Hiking in the Black Forest of southern Germany

The landscape here is beautiful with large patches of forest punctuated by grassland with grazing dairy cows. Scenic villages abound along with loosely scattered farmhouses which historically harbored humans, livestock, and farm equipment. Some of these farmhouses have been converted into guesthouses. 

The forests are largely managed for timber, with mostly densely planted spruce. Species diversity in these forests is generally low. We did however see a number of plants that are closely related (in the same genus) as plants that occur in the Appalachian Mountains of North America. 

Along the trail

Walking through a spruce forest plantation

Spruce (Picea)

Fir (Abies) were much less common than spruce

Alder (Alnus)

Maple (Acer)

Jewelweed (Impatiens)

Blueberries (Vaccinium)

Campanula

An old mill house

Large stacks of wood was a common sight near houses 

Tiny chapel along the trail

Inside the chapel

Mural inside chapel

Second mural in chapel

Food and drink in Freiburg

Freiburg market

Wurst at the outdoor market

Lots of good deserts to tempt one

Our favorite bakery

Delicious breads

Gelato!

Lunch on the trail. even when just a
cheese sandwich,  tastes great

Stopping for lunch at a guest house

One of several breweries in Freiburg

My meatiest meal in years

Black Forest Cemetery

My partner and I are in Freiburg, in southern Germany, from mid-August to mid-
September, on a home exchange with a gentleman who is staying in our Asheville house during this time.
Freiburg is a vibrant University town located in a valley surrounded by the Black Forest.
Today we drove up to the Black Forest, a patchwork of forest, fields, and picturesque villages. Among the latter was Saint Margen, which has a historic convent and church. Behind the church, was a beautiful cemetery, with meticulously maintained living plants adorning each grave. Among the visitors were two small boys in cycling outfits watering a gravesite of an elderly woman.  Perhaps the grave of a grandmother? It was quite touching.

Church cemetery with living plants