Westweg

This article explains the hiking trail in the Black Forest. See also: Westweg (Fichtelgebirge) or Weststeg .

Westweg
View from the Schliffkopf to the south
Data
length	approx. 285 km
location	Germany, Baden-Wuerttemberg , Black Forest
Supervised by	Black Forest Association
Markers	Red diamond on a white background
Starting point	Pforzheim 48 ° 54 ′ 0 ″  N , 8 ° 43 ′ 0 ″  E
Target point	Basel 47 ° 33 ′ 2 ″  N , 7 ° 35 ′ 28 ″  E
Type	Long-distance hiking trail
Height difference	1256 m
The highest point	Feldberg ( 1493  m )
Lowest point	Hausach ( 237  m )
Level of difficulty	medium to difficult
season	Spring to autumn
Viewpoints	Hornisgrinde , Feldberg , Belchen
particularities	Prädikatswanderweg

 Map with all coordinates: OSM | WikiMap

The western route is next to the middle and the Ostweg the oldest of the three north-south long-distance hiking routes through the Black Forest . It leads from Pforzheim to Basel . The approximately 285-kilometer high-altitude hiking trail was laid out in 1900 as the first long-distance hiking trail in Germany and has been maintained and looked after by the Black Forest Association ever since . His signpost is a red diamond on a white background.

The Westweg is part of the European E1 long-distance hiking trail (North Cape - Sicily).

Route description

The Golden Gate Pforzheim - entrance to the Westweg

The Westweg begins in Pforzheim . It leads first through the Enz Valley to Dobel and then through vast forests with moors to Hohloh . After the descent into the Murg Valley , the path climbs again to the highest point in the northern Black Forest , the Hornisgrinde . The further route runs along the Black Forest High Road to the Alexanderschanze and then through forests into the Kinzig Valley to Hausach . After a steep ascent, the Westweg touches the European watershed between the Rhine and the Danube from the Martinskapelle ( Bregquelle ) to the Kalten Herberge . In Titisee the Westweg forks into a western and an eastern route. The western route (variant A) runs over the Feldberg summit , the Belchen and the Blauen to Kandern and then through the Wolfsschlucht and the valley of the meadow to Basel . The eastern route (variant B) branches off southwards to the second highest Black Forest mountain , the Herzogenhorn , goes over the heights between Wehra and Wiesental , leads after the Hohen Möhr to the Dinkelberg , in order to reach Rheinfelden down into the Rhine valley and to Basel.

history

The Westweg was laid out in 1900 as a high route from Pforzheim to Basel by the Badischer Schwarzwaldverein by Philipp Bussemer from Baden-Baden and Julius Kaufmann from Lahr. Considerations to create a continuous high-altitude hiking trail from north to south through the Black Forest began as early as 1894.

The western route, in 1903 by the Württembergische Schwarzwaldverein supervised Ostweg from Pforzheim to Schaffhausen and the middle from Pforzheim to Waldshut was supplemented, became a model for many other long-distance trails.

On 15 December 2006, the western route received from the German Hiking Association seal of approval Qualitätsweg Walking in Germany . In order to meet its criteria - among other things, a maximum of 20 percent of the route may be asphalted or paved - sections of the Westweg had to be relocated in advance or demolished in a natural way. The point of separation between the eastern and western variants was also relocated from Bärental to Titisee . The re-certification as a predicate hiking trail, which is necessary every three years , last took place on December 31, 2015.

Westweg has been a founding member of the Top Trails of Germany marketing association since 2009 .

course

Overview of the stages of the Westweg

No.	Stage start	Milestone	Distance (km)	Walking time (h)
1.	Pforzheim	Chub	24.7	6.5
2.	Chub	Forbach	26th, 0	7th, 0
3.	Forbach	Untermatt	19.4	6.5
4th	Untermatt	Alexanderschanze	27.8	8th, 0
5.	Alexanderschanze	On the rake	16.9	4.5
6th	On the rake	Hausach	16.5	4th, 0
7th	Hausach	Wilhelmshöhe near Schonach	21st, 0	6.5
8th.	Wilhelmshöhe near Schonach	Cold hostel	21st, 0	6th, 0
9. A.	Cold hostel	Hinterzarten	26.5	6.5
10. A.	Hinterzarten	Wiedener Eck	24.5	6th, 0
11. A.	Wiedener Eck	Blauen (Hochblauen)	21st, 0	5.5
12. A.	Blauen (Hochblauen)	Wollbach	16.5	4th, 0
13. A.	Wollbach	Basel	19th, 0	5, 0
9. B.	Cold hostel	Bear Valley	26.5	7th, 0
10. B.	Bear Valley	High-head building	25.5	7th, 0
11. B.	High-head building	hazel	18.5	5, 0
12. B.	hazel	Degerfelden	23, 0	5.5
13. B.	Degerfelden	Basel	16.5	4th, 0

Day tours / stages

Common stages of variants A and B.

