Into the wild (Gorge trail day 1)

I've just come back from a 5-day walking tour in the black forest in the south of Germany. Through dark woods and open grasslands I followed the "Schluchtensteig" (= gorge trail), enjoying the sparse sun and hurrying along in the more common rain. It's a very beautiful trail, as you will be able to see once I start uploading some pictures.

I started my tour in Stühlingen, near the Swiss border, after a five-hour journey by bus and train from my home town. As I planned to stay in little guesthouses and hostels along the way, I had only a small backpack with me, and didn't have to carry a tent or similar things. Very helpful was the tour guide written by Walter Theil (available on Amazon), even though there were one or two times where the signs led me in a different direction than the one the book described.

If you want some more information about the trail, follow this link for a description in English and in German.

And now, without further ado, some pictures of the first day on the trail.

Info Day 1
Length: 20km
Towns: Stühlingen, Blumberg, Achdorf
Accommodation: Haus Gisela, Achdorf (23€)

The "Sauschwänzlebahn" (= pig tail train), whose tracks I crossed several times today.

The starting point of the gorge trail, the catholic church in the small town of Stühlingen.

At the beginning, I follow small paths leading away from civilisation into hills and mountains.

The first glance of river Wutach, whom I follow upstream for several days.

One of several rape fields that I pass. 

The river is getting wilder.

Quite a nice footbridge...

... overshadowed by the rail bridge above.

A forest made from fairy tales.

Little rock towers, 

Suddenly, the path was lost under a sea of wild garlic (Bärlauch).

A small waterfall along the trail.

After a steep ascent, a beautiful meadow.

A lovely place for a short moment of rest.

A raised hide. Earlier today, I saw a doe from between some trees.

The view back over low hills and grasslands.

Panorama picture. The tiny dot in the sky is a bird of prey, one of many I saw that day.