Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [394]
SLEEPING & EATING
Titisee’s best sleeping deals are slightly away from the main drag.
Bergseeblick ( 8257; www.bergseeblick-titisee.de; Erlenweg 3; s €25-32, d 50-60; ) This welcoming, family-run cheapie near the church offers peaceful slumber in humble rooms decorated in pine and floral fabrics. Don’t miss the fabulously kitsch Snow White–gnome collection next door.
Alemannenhof ( 07652-911 80; www.hotel-alemannenhof.de; Hinterzarten am Titisee; s €77-129, d €112-168; ) A pool, private beach and plush rooms with country charm invite relaxation at this farmhouse-style hotel. Plump for a room with a balcony facing Titisee. Opening onto a lakefront terrace, the all-pine restaurant (mains €13.50 to €32) serves regional cuisine with a twist, such as organic chicken breast in thyme sauce with chive pasta.
Seebachstüble ( 8231; Seebachstrasse 43; mains €8-25) Markus Ketterer cooks fresh and seasonal at this rustic bolt-hole, with fusion dishes such as tender milk-fed lamb on apricot-ginger sauce and rump steak garnished with Thai prawns. Kids love the ice cream from a local farm.
Gutscher (cnr Strandbadstrasse & Seestrasse; daily) Picnickers should try Gutscher for local specialities including ham, cheese, schnapps and wagon wheel–sized bread loaves.
GETTING THERE & AROUND
Rail routes include the twice hourly Höllentalbahn to Freiburg (€4.80, 40 minutes) and Donaueschingen (€8.40, 50 minutes) and the hourly Dreiseenbahn to Feldberg (€2, 12 minutes) and Schluchsee (€2, 22 minutes).
From Titisee train station, there are frequent services on bus 7257 to Schluchsee (€2, 40 minutes) and bus 7300 to Feldberg-Bärental (€2, 10 minutes).
Ski-Hirt ( 922 80; Titiseestrasse 26, Neustadt) rents reliable bikes and ski equipment, and can supply details on local cycling options.
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Feldberg
07655 / pop 1800
At 1493m Feldberg is the Black Forest’s highest mountain – no surprise, then, that it’s the region’s premier downhill skiing area. The actual mountaintop is treeless and not particularly attractive, looking very much like a monk’s tonsured skull, but on clear days the view southward towards the Alps is mesmerising.
Feldberg is also the name given to a cluster of five villages, of which Altglashütten is the hub. Its Rathaus houses the tourist office ( 8019; www.feldberg-schwarzwald.de; Kirchgasse 1; 8.30am-5.30pm Mon-Fri), which has stacks of information on activities and rents Nordic walking poles for €3 per day.
About 2km north is the postcard-perfect Bärental, where traditional Black Forest farmhouses snuggle against the hillsides. East of Bärental in the Haslach Valley is Falkau, a family-friendly resort with a small waterfall. Windgfällweiher, an attractive lake for a swim or picnic, is 1km southeast of Altglashütten.
Around 9km west of Altglashütten is Feldberg-Ort, in the heart of the 42-sq-km nature reserve that covers much of the mountain. Most of the ski lifts are here, including the scenic Feldbergbahn chairlift (one-way/return €7.20/8.60) to the Bismarckdenkmal (Bismarck monument). The tourist office ( 07676-933 630) is in the environment-oriented Haus der Natur.
ACTIVITIES
The Feldberg area is great hiking territory, criss-crossed with marked trails such as the rewarding 12km Feldberg-Steig from Haus der Natur to Feldberg summit, affording bewitching views from Zugspitze to Mont Blanc on clear days. Feldberg is largely a nature reserve, so keep an eye out for rare wildflowers, mountain hens, deer and chamois.
The Feldberg ski area (adult/under 15yr per day €25/13, from 1pm €17.50/9.50) comprises 28 lifts, accessible with the same ticket. Four groomed cross-country trails are also available. To hire skis, look for signs reading ‘Skiverleih’. A reliable outlet is Skiverleih Schubnell ( 560; www.skiverleih-feldberg.de; Bärentalerstrasse 1, Altglashütten).
Come winter Feldberg’s snowy heights are ideal for a stomp through twinkling woods. Strap on snowshoes to tackle the pretty 3km Seebuck-Trail or the more challenging 9km Gipfel-Trail. The Haus der