First stage: Pforzheim - Dobel

Main variant

Overview

• Distance: 24.7 km
• Walking time: approx. 6.5 hours
• Difficulty: hard

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea  level )	Further information
Pforzheim copper hammer	0,0	260	Starting point of the three Black Forest high altitude trails Westweg (Pforzheim - Basel ), Mittelweg (Pforzheim - Waldshut ) and Ostweg (Pforzheim - Schaffhausen )
Hoheneck ruins	1.1	330
Dillweissenstein	1.2	265
Lower Enzsteg	3.0	290	Branch of the altitude variant
Grösselbachfurt	3.8	310
Neuenbürg Castle	2.4	400
Neuenbürg market square	0.5	323
Buchberg, adventure playground	0.5	460	zu Neuenbürg Meeting of the Westweg with the former route (until 2006) of the first stage, now called the altitude variant
Schwanner Wait	3.6	490	Schwann is a suburb of Straubenhardt glider airfield
Herzogswiesen	1.0	520
Dreimarkstein	4.0	675	Refuge and barbecue area
Volzemer stone	1.2	700	Sea of ​​rocks
Chub	2.4	710

Directions

The Westweg, like the other two Black Forest high-altitude trails, Mittelweg and Ostweg, begins at the Kupferhammer inn near the confluence of the Würm and Nagold rivers . The route is already signposted from Pforzheim main station to the beginning of the path. It leads past the Church of St. Michael into the pedestrian zone, over the Guernika Bridge and past the CCP congress center to the Reuchlinhaus , which houses the Pforzheim Jewelery Museum. Then it goes along the Nagold to the Kupferhammer, the actual starting point of the hike.

Tornado Stone

Schwanner Wait

From the Kupferhammer, the path initially runs uphill to the Hoheneck ruins and from there downhill again to Dillweißstein . There the Nagold is crossed, and it goes past the cemetery on to the arboretum belonging to the Büchenbronn district of Pforzheim to the tornado stone, which reminds of the tornado over Pforzheim on July 10, 1968. From there it goes on flat and then down into the Enz valley . At the Unteren Enzsteg, today's western route separates from the altitude variant on which the route ran until 2006. From there the path goes up the enz to the Grösselbachfurt, where the Grösselbach is crossed over stepping stones. There is also the Eberhard-Essich-Hütte, named after a former board member of the Neuenbürg Black Forest Association. The path continues along the Enz to Neuenbürg and there via the Hintere Schlosssteige past the hiking home up to Neuenbürg Castle . The hike goes over the Vordere Schlosssteige down to the center of Neuenbürg and from there over the Hafnersteige and through a piece of forest up to the Buchberg residential area, where the altitude variant comes together again with the main variant of the path. We continue through the forest to the Schwann district of the Straubenhardt community . Schwann is only touched on the outskirts at the shooting range. The path continues to the Schwanner Warte , a lookout point with a view to the north of the Rhine plain . At the Schwanner Warte you cross the state road 339. From there it continues through the forest past the Herzogswiesen to Dreimarkstein. Dreimarkstein got its name because there the markings of the former communities Dennach, which today belongs to Neuenbürg, and Conweiler, which today belongs to Straubenhardt, come together with the markings of the municipality Dobel . At Dreimarkstein there is a refuge and a barbecue area. The path crosses the state road 340 and continues on the Hüttwaldweg to the Großer Volzemer Stein . The stage destination Dobel is reached via Neuenbürger Straße after the path has left the forest and initially leads across meadows.

Height variant

In 2006 the first stage of the Westweg was relocated. The former stage is still signposted as an altitude variant.

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
Pforzheim copper hammer	0,0	260	Starting point of the three Black Forest high altitude trails Westweg (Pforzheim - Basel ), Mittelweg (Pforzheim - Waldshut ) and Ostweg (Pforzheim - Schaffhausen )
Hoheneck ruins	1.1	330
Dillweissenstein	1.2	265
Lower Enzsteg	3.0	290	Branch of the altitude variant
Birch field	2.0	358
Wilhelmshöhe	6.5	429	to Neuenbürg
Buchberg, adventure playground	0.5	460	To Neuenbürg meeting of the altitude variant of the first stage with the Westweg

