Let’s start with the usual: with 1493m, the Feldberg is the highest mountain of the Schwarzwald (Black Forest mountain range). The actual county of Feldberg was formed in 1971. The Feldberg is not a single mountain but a kilometer long range reaching from the "Zastler"-Valley in the West to the Feldberger Hof in the East...

Let’s start with the usual: with 1493m, the Feldberg is the highest mountain of the Schwarzwald (Black Forest mountain range). The actual county of Feldberg was formed in 1971. The Feldberg is not a single mountain but a kilometer long range reaching from the "Zastler"-Valley in the West to the Feldberger Hof in the East.

The major Peaks are the Feldberg and Seebuck (1448m). The views comprise the French Vogesen in the West and the Swiss Alps in the South. The Vogesen are the french counter part to the Schwarzwald along the Rhine. The french mountains are much rougher and wilder than the tamed Black Forest.

They habour magical flora and fauna and different landscape sorts such as mountainous wetlands and lakes.

The Black Forest still offers some good hiking though and sometimes, if you stray from the tourist beaten tracks, you will even find some untouched primeval forest with its dense shrub-life. In Winter, the climb up to busy Seebuck (also used as Ski slope) can be rewarding. Unfortunately, it can get quite filled up with people and snowboard maniacs, who have to race through the restricted Plant & Tree area to get their extra kicks.

From the Feldberger Hof it takes about half an hour to get up to Seebuck, to march on further onto Feldberg, another hour. The Feldberg can be reached via less busy paths, which you can choose on the map, as printed by the Government Surveying department of Baden Wuerttemberg supported by the Black Forest Club (Schwarzwaldverein e. V.).

 Take Blatt 25 (as shown on the left frame), for the Feldberg, Belchen and Schluchsee region. If you are based in Freiburg, the hourly train takes you up to Baerental Station (967m), which at is the highest train station in Germany. Then there are buses, which take you up to the Feldberger Hof (15 minutes). Best ticket to purchase is the day ticket for DM 10,--, valid all day and for 2 Adults & 2Kids on weekends.

All photos by A. Goss & S. Goss

© A.Goss, April 2001