Left early for the big city after nicest breakfast of the trip. Leaving Baiersbronn we had a near miss experience with a run (yes, an actual run) across to the connecting train platform. Herr Covid was livid!

Gasping for breath we threw ourselves through the closing doors of the train, to the cruel amusement of a group of older women sharing a morning Prosecco and pretzels.

Our next connection was a little easier and brought us to Freiburg where we installed ourselves in the lovely Hotel Barbara (dating from the Wilhelminian era, which is code for no lifts in the building. We wandered in search of coffee, were ignored by serving staff in a typical German cafe, left a nil points review, and found ourselves in a typical German Lebanese restaurant where we ate an unfeasibly large amount of food.

Back for a snooze before hitting Feirling Biergarten. Sat and recuperated in the warm early evening sunshine over a couple of Inselhopf Helles biers.

Off for classy evening meal of sausage, interrupted by a fire alarm at our new favourite pub and brew house, and a sleep before two long travels tomorrow.

Journeys end.

After bothering me all night, John Rose and I decided to take Herr Covid for a hike. He complained of course, dragging us back from time to time, slouching in teenage irritation at the audacity of it all. But we fed him electrolytes and gave him an occasional kicking so he mainly gave up his chesty whinging. The result was that we completed our planned day five, all 20.6kms and 2,150ft of climbing.

Here’s the story: we left the hotel at 9.00 after a healthy, bread free breakfast, given we are both breaded out-the Germans eat a fierce amount of it. A quick, steep climb out of the valley was rewarded after an hour or two by the sight of the most beautiful, natural and undisturbed lake of our whole trip, whose name we are keeping to ourselves/have forgotten.

Such a peaceful setting took our breath away, which got Herr Covid all jealous. Compared to day three, where we had bumped up against the tourist hustle and bustle of Mummelsee, this was solitude personified. All day we were surrounded only by birdsong and the sound of water coursing down a myriad mountain streams. Indeed for a while we were following a path labelled ‘the Romantic Weg’. “Flats or heels?” we wondered.

After a stiff 500+ ft climb we arrived at a picnic spot with outstanding views back down to the secret lake. We ate a fine lunch prepared by the good people at our previous night’s hotel.

Then we were off again, across a peaty bog to the ‘summit’ cairn. After that we continued our solitary way gradually making our way downwards again to a beautiful stream that we followed for some miles down the valley.

Like all walks, there was a sting in the tail and we had to negotiate an unwelcome climb over a ridge. Herr Covid got even more grumpy but he had to take his punishment and we made it. During this day of wandering we encountered many signs to our destination Baiersbronn, many offering intriguing variations in distance. Though tempted at one point to shorten the route by taking a tarmac road, we stuck to the longer path and approached our destination through a lovely wood and contoured path above Baiersbronn. The additional climbing really got on Herr Covid’s nerves. The view over the town however, soon shut him up.

We arrived, hot, tired and happy to a greeting from the receptionist akin to a welcome afforded a long lost expedition. And….we got upgraded rooms! We spent the early evening cosseting ourselves in the hotel’s jacuzzi, steam room, sauna and pool, as well as a special jungle shower room complete with simulated weather, of which the Caribbean lightening storm and accompanying birdsong was quite something.

Retired to the same pub as our first night for some hearty German food.

Here’s hoping Herr Covid will keep his head down tonight, he now knows what manner of man he is dealing with.

Given the circumstances we binned the walk in favour of buses x 2 and a train, suitably masked up. This also helped relieve John Rose blistered feet. So a rest day was not unwelcome.

We actually had to ‘alter’ a previous bus ticket to continue our free trips, which is a right of all tourists, albeit the Biker pub man did not have any to give. Therefore, with some anxiety that we would be challenged and asked for our papers, we set off. Happily the inspectorate did not appear and the bus driver could not have given a monkeys.

Whilst waiting for the bus change, Rose discovered a shelter from those suffering from a rare disease, which he is well known to have taken to the next level: ‘Eidelitas’.

On the second bus, the views were beautiful as we drove under a clear blue sky, passing a gorgeous lake – damned but not busted – on our way to the little town of Forbach, which was mostly closed.

After coffee and a pretzel at the local gas station, we found an interesting all wooden enclosed and roofed bridge to gawp at before eating boiled baby for lunch.

A short three stop train journey brought us to Schönmünzach and our hotel for the night. Being a four star German hotel it had a ‘salty sea room’ consisting of neither sea nor salt. So we had a lie down, got bored and left. Expecting to watch Leeds v Southampton we headed to the Sky Sports Pub which, like most things on a Sunday in Germany was shut.

John picked up some string for his chickens and I tried a child’s piano on the way home. To explain, this whole village has turned itself into a giant (free to anyone collecting) car boot sale. Outside every house is a pile of discarded furniture, toys, lamps and so on.

Our evening meal was taken at Pizzeria Da Bino where portions were hearty +++ and I went for a Chilli-Cure-Covid pizza. We await the results in the morning.

So it transpired that the heavy cold I had been brewing was none other than our old adversary Covid-19, which does rather explain the overwhelmingly fatigue I had felt on yesterday’s hike. (And yes, I do carry a self-test with me at all times).

Today’s posts, therefore, are rather different. It’s a Spa Day for John Rose who aims to get his nails done, and a sleep and rest day for me.

But first, to the tail end of yesterday evening where we watched the local lads attempt to travel ten-up in the back of a pick up. Two fell off. Alcohol was involved. The most legless of the lot resisted his friends’ attempts to lever him back but eventually by some deviousness or other they managed it. Given he was one of the tumblers, it will not just be his head that hurts this morning.