Second stage: Dobel - Forbach

Overview

• Distance: 26 km
• Walking time: approx. 7 hours
• Difficulty: hard

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
Chub	0,0	710
Dobel water tower	0.5	720
Weithäusle	4.6	825	Refuge
Swiss Head Hut	1.5	850	Observation pavilion
Hahnenfalzhütte	3.3	890	Hut of the Bad Herrenalb ski guild
Langmartskopfhütte	1.0	915
Kreuzlehütte	2.5	892
Kaltenbronn	2.3	880
Hohlohsee	1.2	990	High moor
Hohlohturm	0.7	984	Kaiser Wilhelm Tower observation tower , refuge
Prince's hut	1.5	976	Refuge
Latschigfelsen	2.3	750
Hexenbrunnen Gausbach	2.5	400	Gausbach is a partial town of Forbach
Forbach	2.1	300

Directions

Hohlohsee

From the center of Dobel, the path leads through the Sonnentor portal at the Kurhaus to the water tower built in 1937 on Höhenstraße. After crossing the Höhenstraße at the building yard, the path goes into the forest and over the Hahnenfalzweg, the Otto-Ochner-Weg and the Althäuslesweg to the Weithäusle. Various hiking trails come together at Weithäuslesplatz. There is also a refuge there, which the Westweg, again referred to as the Hahnenfalzweg, leads past to the right. The path leads past the Schweizerkopfhütte to the Hahnenfalzhütte, which is mainly managed by the Bad Herrenalb ski guild on weekends and public holidays. At the Hahnenfalzhütte, the path initially goes diagonally left and steeply uphill to the Langmartskopfhütte and on to the Kreuzlehütte. There it goes right first on a gently ascending forest path and then over a hiking path to the game reserve near Kaltenbronn . There you cross the country road before the path leads steeply up to the Hohlohsee . At the Hohlohsee it goes over a boardwalk and then on to the Hohloh tower. From there the path continues over the Prinzenhütte down to the Latschigfelsen with a view of the Murg Valley. It then goes over serpentines to the Hexenbrunnen and on via Gausbach to the stage destination Forbach .

Third stage: Forbach - Unterstmatt

Overview

• Distance: 19.4 km
• Walking time: approx. 6.5 hours
• Difficulty: medium

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
Forbach	0,0	0.300
Maria-Hilf chapel	1.2	0.380
On parting	3.0	0.750
Schwarzenbachtalsperre	1.3	0.675
Herrenwieser See	2.3	0.835
Bussemer memorial stone	1.2	1,001	The Bussemer-Denkstein is named after Philipp Bussemer .
Baden height	1.2	1.002	Lookout tower Großherzog-Friedrich -Turm
Herrenwieser saddle	1.8	0.879
sand	2.5	0.828	Part of Bühl Schwarzwaldhochstraße ( B 500 )
Hundseck	1.1	0.856
Hochkopf	2.9	1,039
Untermatt	0.9	0.930

Directions

Forbach - wooden bridge

In Forbach , the path crosses the Murg on the historic wooden bridge and continues past the Moses Fountain, before climbing steeply to the Maria-Hilf-Chapel and on to the Auf Wegscheiden hut . Then you walk past the Johannesbrunnen down to the northern bank of the Schwarzenbachtalsperre . The path goes along the Seebach, one of the tributaries of the reservoir up to the Herrenwieser See . The Karwand of Gletscherkarsees with 170 meters the highest in the Black Forest. The path leads along it partly in a zigzag uphill. At a point marked with Zweiseenblick you can see the Schwarzenbachtalsperre and the Herrenwieser See. Soon after, the Westweg reached an altitude of 1000 meters for the first time. The Bussemer-Denkstein commemorates one of the two founders of the Westweg, Philipp Bussemer from Baden-Baden. His monument is surrounded by a rhododendron . Continue straight ahead to Badener Höhe with the Friedrichturm, built in 1891 and named after Grand Duke Friedrich II of Baden . Slightly downhill you reach the hiking home Naturfreundehaus Badener Höhe and then the pass summit Sand on the federal road 500 called here Black Forest High Road . Along a hiking trail parallel to the main road, the hike leads to Hundseck and then up to the unwooded Grinden summit of the Hochkopf . From there, a path partly laid out with large granite slabs leads down to the Unterstmatt pass .

