Walking in the southern Black Forest Day 5 Fischbach to St Blasien

Breakfast at the hotel was reasonable but a bus party had played the flight of locusts just before us and pickings were rather thin. Neither baker nor butcher were within view as we left the Gasthof Hirschen, so we could not buy sandwiches for lunch. Our first priority was to buy victuals. The wide farm track by the hotel led to a gentle climb through the forest over Bildstein peak (1130m) where we had good views of Lake Schluchsee. We dropped down a winding narrow path down to Aha Bahnhof (Railway station) on the lakeside. The kiosk there was not yet open, so we went on to Aha and bought dry Brötchen (rolls) in the kiosk at the start of the hamlet. We still had a tin of sardines.  As we found out there was only one other chance before St Blasien to obtain refreshments. We walked round the lake on a wide unsealed road with many other walkers and cyclists, who were only going as far as the café at Unterkrummen (4km). After the café we climbed over Krummer Kreuz on forest roads. Although it remained dry the weather was overcast and much cooler. There were a number of traditional Black Forest farmhouses with their bonnet-like roofs stretching along the Halbmoosbächle Valley. In Althütte we caught glimpses of what we decided was Lake Constance. A steep drop past the Windberg Waterfall brought us into St Blasien on a pretty but difficult path, in another gorge much strewn with large trees blown down in a great storm. We arrived at the hotel by 16:00 and spent some time out in the town victualling, so did not have our usual late afternoon siesta. St Blasien was in the hands of amateur thespians, some of whom we observed over an excellent coffee and cake. The town organises an annual son et lumière event and that night was the first night. Our hotel, Dom Hotel was in front of the cathedral and at the back of the viewing stands, but within hearing distance. The event started at 21:15, finished shortly before midnight and the audience must have been glad of woolly jumpers and/or quilts. Temperatures were low below 10°C. I was worried I wouldn't be able to sleep, I dozed off while watching the beginning and slept well until early the next morning.

Climbing out of Fischbach

First view of Lake Schluchsee

Black Forest farmhouse

Descending to St Blasien