The Black Forest is Germany's largest low mountain range with altitudes of up to 1493 metres. However, the region is also interesting for leisure cyclists thanks to its river valleys and great transport connections. For example, the Kinzigtal railway runs parallel to the Kinzigtal cycle path, which can be used to cover parts of the route or to travel from the end of the cycle path in Offenburg back to the starting point of the cycle path in Freudenstadt (www.kinzigtalbahn.de.vu). In this way, you can avoid the uphill stage from the Rhine plain back into the low mountain range. In addition to the Kinzigtal cycle path, there are many other well signposted cycle paths in the Black Forest, which can also be combined into exciting circular tours.
The river tours from Freudenstadt:
Tour 1: Nagoldtal cycle path, to Pforzheim, 111 km
Tour 2: Enztal cycle path, to Besigheim, 133 km
Tour 3: Kinzigtal cycle path, to Offenburg, 90 km
Tour 4: Tour de Murg, to Rastatt, 67 km
Arrival
Freudenstadt is easy to reach by train. Info under www.bahn.de. By car, for example, you can take the A8 motorway or the A81, then the main roads and country roads to Freudenstadt.
Tip: If you show your KONUS guest card when boarding a bus or train in the Black Forest, you can travel for free on all nine transport networks in the Black Forest holiday region (including bicycles). For detailed information call 0761-8964693, www.konus-schwarzwald.de
Contact us
Information is available from Schwarzwald Tourismus GmbH, Habsburgerstr.132, 79104 Freiburg,
Tel. 0761-89646-35, www.schwarzwald-tourismus.info, www.rad-schwarzwald.info.
Further Internet information at www.nordschwarzwald-nationalpark.de, www.enztalradweg.de
Accommodation tips
Hotel Adler, Forststraße 15-17, 72250 Freudenstadt, Tel. 07441-91520, www.adler-fds.de
Hotel Bergfrieden, Bätznerstrasse 78, 75323 Bad Wildbad, Tel. 07081-17040, www.hotelbergfrieden.de
Food and drink
Directly on the cycle path: Fischerhütte Friedrichstal, Walke 6, 72270 Baiersbronn, Tel. 0179-7982415,
www.fischerhuette-friedrichstal.de. Beautiful beer garden, delicious fish dishes (e.g. Friedrichstäler Black Forest trout or fillet of pikeperch).
Great for sitting outside: Café Kaffeebohne, Marktplatz 7, 77761 Schiltach, www.kaffeebohne-schiltach.de. Surrounded by beautifully restored half-timbered houses, you can enjoy homemade cakes and pastries.
Worth seeing
Beautiful Black Forest houses and a vivid presentation of Black Forest history can be found in the Black Forest open-air museum Vogtsbauernhof in Gutach, www.vogtsbauernhof.org
Impressive: Hirsau Monastery with monastery museum, information at www.schloesser-und-gaerten.de
Alpirsbach has a medieval monastery church worth seeing and an interesting monastery museum.
and an interesting monastery museum. Information on opening times, guided tours and events at www.kloster-alpirsbach.de
Maulbronn Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is definitely worth a detour. www.kloster-maulbronn.de
A great detour for animal lovers is the Alternative Wolf and Bear Park Black Forest in Bad Rippoldsau-Schapbach, www.baer.de
The world's largest permanent exhibition on Hermann Hesse can be found in Calw: Hermann-Hesse-Museum, Marktplatz 30, 75365 Calw, Tel. 07051-7522.
Literature/Maps
Cycling tour book River Cycle Route Black Forest, Esterbauer, with GPS tracks and detailed maps, scale 1:75,000, 12.90 euros. Kinzigtal cycling and hiking map, Publicpress, with tips on places to stop for refreshments and leisure activities, scale 1:50,000, 4.95 euros. Request information material on river valley cycle paths free of charge from Schwarzwald Tourismus GmbH. Black Forest National Park programme booklet with information and event tips free of charge at www.nordschwarzwald-nationalpark.de