Fourth stage: Unterstmatt - Alexanderschanze

Overview

• Distance: 27.8 km
• Walking time: approx. 8 hours
• Difficulty: hard

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
Untermatt	0,0	0.930
Ox barn	2.0	1,036	Ski and hiking home (managed)
Hornisgrinde	1.3	1,164
Mummelsee	1.8	1,035
Seibelseckle	1.5	0.956
Darmstadt hut	3.5	1,020
Seekopf	1.3	1,040	Wildseeblick and grave of Julius Euting
Hearthstone	2.1	0.915	Black Forest High Road ( B 500 )
Grinding head	3.8	1,055	Crossing with the Lothar path
refuge	7.1	0.950
Alexanderschanze	3.4	0.965	Crossing with B 28

Directions

Hornisgrinde transmission tower with wind turbines and Bismarck tower

The stage from Unterstmatt to Alexanderschanze, which crosses both the Hornisgrinde , the highest mountain in the northern Black Forest , and the second highest mountain with the Schliffkopf, runs continuously at an altitude of over 900 meters. From the starting point in Unterstmatt, the path first leads past the former Höhenhotel Unterstmatt on the left. Hiking trails lead up to the Ochsenstall hiking home and then to the Hornisgrinde transmission tower . A path paved with granite slabs leads past wind turbines to the Bismarck tower or signal tower, which is at the highest point of the summit level, and then to the Hornisgrinde tower. The area around the Hornisgrinde Tower was used for military purposes from 1942 to 1997, which can still be seen in some of the decaying buildings and remains of the barriers along the way. After the Hornisgrinde tower, the descent to the Mummelsee follows , which can be reached near the Berghotel Mummelsee. From the mountain hotel the path leads past the Mummelsee chapel to the Seibelseckle . At the valley station of the ski lift there, it goes diagonally uphill to the right and on via Hellmut-Gnädinger-Weg past a memorial that commemorates hurricane Lothar on December 26, 1999 to the Darmstädter Hütte. Already before the Darmstädter Hütte, the path leads to the right over a spell forest partly along the former border between the Kingdom of Württemberg and the Grand Duchy of Baden . The path climbs slightly up to the Wildseeblick at the grave of the orientalist Julius Euting , who died in 1913 . The path down to the Wildsee, which turns left before the Eutinggrab, is very steep and only suitable for sure-footed hikers. The Westweg, however, continues over the Seekopf and then over serpentines on the ski slope down to the Ruhestein , where the path at the Großer Ruhesteinschanze crosses the Black Forest High Road . At an angle to the left, it goes along the Schweinkopf over the open area up to the Schliffkopf. The path leaves both the Hotel Schliffkopf and the Lothar path on the left. A forest path leads past the Röschenschanze to the Hotel Zuflucht and on to the Alexanderschanze . The name Alexanderschanze refers to a ski jump named after Duke Karl Alexander von Württemberg, built in 1734 for the military security of the strategically important crossing on the Württemberg border. The area was secured until 1945. Today there is a nature reserve and a former hotel that ceased operations in 2015.

Fifth stage: Alexanderschanze - Auf der Hark

This stage and the next stage can be mastered in one day by capable hikers.

Overview

• Distance: 16.9 km
• Walking time: approx. 4.5 hours
• Difficulty: medium

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
Alexanderschanze	0,0	965
Renchtal viewpoint	3.4	915
Hildahütte	1.1	914
Lettstädter Höhe	2.0	968
View of the Glaswaldsee	1.7	945
Klagstein	1.2	907
Freiersberg saddle	0.5	752	Crossing with the Schapbach - Bad Peterstal pass road
Littweger Höhe	2.7	840	Refuge junction with the Gengenbach – Alpirsbach crossroad
On the rake	4.3	700	Mountain farm with overnight accommodation - to Oberharmersbach

Directions

Hotel Alexanderschanze

The fifth stage mainly leads downhill and over long stretches through forest. From the intersection in front of the former Hotel Alexanderschanze you first have to walk a short distance along the Black Forest High Road before the Westweg turns left onto a path. It continues on hiking trails and forest paths to the Renchtal viewpoint with a take-off point for hang-gliders . At the Graseck signpost , you can deviate from the Westweg and hike over the Teufelskanzel. The path marked with the Westweg diamond leads past the Hildahütte to the Lettstädter Höhe , where it meets the path from the Teufelskanzel again. From there the path continues to a vantage point from which you can see the Glaswaldsee . The lake itself is not on the Westweg; You have to plan around 30 minutes for a detour. From the vantage point, the path continues across the lake level to the Am Klagstein signpost . The Klagstein, a sandstone rock with a good view of the Wolftal , is not directly on the Westweg. This continues past the Juliusbrunnen to the top of the Freiersberg pass on the road 93 between Bad Peterstal-Griesbach and Schapbach . At the top of the pass, also known as the Freiersbergsattel , there is the Freiersberger Hut , a fountain and a parking lot for hikers. After the Freiersbergsattel, the path climbs about 100 meters to the hut on the Littweger Höhe, where the Westweg and the Gengenbach – Alpirsbach crossroads. From there it's a little more than four kilometers to the stage destination at the Harkhof, a working mountain farm with overnight accommodation.

Sixth stage: On the Hark - Hausach

This stage and the previous stage can be mastered in one day by capable hikers.

