Hiking in the Black Forest

I absolutely love hiking in the Black Forest!  I get excited every time I see the Black Forest getting closer and closer.   This past weekend it was my turn to choose a hike.  When I told J.P. that I had found the perfect hike, he got a smile on his face and said "Let me guess, we're hiking in the Black Forest to a castle."    What can I say, I'm predictable.  But this time, he wasn't quite right - this time I choose a castle ruin, not just a castle  -Ruine Hohenschramberg.  Hmmm...that will show him! 

Visit Ruine Hohenschram while hiking in the Black Forest

It was a rainy day for hiking in the Black Forest, but fortunately for us that meant that we had the whole castle ruin to ourselves!  I couldn't believe it, a whole castle ruin all to ourselves!  J.P. was less impressed, pointing out that it was likely because Ruine Hohenschramberg isn't all that well known (you won't find it in any Lonely Planet book), it was pouring rain and Hohenschramberg is located in a small town.  "Details, details" I dismissed with a wave of my hand.  We have a whole castle ruin all to ourselves!

Sausages and potato salad at the hut while hiking in the Black Forest

After enjoying the castle ruins we continued hiking in the Black Forest and headed to a marked hut which our hiking book said was famous for its sausages.  What it didn't say was that sausages were the only thing on the menu and I'm not much of a sausage person.  Nonetheless, it hit the spot and the potato salad was delicious.  After we dried off a bit, we headed back out hiking in the Black Forest.  We were soon soaked again, but I couldn't wipe the smile off my face, it's not everyday a girl from Canada gets a castle ruin all to her herself.

See also:
Hiking in the Black Forest (for another hiking in the Black Forest adventure)
Farmhouses in the Black Forest
Hiking in Germany

Castles in Germany:  Hiking to Hohenzollern Castle
Hiking the Swabian Alps

Castles in Germany: Hohenzollern Castle

Taking a break with Hohenzollern Castle in the distance

What better way to see Hohenzollern Castle than hike to it?  And hike we did, over 15km in total.  I've done a lot of hiking, but I've never had a castle as a rest stop and Hohenzollern Castle is beautiful and historic.  We could see it in the distance as we were hiking the Swabian Alps (Schwäbische Alb in German) and it certainly motivated us on this very hot day (28C).

Road less traveled leading to Hohenzollern Castle

View from Hohenzollern Castle

There are much easier ways to get to Hohenzollern Castle, i.e. drive, then take a shuttle bus from the parking lot as most people do.  I'm quite sure the people we went on the tour of Hohenzollern Castle with wished we had done this as well from the disgusted looks on their faces as they tried to move away from us in the cramped corners of the castle.  I can't say I blame them, two sweaty hikers don't exactly smell like roses.  I offer my profuse apologies but in all likelihood will do it again, as hiking to a castle is an experience to be repeated at every opportunity I get.  Fortunately for me, there are a lot of castles in Germany!
More info on Hohenzollern Castle.  (limited tours in English)