A Jaunt to the Black Forest

Before the holidays, my sister and I planned a girl’s weekend away. Our last trip had been to Lake Constance, and it was high time we repeated it. After the golden colors at the lake, we were hoping for a thick blanket of snow when we booked our stay in the Black Forest. Alas, we had to make do with the fog and last bits of snow which had fallen around Christmas.

We met up in Freiburg and did some window shopping and cake eating before we headed out and up the mountain. Freiburg is a city we both know very well, having spent many weekends there during our childhood visiting friends. But when I realized the last time I had been there was around 8 years ago, I knew I wanted to spend time there again. Freiburg is a pretty town with many independent shops which makes browsing so much more fun.

Don’t forget to stroll through the market stalls in front of the imposing cathedral, and take a good look at all the gargoyles seemingly hanging off the roof of the cathedral. There are many details not to be missed! If you have the time and the weather is right, climb the steps to the top of the tower for a magnificent view of the the city. Look up and admire the intricate design of the sandstone tower which looks a bit like lace.

From Freiburg, it is not far into the Black Forest which is actually a large forested mountain range. As our car climbed up into the forest, the fog became thicker and thicker and it wasn’t hard to imagine coming across dancing fairies. But then suddenly there was sun as we broke through the fog!

The following day, we searched for some sun and the higher we went, the less sun was to be seen. At the top of the highest peak in the Black Forest the Feldberg, we had to drive slowly to be able to see skiers crossing the road. The fog was so thick, I was surprised there was even anyone willing to go out and ski! We turned around and decided to stop for cake at a place we had seen on our way. After a short walk across the fields, we settled into some cozy chairs and read the weekend paper while enjoying the view and savoring our large pieces of Schwarzwälderkirschtorte (Black Forest Cake).

Before heading back into civilization at the end of the weekend, we stopped in Staufen to visit the castle ruins. The sun was finally out, but it was freezing cold as we climbed the hill to the ruins.

3 Replies to “A Jaunt to the Black Forest”

  1. Aunt Gail says: Reply

    Oh…how I wish I’d been with you, as it looked like a beautiful weekend. The combo of fog and sun made for some really stunning photos. And of course the thought of eating Black Forrest cake with you, made me really want to be there! I’d love a print of one of the snowy meadows or maybe I should get out my watercolors and paint it! What a special adventure for you girls!

  2. Oh, so fun! It looks like a great girls weekend and the views are wonderful!

  3. I really like these photos. Freiburg is one of my favorite cities to visit plus it has the advantage of being near lots of great walks through the Schwarzwald. Looks like you two had a great weekend.

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