Overview

• Distance: 16.5 km
• Walking time: approx. 4 hours
• Difficulty: medium

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
On the rake	0,0	700
Kreuzsattelhütte	2.5	738
Signpost to the Reiherskopf	0.3	735	Junction to Brandenkopf Marked variant: The Brandenkopf is approx. 3.5 km from the Westweg (hiking home).
Hirzwasen	2.0	735	Crossing with the Großer Hansjakobweg
Ebenacker	2.0	620
Hohenlochenhütte	2.0	650	Simple hiking hut
Käppelehof	0.3	640	Mountain farm with overnight accommodation
White cross	1.5	510
Pointed Rock	1.3	577	Refuge
Hausach	4.6	237

Directions

The Westweg runs from Dobel to Blauen on the western route and to Hohen Möhr on the eastern route continuously in the summit areas and on the pass heights of the Black Forest. The only two exceptions are the Murgtal and the Kinzig valley . The sixth stage leads from the Harkhof down into the Kinzig valley to Hausach , which is at an altitude of 237 meters at the lowest point on the Westweg.

The Brandenkopf is visible from afar in the entire central Black Forest.

From the Harkhof the hike goes briefly uphill to the Harksattel and further into the forest. The Kreuzsattelhütte ( Oberwolfach ) is reached via forest and hiking trails , where there is also a playground, which the path leads past on the right. An asphalt stretch leads to the signpost to the Reiherskopf. There you can turn right to the Brandenkopf , which is about 3.5 kilometers from the Westweg and 200 meters higher up. The Brandenkopf is reached via the Steiglehütte. The Brandenkopf transmitter is located on the mountain, next to the Black Forest Association's hiking home and an observation tower . Thanks to the 125 meter high transmission tower, the Brandenkopf can be seen from afar in the entire Middle Black Forest and is also an orientation point for hikers on the Westweg. If you don't want to take the detour over the Brandenkopf, walk straight ahead at the signpost and after about 100 meters diagonally left and then continue to Hirzwasen, where there is a cross. The Westweg and the Große Hansjakobweg come together at Hirzwasen and continue from there to Brandenkopf. The Westweg goes after Hirzwasen to Ebenacker, where there is a forest clearing. The next point on the way is the Hohenlochenhütte, which belongs to the Black Forest Association Wolfach. There are often club members in the hut offering tea to the hikers. The Hohenlochen, a nearly 690 meter high vantage point, is not located directly on the Westweg, but can be reached in about five minutes via a detour. From the Hohenlochenhütte, the hike initially leads steeply downhill and on to the White Cross. In between there is a junction to the managed Käppelehof, which is visible from the path. From the White Cross the path goes uphill again to the Spitzfelsen with a small pavilion-like hut. From there there is a beautiful view of Hausach and the middle Kinzig valley. After the Spitzfelsen, the hike leads steeply downhill in just three kilometers at an altitude of 340 meters to the stage destination in Hausach.

Seventh stage: Hausach - Wilhelmshöhe (above Schonach)

Overview

• Distance: 21 km
• Walking time: approx. 6.5 hours
• Difficulty: hard

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
Hausach	0,0	237
Husen castle ruins	1.5	300
Farrenkopf / Hasemann Hut	4.2	790	Refuge named after Wilhelm Hasemann
Book corner	2.3	651
Haselberg	2.0	760	Crossing with the Rottweil – Lahr crossroad
Prechtaler Schanze	0.8	835	Crossing with the Zweälersteig
Huberfelsen	1.2	760	Natural monument with a viewpoint
Hirzdobel	0.3	740	Crossing with the Zweälersteig
Fährlefelsen	0.2	755	Crossing with the Rottweil – Lahr crossroad
Karlstein	1.8	970	also: Hauenstein was named after a visit by Duke Carl von Württemberg in 1770. Former quadrangle between Baden , Württemberg , Fürstenberg and Upper Austria
Beautiful view	1.0	915	Inn
Rendsberg	2.2	925
Vesperstube Silberberg	2.1	980
Wilhelmshöhe	1.4	975	to Schonach

Directions

The stage from Hausach to Wilhelmshöhe is considered to be the most demanding stage of the entire Westweg. In the first section to Farrenkopf, the path climbs by 550 m for six kilometers, the largest increase on the entire Westweg.

