3 days in the black forest - help with advice/routes?

chiefbrodie

Hi, I have a long weekend to myself after my works training course finishes in May. I think I am going to be based in Baden Baden. I am hoping to get some advice on routes/hotels/pubs for the area. Don't mind traveling a few hours to get to decent routes with some good climbs.
Any advice much appreciated

Thanks

durhamwasp

I was a fair few miles away near Freiburg in the towns of Munstertal and Kirchzarten and there was a lot of cycling on offer there! I don't think I have ever seen as many signed cycling routes anywhere! Every street corner seemed to have a signpost with 3 or 4 routes with distances and climbing gradient listed.

There were some nice climbs - Belchen was a beauty from both sides (Munstertal and Todtnau), Schaunisland is one of the toughest climbs ive ever done (from Munstertal about 5km at 12-14%) and it seemed to be a popular route to cycle towards Titisee lake.

We also had a regional travel pass (included with our camping fees) and bikes were common on trains.

chiefbrodie

Many thanks Durhamwasp, I think I will try to base myself nearer the south. Those routes look great

knedlicky

Like durhamwasp, I know the south part of the Black Forest better, but there is good cycling territory in the north and central parts as well.

A particular favourite with cyclists in the north part is the circuit Gernsbach-Sprollenhaus-Bad Wildbad-Bad Herrenalb-Gernsbach (Gernsbach is 5 miles east of Baden-Baden. This route goes over the Schwarzmiss, its 7 mile long climb from Hilpertsau being commonly referred to as the Kaltenbronner Wand (Kaltenbronn Wall) because for nearly two miles it’s always between 9 and 12%.

Another good tour/climb near Baden-Baden is to go to Achern, then through the pretty village Sasbachwaldern, briefly on the B500 road, up to the SWR television tower on the Hornisgrinde mountain. The climb from Achern is over 1000 m, the middle stretch has 3.5 miles at average 9.5%, in parts 14%, but the view from the top is immense. And then there is a wonderful 11 mile long descent down the B500 back to Baden-Baden.

If you choose to locate yourself nearer the south part, as well as durhamwasp’s suggestions (he’s right, the Schauinsland climb is tough), probably the most challenging climb is up the Kandel from Waldkirch (about 5 miles NE of Freiburg), so on the road to St. Peter, nearly 1000 m ascent in less than 7 miles.

chiefbrodie

thanks knedlicky, that sounds like an excellent choice there between what yourself and durhamwasp have recommended.
I just need to find out where durhamwasp got 20 litres of beer for 5 euros (mentioned in another post) and i'm all set!

durhamwasp

pretty much every supermarket, and that included the plastic crate, so I now have 4 sat in the back garden.

Probably wouldn't suit your fussy beer connoisseur but I wasn't grumbling. Ratskrone Pilsner and Oddinger Pilsner were the €0.50/litre ones.