regret that!!! The pictures are amazing! It looks like a place where you don’t know what will come after the corner..esp. the part with the witches…creepy!!
Steffy recently posted..Top of the tops- My 5 favorite January post
Hey Laurel,
I took a walk in the Black Forest when I was in Germany. It was very very cold and I didn’t get far. It was supposed to be spring but there was no greenery. No snow either.
I was so thrilled to be in the Black Forest because when I was a kid there was a funny British tv show called The Goodies. In one episode they start a radio station but they only have one record called “A Walk in the Black Forest”. So I felt very glamorous to be doing something that I had seen on tv. Well, heard, really.
And Inka!!! Freiburg is my favourite village in Europe. I just loved it there and the people were so friendly.
The Dropout recently posted..Welcome Bacon Fans!
Just as I imagined, although I have not been there. Not too sure about the henker site – yikes!!
John in France recently posted..Of Words and Sounds
These pictures look like they are from a movie set, even the be-heading site *shiver*
Tracy D recently posted..My next favourite thing – Bioderma!
What part of the Schwarzwald were you in? I assume up near Stuttgart and Triberg? The last picture of the valley looks similar to the valley that I live in.
It looks like you had a great time. Are the pictures with snow and without from the same trip?
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@Steffy – See, the Black Forest is another reason for you to come to Germany, I thought the henker site was creepy, but so interesting.
@The DropOut – Oh no, sorry you didn’t get to see the Black Forest when it was green, it is really beautiful!
@Tracy – The beheading site was a bit unsettling
@Andrew – I’ve been to a few different places, the last photo was taken near Obersimonswald in August. The pictures with the snow are near Calw in December. I just can’t get enough of the Black Forest. You’re so lucky to live in it!
Wow, that part of Germany is amazingly beautiful. When we visited it over the Easter period 2010, it had a sprinkling of snow on the trees in the higher part of Black Forest and it was picture postcard material.
Thanks for sharing.
tehnyit recently posted..Sold our house
Germany is one of my favorite places but I have not been to the Black Forest yet. Your beautiful pictures show why this location is on my “must see” list. Thank you for sharing!
@tehnyit – Agreed, the Black Forest is beautiful with snow as well. It really is a magical place.
@Debbie – Perhaps on your next visit to Germany? I highly recommend it to everyone!
Have not been to the Black Forest, but I’ve wanted to go there forever! I think I saw a little of it from the air when flying out of Frankfurt to Switzerland, but I’m not sure. Your photos are awesome — how beautiful, even though there’s a dark side, too.
@Cathy – Hope you make it there one day, I’d heard a lot about it, but it surpassed my expectations and it is so beautiful, it’s easy to forget the dark side
Wait…how did I miss this post? I had no idea it would be this beautiful….thanks for sharing this with us!
Now this is where I want to spend some time hiking. Gorgeous photos!
Jeremy Branham recently posted..5 reasons why airline mergers may be bad for travelers
We are lucky to be living very close to Black Forest, so this is one of our favourite hiking destinations!
Glad you enjoyed it as well.
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