View from the castle ruins Husen to Hausach

From Hausach train station, the route initially leads along Eisenbahnstraße. At the wooden portal Kinzigtaltor Hausach it goes on the Kinzigdamm and then under the railway underpass on to the city church of Saint Mauritius. From there, the path follows the main street past the town hall and then leads diagonally up to the left into Kreuzbergweg. At the club fountain, turn left onto a hiking path that leads steeply past the castle spring up to the castle ruins of Husen . Behind the castle, from whose tower you can look down to Hausach, the path continues, mostly steeply uphill, past Schmidts Wandereckle , Haseneckle and various viewpoints to the Hasemann hut on the Farrenkopf . The hut named after the painter Wilhelm Hasemann has two floors. The upper part, which is suitable for sleeping, can be reached via a ladder. After the Farrenkopf, the path leads steeply down the southern ridge to the top of the Büchereck pass , where the Westweg crosses with the road 107. The Büchereck hut and the ski jump at the Büchereck are already passed before the intersection. All the jumps that this stage passes by belong to the Baroque jumps and are therefore part of a large defense system from the 17th and 18th centuries. They were built during the conflicts between the House of Habsburg and the Kingdom of France , especially during the Palatinate and Spanish Wars of Succession . After the intersection at the Büchereck it goes uphill again. You pass the Schanze on the Höchst and the Hornberger Kolping Hut, before the Westweg runs from the Haselberg on the same route as the Rottweil – Lahr crossroad . The Hirschlachschanze, which was reached shortly after the two paths came together, is one of the Prechtal ski jumps, some of which differ from the original historical jumps and were rebuilt for tourist reasons. There the path also crosses with the Zweälersteig , so that three Black Forest hiking trails run on one stretch for almost two kilometers. The Huberfelsen, named after the Triberger Obervogt Theodor Huber (1756–1816), lies on this route . The ascent, secured by an iron railing, leads to a lookout point with a view of the Elz Valley . At the Hirzdobel, the path separates from the Zweiälersteig, which leads down to Wittenbach, a district of Oberprechtal, two kilometers away . After the Fährlefelsen, the crossroad turns left and leads down to Hornberg . The Westweg, on the other hand, continues steeply uphill to Karlstein .

Wilhelmshöhe near Schonach

This rock consisting of granite blocks was formerly called Hauenstein . It was renamed after Duke Carl Eugen von Württemberg climbed it on July 23, 1770. A memorial stone still reminds of this event. The rock was 968.9 meters above sea level from the middle of the 15th century. NN the highest mountain peak in Württemberg . With the signing of the Rhine Confederation Act in 1806, however, the Black Ridge became the highest mountain peak in the kingdom. At this point in time, the highest point in Württemberg was the Dreifürstenstein below the summit of the Hornisgrinde. With the border treaty of October 2, 1810 between the Kingdom of Württemberg and the Grand Duchy of Baden , Hornberg and thus Karlstein became part of Baden.

From Karlstein the path continues to Gasthaus Schöne Aussicht and then to Rendsberg with the Gasthaus Zum Karlstein . At the inn, continue straight ahead for 300 meters on the road towards Schonach, before the path turns diagonally to the right. After the Erwin-Schweizer-Heim you come to a stone archway that belonged to the former Herrenwälder Hof. There it goes straight ahead and later to the left into the Herrenwaldweg, before the Vesperstube Silberberg is reached via the Silberbergweg. After the Vesperstube, which also rents out guest rooms, there is a short asphalt meadow path before the hike on an almost flat route reaches the stage destination on Wilhelmshöhe, which belongs to Schonach .

Eighth stage: Wilhelmshöhe - Kalte Herberge

Overview

• Distance: 21 km
• Walking time: approx. 6 hours
• Difficulty: medium

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
Wilhelmshöhe	0,0	0.976
Wolf farm	2.0	1,023
Blindensee	1.0	1,000	Hochmoorsee
Weißenbacher Höhe	2.5	1,016
Martin's Chapel	3.0	1,094	The North Sea / Black Sea watershed is located here . The Breg , one of the headwaters of the Danube , and the Elz , a tributary of the Rhine , have their source near the Martinskapelle .
Brend	2.0	1,149	Highest point in the central Black Forest. Observation tower
Old corner	1.5	1,075
Winkel / Southern State Mountain	2.0	1,045	Beginning of the common route with the cross route Black Forest – Kaiserstuhl – Rhine
At the Staatsberghof	1.0	0.990	End of the common route with the cross way Black Forest – Kaiserstuhl – Rhine
Neueck	0.5	0.988	Saddle between Furtwangen and Simonswald
House level courtyard	2.0	0.940
Cold hostel	3.5	1,029	Inn

Directions

Elzquelle

View from the top of Brend

The eighth stage runs almost continuously at an altitude of over 1000  m . Compared to most of the other stages, there are fewer uphill or downhill slopes.

