Black Forest Hike

This is the continuation of my previous post about the week from August 19 to 24. Do not continue reading if you are bored by pictures of trees and paths, and more paths and more trees, the odd rock thrown in, and blue skies with white fluffy clouds.

On Sunday (25.08.2024), the day was forecast to be no hotter than 24C/75F, dry and mostly sunny - very good for a hike in the woods, where even the uphill bits were going to be manageable in the shade of the trees.

For several years, O.K. and I had made it a kind tradition to visit the Moosturm at the start of a year, a viewing tower on top of Mooskopf, a hill in the Black Forest a short drive from O.K.'s village. The first time I went there with him was in 2016, and you can find my post about that hike here. Several repeats followed, usually around New Year's Day. The last time we've been was in 2022; click here for that post.

We both felt it was time to go there again, and at around lunch time, we left the car park designated for walkers, hikers and cyclists, and set off towards the Moos.

After the first bit on a wide and well-trodden lane, a narrow path followed, all of it uphill, much of it covered in tree roots and rocks. Of course we were wearing our hiking boots - I wouldn't want to walk such a path in just regular sneakers/trainers.

A more open landscape followed, with beautiful late-summer wildflowers and shrubs creating quite a jungle:

You can see how high the flowers have grown - and this is the official path, signposted and all!

The climb had me puffing and panting as always, but the views at the top were as rewarding as always:

Almost there!

We rested on a bench at the bottom of the tower, had our sandwiches and then climbed the tower. The views from there were beautiful, too:

Back down we went, walking to the Lothar memorial next. I have written about that memorial a few times on my blog, for instance here.

Looking back at Moosturm

I can still spot the tower in the distance.

Here it is, not far from the tower, and a popular spot for walkers and cyclists alike.

We moved on, slowly but surely making our way down the wooded hills and back to the car park, with a brief stop for a cold shandy at the "Friends of Nature" hut which was open and doing brisk business.

Close to the car park

Arriving at the car, O.K.'s watch showed that we had covered 13.8 km.

The picturesque town of Gengenbach is not far from there, and O.K. suggested we have ice creams and a stroll, both of which we enjoyed:

Gengenbach Town Hall, used as an Advent Calendar in December, as it has 24 windows.

Back at the cottage, we set up chairs and a table in the courtyard in front of the house where the shade made it pleasant to sit, almost cool after a while.

Some of you weren't familiar with Merguez when I mentioned this type of sausage on my blog a while ago. It originates from North Africa, as does Harissa, the spicy red paste eaten with it. You need VERY little of that unless you wish to spit fire afterwards. Here is my plate of Merguez, bread, tomato with basil and a small dollop of Harissa.

It had been the kind of Sunday I love - sleeping in, then a hike, a stroll in a picturesque place, ice cream and then a good meal.