Hiking the Zweitaelerland Trail

First sleep in the Black Forest and it was cold - had to turn on the heat. Our accommodations here are excellent - we have the entire 2nd floor apartment. Took some pics of the farm and buildings here. Bernhard milks 9 cows and they process the milk into cheese and butter then sell it to passers by. It's GOOD cheese - we had to by some after Irmgard insisted we taste it.

After breakfast we crossed the road and followed a farmers lane as it wound up the hill and into the woods at the top. There were no trail signs but we learned later this afternoon that it was part of the Zweitaelerland Trail - a 330 km long hiking and biking trail in the Elztal and Simonswaldertal valleys. Spent about 2 hours walking up there and back. Several rest spots - typical red benches and swings tied to tree branches overlooking the valleys and pasture fields below. Lots of camera shots along the path.

Nobody was home here to pick their brains about trails so we decided to head into the town of Elzach to try to find the TI for information on hiking trails in the area. While there we picked up a few items at a dollar type store. Finally found the TI but it was only a room with folders and maps lying on a large table - sorta’ help yourself - but it was all in German so we picked up only one and left for “home“.

On the way to our stay here yesterday, we had noticed hikers reading a large map by the side of the road and it was obvious that the trail crossed the road there so we decided to go back and find that trail and walk it a bit in the afternoon. It was a crossing of several trails, one for biking, one for panoramic views and one for nordic walking. Each was marked by a different sticker on the trees. The one we took - the panorama trail - was paved for the first km or so then turned to gravel.

All the gravel trails we were on today were actually covered with crushed marble or granite looking material - they must have a lot of it around here. Many deer stands are scattered along the trails and through the meadows - apparently the deer like the trails too.

At one turn on the trail, we looked across the valley on the other side and recognized the mountain we had been on in the morning. That was a surprise since we were maybe 5 km from home by road. These roads curve and turn so that you almost like you are coming around to meet yourself on the other side.
Lots of exercise today - walking exercise