After the Gasthaus Wilhelmshöhe, the path first crosses the street before it leads through the rock portal onto a boardwalk. At the end of the footbridge it goes right and shortly afterwards diagonally left. You come to the wolf farm over a knoll and past a small lake. From there the route leads on an asphalt path to the junction to the Blindensee , which is reached via a boardwalk. From the Blindensee we continue on the Bohlensteg; then you walk through a farm on a road, past a wayside cross and then on to Weißenbacher Höhe. From there the path leads over a bridge and then on to the Elz spring. The Elz flows into the Rhine. Shortly afterwards, the Westweg crosses the European main watershed to the Martinskapelle, near which the Breg , one of the source rivers of the Danube , rises. Next destinations are the Güntherfelsen and the Brend Friends of Nature House . From the Naturfreundehaus it is worth taking a detour to the Brend Tower. Then it goes on to the Hotel Goldener Rabe, before which the path turns right. The path then continues to the Neueck. Then it continues on an asphalt path below the Black Forest High Road . The path crosses two streets, leads over a ski slope and goes under the Black Forest High Road to Heubacher Höhe. Then it goes to the Hohlen Bildstöckle and then along the Black Forest High Road to the Kalten Herberge.

Separation of the western and eastern variants

In the ninth stage, the western and eastern variants separate in Titisee . Until 2006 the separation point was still in Bärental. The western variant now leads over the ridge between Titisee and Hinterzarten to Oberzarten. From there it leads on the Emil-Thoma-Weg to the Feldberg summit and meets the previous route there again. The eastern variant leads on the earlier western variant via Bärental, the Zweiseenblick and the Caritasheim and then on to the Herzogenhorn , where it also joins the earlier route.

Variant A - western route

Ninth stage: Cold hostel - Hinterzarten

Overview

• Distance: 26 km
• Walking time: approx. 6.5 hours
• Difficulty: hard

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
Cold hostel	0,0	1,029
Lachenhäusle	3.0	1,080
Schweizerhof	3.0	1,040	Inn
Silver fir height	8.0	1,190
Charge amount	2.0	1,071
Geigershof	1.5	0.940
Titisee	3.0	0.858	Crossing with the crossroad Freiburg – Bodensee
Hinterzarten	5.5	1.002

Directions

From the Kalten Herberge the path follows the B500 for about 250 meters and then turns right into a stony forest path that continues to the Lachenhäusle mountain restaurant. From the Lachenhäusle, the hike continues past a water reservoir and crosses the B500 several times past the Gasthaus Schweizerhof to the Gasthaus zum Kreuz in St. Märgen . From there the route continues over the Türken-Louis-Schanze on the Hohlen Graben past the Süßen Häusle to the Doldenbühl with a view of the Jostal. From there it goes over the silver fir height to the attachment height. From the Fürsatzhöhe, it is worth taking a detour to the Heiligenbrunnen chapel , which is reminiscent of the Holy Notburga . From the Fürsatzhöhe the path leads to the Berghäusle hiking home and on to the Geigershof. Then it goes downhill to Titisee and from there to the Bankenhansenkreuz, over the Keßlerhöhe and the Keßlerhof to Hinterzarten.

Tenth stage: Hinterzarten - Wiedener Eck

• Distance: 24.5 km
• Walking time: approx. 6 hours
• Difficulty: hard

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
Hinterzarten	00,0	1.002
Brooding	10.5	1,419
Feldberg summit	01.0	1,493	Highest point on the Westweg and the entire Black Forest
Stübenwasen	02.0	1,386
Distress cry	06.5	1,121
At the Trubelsmattkopf	02.0	1,282
Wiedener Eck	03.5	1,037	hotel

Eleventh stage: Wiedener Eck - Blauen

• Distance: 21 km
• Walking time: approx. 5.5 hours
• Difficulty: hard

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
Wiedener Eck	0,0	1,037
Gutter	4.0	1,119
Belchen	2.0	1,414
High cup	1.5	1,266
Haldenhof	3.5	0.900	Inn
Sirnitz saddle	1.5	1,073
Chairs	3.0	1,049	Refuge
Egerten saddle	3.0	0.927	Refuge
Blauen (Hochblauen)	2.5	1,167

The high chalice west of the Belchen

Westweg section on the steep Hochkelch west slope

Twelfth stage: Blauen - Wollbach

• Distance: 16.5 km
• Walking time: approx. 4 hours
• Difficulty: hard

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
Blauen (Hochblauen)	0,0	1,167
Hexenplatz	2.5	0.845
Sausenburg	3.5	0.665
Kandern	4.0	0.352	Wolfsschlucht
Hammerstein	3.5	0.313	Next to Wollbach
Wollbach	3.0	0.315	Part of Kandern

