When you arrive in the town of Pfalzgrafenweiler, you might find yourself at a crossroads. Literally.
I don’t mean like some major, poignant point in your life or anything; just that Pfalzgrafenweiler lies along the Ostweg, a 240km north/south hiking trail through the Black Forest; meeting up with the intersecting Gäurandweg, a 106km east/west route.
Told you, crossroads. Sometimes I think no one listens to me. ;-)
Whatever road you’ve chosen to get to Pfalzgrafenweiler, I’m sure you’ll be expecting to see something. There’s always the Museum Edelweiler, which acts as the Village History Museum.
Or, you could go see the ruins of the Unsere liebe Frau im Zinsbach, which is a really long name for what was once a medieval chapel from 1536. There’s also the Ruine Mantelberg. The 13th century castle (built 1250) might have been destroyed during the Peasants’ War in the 16th century, but its 35-meter high tower makes a great lookout point.
My guess would be that if you hiked all the way to Pfalzgrafenweiler, you might not be so inclined to walk around anymore than you’d have to. But, then you’ll be missing out on all the shopping fun at the Krämermarkt (which is held twice a year — once right after Easter; the other right after Michaelmas).
Not gonna be here for all that? It’s OK, there’s a weekly market held every Friday, starting at 10am.
If you haven’t hiked to Pfalzgrafenweiler (and have no intention of walking as long as the other two I mentioned), then maybe you’ll be interested in following along some of the town’s smaller ones. They’re listed with names such as the 4-Burgen-Weg (4-Castle Trail) and the Baumwelten-Tour (Tree Worlds Tour).
No explanation is really necessary about what these routes are about, is there? Please, this is the Black Forest — like you’d ever go wrong with any choice of route here.
If you’re afraid of getting lost, then maybe a guided Nordic Walking tour is right for you. Just make sure you see the Hohlenstein, a beautiful natural rock formation.
It doesn’t really matter what route you’ve chosen to find yourself in Pfalzgrafenweiler. It only matters that you’re here.
