GERMANY’S FAIRY-TALE BLACK FOREST (BANK HOLIDAY)

Backabush is going to Germany’s enchanted Black Forest (Schwarzwald), one of Europe's most beautiful hiking regions, for the August bank holiday.

Cost - £459 twin share or £589 single occupancy. Group size - 16. Accommodation - 4 star hotel and breakfast.

Known for its forested hills, gorgeous valleys and picturesque villages, the Black Forest is an ideal walking destination with an excellent network of well-maintained trails. The area gets the most sunshine in Germany and late August is a perfect time to hike here, with pleasant temperatures and the grape harvest starting in the vineyards.

Our base will be the charming, medieval town of Gengenbach, located in the idyllic Kinzig Valley between forested hills and vineyards. This picture-perfect town is full of pastel coloured historic timber-frame houses, traditional German restaurants and beer terraces.

From here we have easy access to numerous local hiking trails by means of the Black Forest railway, one of the most scenic railway lines in Germany. During our three full days of hiking, we will have the chance to explore the diverse scenery of the Central Black Forest region.

Our hotel will provide us with the KONUS Guest Card which provides free 2nd class travel on all public transportation (trains and buses) throughout the Black Forest region for the duration of our stay (from check-in up to and including our departure day). Train journeys to/from our hikes will be between 15-35 minutes.

ACCOMMODATION:

We have booked comfortable rooms in the 4 star Schwarzwaldhotel Gengenbach, a short walking distance from the train station. The hotel offers a wellness area including a heated indoor pool, Finnish sauna and steam room.

ITINERARY:

Thu 27 August – Arrival, time to explore Gengenbach

Fri 28 August - Oberharmersbach to Wolfach via Brandenkopf, the highest peak of the Central Black Forest (946m) (20km, 850m ascent/descent)

Sat 29 August – Hausach to Hornberg along a ridgeway with series of peaks on the Westweg long distance trail (20km, 1000m ascent, 860m descent)

Sun 30 August – Triberg's famous waterfalls, cicular hike (18km, 540m ascent/descent)

Mon 31 August – Departure

Please note this hiking itinerary is provisional and subject to change due to weather conditions and other factors.

DIFFICULTY:

This trip does not involve technical mountaineering but the hikes will be challenging due to their length/elevation profile so you will need to have a good level of hiking fitness, capable of walking up to up to 12.5 miles (20km) and 3300 feet (1000m) ascent/descent.

WHAT'S INCLUDED:

• 4 nights accommodation in a 4-star hotel
• 4 breakfasts
• KONUS card offering free local public transport
• An itinerary of organised hikes for our 3 full hiking days
• Qualified Mountain Leader and first aider
• Financial protection in accordance with the Package Travel Law 2018

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED:

• Lunches/ dinners (we will buy lunch supplies locally and sample the local cuisine at restaurants for dinner)
• Flights & airport transfers (see details below)
• Travel insurance
• Local tourist tax (expected to be 3 euros per night)
• Entrance fees (minimal fees expected for the waterfalls and observation tower)

RECOMMENDED FLIGHTS & TRANSFERS:

The Black Forest is well connected with 4 different airports in the vicinity.

(shortest transfer times by train/bus to Gengenbach in brackets)

• Karlsruhe / Baden Baden - Ryanair from Stansted (1hr 10min)
• EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg - BA from Heathrow, Easyjet from Gatwick, Ryanair from Stansted (2hr 20min)
• Stuttgart - BA & Eurowings from Heathrow (2hr 28min)

Outbound flights: It is recommended to book a morning or early afternoon flight on Thu 27 August to arrive in Gengenbach in good time. Please take into account the train/bus schedule when booking your flight.

Inbound flights: It is recommended to book a late afternoon or evening flight on Mon 31 August to ensure you have enough time to get to the airport. Earlier flights may be possible (please consult train schedules).

Train/bus transfer costs vary with one way prices between 10-30 EUR depending on the airport. Consult Google Maps or the Deutsche Bahn website to find bus/train connections/prices.

Contact the organiser if you need help finding suitable flights/ airport transfers.

HOW TO BOOK A PLACE ON THIS TRIP:

To confirm your place on this trip use online banking. Your RSVP is not enough to reserve a space on this trip. Please use BlackForest as your payment reference. The account details are:

Account Name: BACKABUSH XPLORERS
Sort Code: 090127
Account Number: 22440622

The following "terms and conditions" apply to all trip reservations:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ngc5A61k76qb6HGMeTK96AVaXn0565yPS9p42IPzIy8/

IMPORTANT NOTE:

We consider safety to be our number one priority and while we never take unnecessary risks, we do recognise that any outdoor activity involves a danger of personal injury or death. Remember that you should be aware of and accept these risks as you are responsible for your own safety and you should not undertake anything beyond your abilities. It is also your responsibility to be correctly equipped for the weather and activity you have chosen to participate in.