MAY 23-27 (SPRING BANK HOLIDAY) – GERMANY’S FAIRY-TALE BLACK FOREST

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

Cost - £379 (twin share). Group size - 14. Accommodation - 4 star hotel with twin (or double) rooms & 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 May is a perfect time to hike here, with pleasant temperatures and fruit orchards blooming in the valleys.

Our base will be the charming, medieval town of Gengenbach, located in the idyllic Kinzig Valley between forested hills and vineyards. This pictururesque 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 twin share rooms in the 4 star Schwarzwaldhotel Gengenbach, a short walking distance from the train station. The hotel offers a wellness area incl. heated indoor pool, Finnish sauna and steam room.

ITINERARY:

Thu 23 May – Arrival, time to explore Gengenbach

Fri 24 May - Oberharmersbach to Wolfach via Brandenkopf, the highest peak of the Central Black Forest (946m) (20km, 850m ascent/descent)

Sat 25 May – Hausach to Hornberg along a ridgeway with series of peaks on the Westweg long distance trail (20km, 1000m ascent, 860m descent)

Sun 26 May – Triberg's famous waterfalls, cicular hike (18km, 540m ascent/descent)

Mon 27 May – 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
• 1 trip organiser
• Financial protection in accordance with the Package Travel Law 1992

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED:

• Lunches/ dinners (we will buy lunch supplies locally and sample the local cuisine at restaurants for dinner)
• Flights and airport transfers (see details below)
• Travel insurance
• Entrance fees (minimal fees expected for the waterfalls and observation tower)

RECOMMENDED FLIGHTS AND TRANSFERS:

The Black Forest is well connected with 4 different airports in the vicinity. Return flights currently priced from just £100!

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

• EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg - BA from Heathrow and Easyjet from Gatwick (2hr 20min)
• Strasbourg - Volotea from Gatwick (1hr 20min)
• Stuttgart - BA and Eurowings from Heathrow (2hr 28min)
• Karlsruhe / Baden Baden - Ryanair from Stansted (1hr 10min - outbound too late to catch the train, works for return flight)

Outbound flights: It is recommended to book a morning flight on Thu 23 May to arrive in Gengenbach in the afternoon. Afternoon flights are possible however keep in mind that you may only arrive at the hotel after 9/10PM.

Inbound flights: It is recommended to book an evening or late afternoon flight on Mon 27 May 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 11-28 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

Only payment secures your place. Please email ingridhansen1@gmail.com as soon as you send payment so that we can confirm everything with you.