We had also been informed as a ‘top tip’ by the woman who showed us to our room, that the local clientele sometimes mistook our room for the bar’s toilet and consequently we should always lock the door.

So ironically, on the only night during our trip that we were sharing a room, Rose, myself and Covid-19 were all locked in, together with smelly walking boots and socks. The boots and socks went outside on the windowsill, which did not really solve the problem since we were trying to maximise the room ventilation to keep Covid on my side of the room.

With windows open and a light breeze blowing we were frequently joined by the evidence of our malodorous companions’ existence. Let us just say that we have had better nights’ sleep.

But the sunset was lovely.

A day of mixed fortunes on account of 65th birthday celebrations stretching beyond midnight and into the wee hours, coupled with the emergence of a nasty cough and the development of a blister. Not forgetting the after effects of 14 miles or so yesterday.

Nonetheless we awoke to a beautiful scene looking down the valley in the sunshine.

After paying our substantial bar bill….we took the only bus available at 10:45 which transported us back to the nearest spot on the trail.

We were then confronted with a devilishly difficult decision. Four euros to ascend hundreds of feet on a single seat chairlift or struggle up on foot. John Rose solved the dilemma by giving me the birthday gift of elevation.

We dismounted with difficulty and hit the trail. For the first time we were surrounded by other people, this being a very popular spot for the weekend. At first the path was well trod and easy but after a while it became a rock strewn boggy morass which was taxing and tiring in equal measure.

We arrived at Mummelsee to see the beautiful lake besmirched with pedalos and litter louts. We left equally quickly on a tedious three mile track to our lodgings for the night at Zur Grossen Tanne, a biker hut in Untersmatt with idiosyncratic bar meals.

We each had a ‘Brizza’ and John also curried sausage. I was expecting the würst, but it made him happy.

After the Singh family’s (from Punjab) wonderful five course Indian set meal last night, we awoke and stole out of the hotel for coffee in the local cafe and foraged for the day’s luncheon.

Happily, Herr und Frau Singh had prepared a fulsome Germanic breakfast of meat and bread products, with eggs, fruit and yogurt on the side. We ate heartily because John Rose feared the trauma of a treacherous ascent. He had misunderstood the map.

Rather than retrace our steps of yesterday we took another route, initially steep but soon levelling out to a gentle climb to the ridge we had left yesterday so precipitously. We were treated to wonderful panoramic vistas over the Black Forest, and of course a brief downpour. However, this was a short interlude in the general fair weather walk.

We had lunch overlooking the valley before leaving the trail to head down the valley, off piste, towards our evening family run Gastof Blume hotel. This was a five mile detour, necessitated by the intransigence of the National Park hotel who would not let us stay for one night only. How fortunate for us.

Hotel Gastof Blume proved to be a gem. Set in a quiet valley (excepting the rush of water in the river alongside the hotel) we feasted without restraint on venison, spätzle, dumplings and hot cherries washed down in Rose’s case with a carafe of Rosé. I preferred two large glasses of German Weisbier.

Tomorrow is another day. Today, however, we covered 15 miles, ascended 1,300 feet, and descended 1,500 feet of beautiful Black Forest countryside. It has exceeded all expectations.

Woken at 5:15 by birds singing. We had an early start in clearing mist after a skilfully prepared big breakfast.

Despite at least four different navigation aids after one kilometre we had taken the wrong path which meant we made contact with/took evasive action to avoid a German patrol of tree fellers (although there was actually only one) up into the bracken while the mechanical log thrower passed below us and we were able to continue on our mission …… to the lake.

Sankenbachsee was beautiful in the sunshine. Then a stiff climb to the spectacular Sankenbach Wasserfall and up further to crest the ridge between the two valleys. By 10:30 the rain had arrived, mostly drizzle, occasionally in torrents. Rose, muttering, “there is no bad weather just bad clothing” but looking like a soggy lettuce with less shelf life than Liz Truss, looked in envy as I dressed for dinner in my Goretex evening wear, looking quite the Pierce Brosnan, albeit with twice the body fat percentage.

In the middle of the woods we found a scene from the Brothers Grimm as a witch tried to entice John Rose into her gingerbread house, closely followed by a wooden menagerie of forest folk, including a Hare, which was was naked on account of a local shortage of Haredressers.

A treacherous descent followed down a slippery steep slope, made even more troublesome by the fact it had turned into a babbling mountain stream. Feeling relieved as we reached the bottom we sheltered in the Elbachseehutte to consume Pierce Brosnan’s body weight in ham and cheese sandwiches, boiled eggs and doughnuts.

A final meander alongside the river Ellbach through alpine meadows brought us to the village of Mitteltal where for the first time ever on one of our wanders we experienced the rejuvenating effects of a steam room, jacuzzi and swimming pool. Happily the family Singh who run our hotel prepared a delicious curry for tea

And here is the route

Why take one train when three will do!

Beautiful final leg from Rastatt to Baiersbronn down the Murg valley after a morning wandering round Strasbourg.

Entered Germany at Kehl after crossing the Rhine. Had a refreshing beverage at the Rose Hotel (yes, really!) and then stocked up with vitals for tomorrow.

Walked up for dinner at Flößer-Schänke Baiersbronn, pub with better food than its name might suggest before heading to our accommodation for the night, a self contained apartment in ‘Haus Schneider’.