Sunday 8th October 2023

Altglashutten to Hinterzaten

No need to worry about trains today or the first part of the walk, as we are retracing our trainless journey from yesterday to make our way to Hinterzaten , the local ski jumping venue in the Black Forest area.

Will miss the hotel , it had a real homely atmosphere and everything was spot on.

Amazingly the solo walk today over the same track had us constantly asking ‘ do you remember that’. Most times the answer was ‘no’ and it probably indicated how wrapped up in conversation we were.

There were more magnificent winter lodges and ski fields we missed tucked into hills. Animals were also more prevalent, including a little farm with a real mix of horses. Also plenty of benches to take in the lovely views.

Reached Barental and started off into the hills and forests, but not before a rarity on this trip – a grass path – which lasted all of 100 metres.

After that it was back into some very ‘undulating ‘ forest before eventually reaching a creek crossing at the bottom.

We encountered two young men at a bridge armed with knifes who were either going to rob us of all our worldly possessions or carve their initials into the new wooden bridge.

Thankfully it was the latter and we ambled up the hill and passed a farm owned by one Michel Hof ( not sure if he was an ancestor of the bloke from Bay Watch ).

He must have enjoyed longevity from life in the forest or drinking the stream water because his tombstone indicated he lived for almost 400 yests.

The existing farm was amazing with a great crop of ripe rosehip bushes, the flavour of an additive to one of our cocktails we enjoyed the previous night.

The path around the farmhouse was one of the few flat patches we enjoyed before a beautiful uphill walk through the forest, with me leading the way and Jane reading the instructions.

Seems we have over the years developed a system for me leading uphill and her leading downhill. The forest was being harvested in many parts and the trees logged were enormous. They often lay next to tracks awaiting the next step in the process.

We thought we were nearing the top when we reached a decision point on which track to follow. A signpost with numerous directional arrows tested our directional skills, but we eventually picked the right one that lead us to the top of the hill.

Here stood a chairlift at the top of a ski run which would delight my daughter Michelle’s family, but would have had me washing the undies at the bottom. After the first turn it simply disappeared steeply through the bushes.

We struggled down something designated as a path which zigzagged for a couple of hundred metres before finding more of the run- a little flatter but still as frightening to a non – skier.

Aftert a knee busting down hill we came to a lovely open pasture with a huge guesthouse where we dropped the backpacks and enjoyed lunch – totally unaware that we were about to switch back up the hill.

It was then off up the hill behind a conga line of weekend warriors for about 30 minutes, before topping the hill and skipping down the other side to reach another lake.

Like the previous day it could not be swum in due to ecological reasons. Interestingly we met two girls who asked us to take a photo. One had studied ecological science in Brisbane and she gave us an explanation which we could but accept despite wanting to cool down.

Circumnavigated the lake before heading out into more level ground. Passed a candidate for the worst stacked woodpile on trip before finding a very rocky path down into a nature park on the outskirts on Hinterzaten where we were staying.

They saved the best sign till last – Wolves are being re-introduced into the forests- glad we didn’t have to deal with that thought as well, on a trip that was difficult but magical in the sun filtered forests.

The nature garden had a great area for kids to play in, including a cubby house made from tree remnants. The church with the onion shaped dome which we had seen from afar was ironically adjacent to our hotel.

We managed to book into another great hotel on a common, in a town obviously set up for the winter ski season.

The famous ski jump was visible from anywhere in town. We visited it later in the day on our trek around town – those ski jumpers are a breed unto themselves.

We also passed the Adler Hotel which had an enormous private garden and it was a few classes above our accommodation. In actual fact the town had a sense of sophistication about it.

After our walk we enjoyed a quiet drink in the beer garden before a siesta and then off to dinner.

Whilst dinner was a tad plain,compared to previous days, it was tasty and plentiful, with it mainly being the traditional style of the area, albeit interestingly named. The entree especially, Lambs Lettuce, which was effectively a Caesar Salad. Dessert was a deconstructed Brownie served with a side of Crème Brûlée.

Just have to say this trip is a delicate balance between being fit and fat with latter probably just in front, if walking shorts are a barometer.