In the Black Forest holiday region, nature is not just a backdrop to your vacation – you can be sure that experiencing the great outdoors will be the main event. 

Gorging in the Black Forest: A stream hike in Todtnau in the southern Black Forest is an intensive team adventure. One needs to be calm, composed and in good physical shape to follow the guide uphill through the untamed Langenbach gorge. At times gorging involves trekking through waist-high water in wild landscapes of rock, stone and streams – a great way to refresh yourself in summer. The only equipment needed is a pair of well-fitting shoes or barefoot running shoes and quick-drying clothing. The price is €16 per person. The gorging is subject to authorization and is only permitted at certain times. More information at: Tel. 0761 89646-93 and www.schwarzwald-tourismus.info

Flying over the Black Forest fir trees for 570 metres at heights of up to 83 metres – the “Black Forest Hirschgrund Zip Line Area” promise a unique combination of nature and nerve-jangling thrills. Over 1,600 metres of steel cable span narrow valleys near Schiltach in the middle of the Black Forest. Securely fastened on the cable, adventurers fly from mountain to mountain at speeds of up to 60 km/h. Between stations, narrow paths lead to the next starting platform. To test your nerve among the tree-tops you need nothing but a little courage, a minimum age of nine and a body weight of between 40 and 115 kilograms. The adventure lasts around 2.5 hours and costs €30 for those aged 16 and under, and €35 for over-16s. Information and booking at: Tel. 07422 2406-93 und www.hirschgrund-zipline.de

10 years of the “Park for all Senses“: In the Gutach valley in the middle of the Black Forest, a two kilometre long health and adventure trail with 15 different types of ground leads the walker over sticks and stones, pine cones and bark mulch – either barefoot or with shoes. On a walk through forest and meadow, everyone can take their own time to connect with their senses in the fragrant pavilions, interactive stations, the music terrace or in various sensuous spaces. In the ten years of its existence, almost 450,000 nature lovers have visited the “Park for all Senses“. It is situated just under three kilometres up the valley from the Vogtsbauernhof outdoor museum. The season begins in April and the entrance fee for visitors aged between 4 and 15 years is €3.80, while everyone above 15 pays €5.50. Information and additional suggestions can be found at: Tel. 0172 9060241 und www.parkmitallensinnen.de

“Black Forest Safaris” offers individual adventure tours in the middle and south of the Black Forest. The operator from Oberndorf am Neckar promises “Experiences that others may never know”, and wants to bring people to “fascinating natural settings” and show the “traditional crafts of the Black Forest”. On each tour up to six people travel in a minivan with a trained nature park guide through Germany’s highest uplands. The price of €98 includes a picnic with regional specialities, coffee and cake. More information can be found at: Tel. 07423 7551 and www.schwarzwaldsafari.com

“Sleeping in a wine barrel” is one of the most unusual accommodation offers in the vineyards above Sasbachwalden. The eight “holiday apartments” in each case consist of two converted 8,000 litre wine barrels – one for sleeping, the other for living. The barrels are heated and are equipped with double beds, bed linen and towels, and a toilet. A common room, a grilling cabin in the vintner’s yard, an extra toilet and a shower round off the offer. The double barrels can be booked year-round for a total price of €156, which includes a gift basket, wine and breakfast. More information can be found at: Tel. 0761 89646-95 and www.schwarzwald-tourismus.info

A particularly exciting way of spending a night by the Schluchsee is to sleep in a tree tent. Suspended two metres above the ground between strong, Black Forest spruce trees, it can accommodate two people. The removable tent roof affords unobstructed views of the treetops and the starlight. “Sleeping in a tree tent” can be booked year-round for €79 per tent. More information at: Tel. 0761 89646-95 and www.schwarzwald-tourismus.info

 “Living in a pod house” in Wolfach is an experience which promises to combine an experience of nature with the comforts of home. A pod house is a wooden structure – like a half barrel – which blends nicely into its surroundings with its curved shape. At just under seven square metres, the space has ample space for two people including a bed, a dining area, a fridge and a veranda. You can test out the intimate togetherness at an open night at the Äckerhof near Wolfach – including breakfast, two bottles of wine and a bottle of sekt for €95. More information at: Tel. 07836 2021 and www.aeckerhof.de/podhaus

Making out in the meadow: In Wildberg in the northern Black Forest you can stay in a quaint shepard’s hut on the edge of a camp site right by the Nagold river. A wooden platform in front of the hut serves as a sun terrace. The huts can be heated and are ideal for two people who want a different kind of overnight stay. They are particularly popular with price-conscious short-stay tourists, with cyclists and with walkers. From April to October “Sleeping in the Shepard’s Hut Hotel” can be booked from €30 per person, per night. Further information at: Tel. 0761 89646-95 and www.schwarzwald-tourismus.info

This summer, for the first time, the wooded landscapes of the northern Black Forest can be experienced from a completely different angle: on the “Treetop Trail” on the Sommerberg in Bad Wildach. At the end of a 1,200 meter long wooden gangway, visitors make their way in a spiral form up into the treetops – even with a pram or wheelchair. The 40 metre high viewing platform affords extensive forest panoramas. Further information at Tel. 07081 9250940; www.baumwipfelpfad-schwarzwald.de

The “Wilderness Trail” in the Black Forest national park is designed for those who want to experience how a storm-ravaged forest can become a little natural paradise all on its own. It takes around two hours to negotiate the 4.5 kilometre track over ground-lying deadwood, roots and rocks. Dates for guided tours and countless other possibilities for experiencing nature can be found in the Black Forest national park’s yearly calendar, Tel. 07449 91020; www.nationalpark-schwarzwald.de

Source: Schwarzwald Tourismus GmbH

Photo: © Murgtal Tourismus