Feldburg steig, time for walkies…
The anticipation is growing as we peak out of Heulwen and see the blue sky. A step outside confirms it will be a good day, hopefully cool as we’ve decided to walk the 12km Feldburg Steig circular walk.
When we leave our park up in Titisee we get stung for €19 overnight, not a good start.
A short hop away and we get to the Feldburg car park. Oddly we are the only van in the car park so we ready ourselves, pack our trail lunches, waterproofs, walking poles, water and trail mix/ sweets. All important stuff!
We get the cable car, €12 each, non return and head on up. I can’t remember ever going in one before so it’s a combination of excitement and nerves as we sail up the hill. It’s not a long ride, 10mins or so but enough to make it interesting.
We arrive and get out, relieved to have arrived on terra firma. We take in the amazing views and admire the statue of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck before consulting the ‘map’ and heading off across the saddle of the mountain towards the top.
The walk starts well, not too steep, smooth and well waymarked. The profusion of wildflowers is astounding and we are blown away by how pretty it is.
We set off for the first ‘hut’ which is unfortunately closed and also a good way downhill. We’ve only covered a couple of km’s but the walk is becoming our trip highlight quite quickly. It is a fantastic route and given the coolness of the day a joy to walk.
The next section takes us into the forest and we cross lots of small streams, pass waterfalls before emerging at the next hut which is open. It’s all geraniums and wood.
Being British we obviously had a cup of tea and being unable to decipher the menu we nibbled some of our restorative peanut, jam on rye bread sandwiches! Happy hikers.
Onwards, and a few km’s further we passed another hut and another water station. These were spread along the route allowing us to refill our water bottles with crystal clear, freezing cold water. They seemed very popular as everyone from hikers to mountain bikers to families were using them to quench a thirst.
We pushed on further and after a few km’s we came to a lovely trackside clearing with a handful of picnic tables, fire pits, shelters and a water station, lunch time!!!
We were well past halfway and again through some beautiful forest, views everywhere and lovely stream crossings we arrived at the final hut. Time for another cuppa.
The hut shop had everything and it was all honesty based with a suggested price list and a huge open money box for you to pay and get change if needed. A concept we found astounding that people would be so ‘honest’, I guess we get cynical living in the UK and don’t realise that people are generally good natured!!
Just around the next corner we come to Feldsee, a stunning glacial lake and a highlight of the trail.
The end of the trail is looming and we’ve seen the elevation profile, it’s a 2km slog up a very steep hill. It has also started picking with rain, oh joy!! We crack on, don our waterproofs and head uphill zigzagging through the trees. Up ahead daylight looms and all of a sudden we’ve made it back to the ski station and in the distance we spot Heulwen, hunkered down in the ever growing rain deluge!
A quick trot across the car park, stripping off our dripping stuff and we suddenly feel enveloped in the joy of the van. A restorative cuppa and biscuit later and we head off, feeling elated to a local Park4night spot we’ve noticed.
Thankfully we’ve kept our leftover pizza from Titisee so it’s chip, dip, beer and ridge monkey warmed pizza as we settle down knackered but smiling after what has turned out to be a vanlife day to cherish! 12km’s of pure joy. We would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys walking as it really highlights the best of what the Black Forest has to offer!!