Thirteenth stage: Wollbach - Basel

Portal triangle of West route that at the castle Rötteln passes

• Distance: 19 km
• Walking time: approx. 5 hours
• Difficulty: hard

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
Wollbach	00,0	315	Part of Kandern
Rötteln Castle	06.0	422	third largest castle ruin in Baden
Röttler Church	01.0	333	margravial burial chapel
Tumringen	01.0	291	District of Loerrach
Basel	11.0	260

Option B - Eastern route

Ninth stage: Kalte Herberge - Bärental

• Distance: 27.5 km
• Walking time: approx. 6 hours
• Difficulty: medium

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
Cold hostel	0,0	1,029
Lachenhäusle	3.0	1,080
Schweizerhof	3.0	1,040	Inn
Silver fir height	8.0	1,190
Charge amount	2.0	1,071
Geigershof	1.5	0.940
Titisee	3.0	0.858	Crossing with the crossroad Freiburg – Bodensee
Bear Valley	7.0	0.967

Tenth stage: Bärental - Hochkopfhaus

• Distance: 25.5 km
• Walking time: approx. 7 hours
• Difficulty: hard

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
Bear Valley	0,0	0.967
Two eyes	3.5	1,284	Lookout point with a view of the Titisee and Schluchsee
Feldberg Caritas Home	2.5	1,230
Feldberg Pass	2.0	1,231
Herzogenhorn	2.5	1,415
Hof Eck	2.5	1,127
On watch	3.0	0.975
Bloom	2.5	1,309	Steep climb
Prague corner	2.0	1.103
Tschobenstein leather	2.0	1,212
High-head building	3.0	1,087	Wanderheim of the Black Forest Association

Eleventh stage: Hochkopfhaus - Hasel

Westweg portal "Gateway to the Wehratal" on the Weißenbachsattel at the Hochkopfhaus

• Distance: 18.5 km
• Walking time: approx. 5 hours
• Difficulty: medium

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
High-head building	0,0	1,081
St. Antoni	2.0	1,064
Altensteiner Eck	3.0	1,090
Altenstein Cross	1.5	1,064
Sawdust	1.3	1,040
swell	4.2	1,001	approx. 150 m to the Naturfreundehaus Gersbach
Gersbach model airfield	0.3	1,030	View of Gersbach , the Swiss Jura and the Alps
High carrot	4.2	0.989	Observation tower
Silent	2.0	0.725
hazel	4.0	0.420

Twelfth stage: Hasel - Degerfelden

• Distance: 23 km
• Walking time: approx. 5.5 hours
• Difficulty: medium

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
hazel	00,0	420	Erdmannshöhle
High Flum	12.0	535	Observation tower
Upper Mines	03.5	380	District of Rheinfelden
Degerfelden	07.5	280	District of Rheinfelden

Thirteenth stage: Degerfelden - Basel

• Distance: 16.5 km
• Walking time: approx. 4 hours
• Difficulty: medium

Place / sight	Distance (km)	Height (m above sea level)	Further information
Degerfelden	00,0	280
Own tower	02.0	472
Rührberg	02.5	512	District of Grenzach-Wyhlen
Basel	12.0	260	The destination is the Badischer Bahnhof

References and comments

1. ^ German Hiking Association (Ed.): 125 years of hiking and more. Michael Imhof Verlag, Petersberg 2008, ISBN 978-3-86568-221-5 , p. 10.
2. ↑ Description of the quality criteria. wanderbaren-deutschland.de, accessed on September 18, 2012 (PDF, 961 KB).
3. ↑ wanderbaren-deutschland.de , accessed on March 21, 2018.
4. ↑ Top Trails of Germany. Retrieved September 16, 2018 . 

literature

• Tourist-Information Pforzheim (publisher): Westweg Pforzheim – Basel. Stage planner. 39th edition. Pforzheim 2009.
• Rudolf Walz: Black Forest West Way. Hiking without luggage. Walz-Wanderferien-Verlag, Neckartenzlingen 2010, ISBN 978-3-88650-048-2 .
• Hans-Georg Sievers: Hikeline hiking guide Westweg . 2nd Edition. Esterbauer publishing house, Rodingersdorf 2011, ISBN 978-3-85000-516-6 .
• Publicpress Publikationsgesellschaft (ed.): Westweg. Hiking map. around 2007, ISBN 978-3-89920-395-0 .
• Johannes Schweikle: Westweg - On foot through a German landscape . Klöpfer & Meyer Verlag , Tübingen 2012, ISBN 978-3-86351-028-2 .

Web links

Commons : Westweg  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Overview map on www.wanderbaren-deutschland.de
• Black Forest hiking service : Web application of the Black Forest Association to visualize the Black Forest hiking trails in Google Maps with various overlays (route network, signposts, accommodations, ...)