Excursion to the ZweiTälerLand

At a height of around 20 meters, you can experience the Black Forest from a whole new perspective. Even for those who prefer to keep their feet on the ground, the path from treetop to treetop is easily manageable. A nice addition to the walk at lofty heights are the barefoot, adventure, and sensory trails, the latter of which leads up a slight incline to the start of the treetop trail. Downhill, there is an alternative that picks up speed: the longest tube slide in Europe at 190 meters.

It is also known as the Blocksberg of the Black Forest. Witches and devils are said to have met here, and on Walpurgis Night of all nights, the so-called Devil's Pulpit, the upper part of the Great Kandelfelsen, collapsed into the valley. A broom was even found in the rubble at the time, but it was later discovered that it belonged to a rock climber. Beyond all the legends, the 1,241-meter-high mountain is easy to climb. Climbing enthusiasts like to continue from the summit to the Großer Kandelfelsen with a variety of exciting and well-secured routes. Incidentally, there is said to be a lake inside the mountain. Geologically, this is entirely realistic and is the case with quite a few Black Forest mountains. But the Kandel has a special legend, of course: it is said that if this lake ever overflowed, it would flood the entire Breisgau region.

The Lords of Schwarzenberg had this castle built almost 900 years ago. The location was ideal for defending Waldkirch and the trade route through the Elz Valley – the view extends far across the Rhine Valley. Austrian troops ensured that only ruins remain of the castle during the Thirty Years' War. To prevent the castle from falling into Swedish hands, they demolished it themselves in 1634. Centuries later, the last walls were in danger of falling into complete disrepair until a citizens' initiative took on the ruins. Under the motto “Kastelburg in Not” (Kastelburg in Need), committed Waldkirch residents renovated dilapidated walls, cut back bushes and shrubs, and laid a castle trail that is even illuminated. The so-called Knight's Trail is also worth a visit. It starts just behind the Waldkirch train station and leads up to the castle in 20 minutes; along the way, you will encounter man-sized knight figures that provide information about life at the castle.