Multi-day hike
On a boot trip in the upper Nagoldtal
Author: Leonie Peichl
June 27, 2022
Do you sometimes feel like everything in everyday life moves too fast and you don't have time to switch off? Like you're constantly on the go between work and leisure?
Then you've come to the right place! The 3-stage hike "Culinary Delights" leads you along winding paths through untouched nature and helps you to really clear your head.
From Calw Our first leg starts here, surrounded by old half-timbered houses and the ambience of Hermann Hesse CityWith its pretty little alleyways, it offers Calw An ideal start to the next few days. Motivation is high! After all, three days of forest, hiking, and pure nature lie ahead. We are leaving Calw And the bustling activity of the small town subsides fairly quickly, and soon we are enveloped by the stillness of nature. All we hear is the rustling of the trees and the crackling of branches and leaves under our shoes, and now and then a bird chirps. Not far from Calw We reach the climbing rock at a distance. Öländerle, where a few athletically ambitious climbers are scrambling along the rocks.
From here, the path climbs fairly steadily, and soon we feel every bone in our bodies, but notice that our minds become clearer with every step. Arriving at the Holzbronner Augenblick , a viewpoint offering a wonderful panoramic view towards the Teinach valley and across the wooded slopes, we take a short breather.
After several more kilometers through nature, we reach the small Gültlingen ReservoirI'd love to jump right in, fully clothed, to cool off. But a glance at the hiking app shows we're only halfway there. So, just a quick breather and then we'll continue. From here, the trail leads through some of the most beautiful heathland landscapes we've hiked in so far, with wide fields and meadows! We're making much better progress now, and soon we'll begin the descent towards... Wildberg.
The small town welcomes us with narrow lanes and beautiful old houses. Even the Wildbergthe monastery complex, which dates back to the 13th century, is worth exploring. Wildberg is also known for its Shepherd tradition, which has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We arrive at our hotel for the night feeling quite exhausted and are glad to be able to put our feet up and only have to go to the restaurant today to recharge our energy reserves.
Day two has arrived! Although we were almost too tired to turn off the light in our room after dinner, the sleep we slept after such an active day was simply heavenly! So, off with the hiking boots and after a hearty snack, we set off on the next leg of our journey. This will take us from Wildberg We're off to Berneck and there's a challenging 25km ahead of us.
The first steep climb starts right away, so we quickly work up a sweat. But once you reach the top, you're immediately rewarded with fantastic views. Views towards Hornigsrinde rewarding and, with a somewhat more consistent and pleasant gradient, allows for some beautiful kilometers along the route. Gäurandweg We cover the distance. The panoramic views across the slopes almost give us wings, and so we quickly reach the descent towards... NagoldHere we are greeted by a lively pretty city center with Coffees, Restaurants and a pedestrian zone that invites you to stroll. We decide to take a short break and relax a bit in the Kleb City Park, which is a lovely oasis of well-being right next to the Nagold offers. After a refreshment, we begin the ascent up to the Hohen Castle ruinsnagold, where we will make another detour through the old walls before tackling the second half of the route.
The route continues along the Nagold And for the rest of the day's stage, we are spared any strenuous climbs. We run past the Monhardt Water Chamber, a historical remnant of the Rafting cultureFrom here, our path winds further through the forest until we reach the tranquil little town. Berneck achieve that with its distinctive shield wall It is recognizable even from a distance.
I don't have cell service here anymore, but luckily that's no problem, as the signposts and stage descriptions we were given are perfectly adequate for navigation. And this little break from my phone is definitely doing me good; my mind is clearer than it has been in a long time!
That night, too, we collapsed into bed like rocks after dinner and didn't wake up until the next morning with rumbling stomachs. So much exercise in the fresh air is quite tiring!
The final leg, which takes us back to Calw The stage we're supposed to take is, at 22km, the shortest of the tour, which is perhaps a good thing, as the muscle soreness is starting to make itself felt. We start from Berneck and follow the paths for kilometers through the forest without meeting any other hikers; the silence and the sounds of the forest almost put me in a meditative state, and the first 10km pass almost in a flash.
When we reach Unterhaugstett , we meet other hikers for the first time and chat briefly; they must have noticed our exhaustion! But giving up isn't an option, so we prepare for the last challenging climb of the tour and finally reach the Zavelstein castle ruins , where we are treated to another magnificent panorama of the Black Forest. Here, too, we take a short break and enjoy coffee and cake in the charming old town before tackling the final kilometers.
From Zavelstein Let's follow the quality hiking trail Water, forest and meadow trail through the fragrant forests until we reached the Calwthe city garden reach. Here, our feet suddenly carry us much more easily, and as we are on the markplatz Arriving is a real feeling of triumph! 69km and 1700 meters of elevation gain in three days, that's quite an achievement, now we definitely deserve a proper meal and a beer!
Boot trip “Culinary delights”: Calw Wildberg Altensteig-Berneck – Calw
