Ultralight Hike
After a few weeks a weekend was finally free again and I could tackle the third part of the Mittelweg. So on Friday afternoon I set off straight from work to Titisee-Neustadt. The weather was very rainy and during the train ride it was already pouring properly. When I saw the masses of water, I realized that I probably wouldn't have to worry about drinking water during the hike this weekend, since the springs along the trail would presumably be flowing.
Titisee-Neustadt station was being renovated, so I had to take a completely packed replacement bus service from Freiburg to Titisee-Neustadt station. Around 6 p.m. I finally arrived at my destination station.
A few hundred meters behind the station there was the first spring. So I topped up my water and set off uphill.
The trail was very idyllic with a little brook running alongside. Sometimes it flowed to the left of the trail, sometimes to the right of the trail and sometimes the brook ran straight across the trail.
Only a short time passed until I found the next spring. Since it was not yet mapped in OpenStreetMaps, I added it and resolved to enter every spring along the trail in OpenStreetMaps. When I made this decision I was not yet aware of how many springs there would be on these stages of the Mittelweg. The thought that future hikers would have to carry less water around thanks to the better-mapped springs pleased me.
Before dusk set in I found a shelter hut that should serve well as a camp for the night. Behind the shelter hut there was a water spring. This is where I would set up my night camp.
Since this was the first overnight stay of the weekend, I had brought some fresh, heavy food with me to prepare a tasty dish. I wanted to cook Thai curry on the trail for the first time.
It was also the first time that I tried out my new cook set on a tour. I will write a review about it in the future.
I hardly need to mention that the Thai curry was very tasty, but a picture is said to say more than a thousand words, so see for yourselves and be convinced:
This has the potential to become one of my favourite trail dishes. With a full belly I crawled into my sleeping bag after eating and enjoyed a quiet night.
When I woke up in the morning I had the smell of wild boars in my nose. I was very glad to have hung my food on a distant tree.
So I packed up extra noisily that morning, making lots of sounds so that I wouldn't accidentally surprise the wild boars. The plan worked, because I didn't set eyes on a single wild boar.
The weather was still grey on grey, but at least it stayed dry through the night - and honestly, I hadn't expected a dry night from the weather forecast.
Just like on the last stage, I mapped lots of benches and other things in OpenStreetMap. The following bench had more to offer than just a place to sit, because it was also an outdoor shop with a limited selection of available items.
The weather remained cloudy and dry, so I could enjoy the Black Forest with its idyllic little villages.
I took a break at the Reading Bench and realized that I had already seen this view once before with the Fernwanderer on his tour on the Freiburg-Bodensee-Weg.
This book box - combined with the view - was probably something you wouldn't find near the trail a second time.
At Lake Titisee I couldn't resist admiring the old steam locomotives. In my childhood my father and I took countless steam locomotive rides. So I felt transported back to my childhood and enjoyed not only the trail, but also the Dreiseenbahn railway.
Just a few kilometers later the trail led past the Titisee model railway centre and I couldn't help but make a detour here too. So I enjoyed the lovingly crafted model railway landscape and found that the short break did me a lot of good.
After the break I set off again on the idyllic trail and enjoyed every meter I walked. Even at this point the route was one of my most beautiful hikes. I can only recommend everyone to consider the Mittelweg as a hiking destination.
The following sections led mostly along narrow paths and frequently past small brooks. In general, the water supply in the southern part of the Mittelweg was very good. Between the springs I didn't even have to carry half a liter of water.
This day passed in a flash - the sun was due to set just two hours later. So I kept my eyes open for a suitable camp for the night. About an hour later I was in luck.
I found a small locked shelter hut with a covered veranda. Near the hut there was a spring. So I could not only prepare my dinner, but also wash myself properly. Once I was clean and full, it didn't take long until I fell asleep. I was very curious what I would discover the next day.
The next day the weather was hazy, but at least it didn't rain. So I packed up my things and set off early in the morning towards Waldshut.
The route was insane - over narrow paths it went further and further towards the Swiss border.
My theory that the trail gets more and more beautiful in a southerly direction proved true.
Every bend brought new, great views. I was over the moon that I had chosen the Mittelweg as my destination.
Just before Waldshut I made a small detour to a waterfall. The path there had been cleared of storm damage, but the view of the waterfall was partly blocked by a fallen tree.
I lingered at the waterfall for a few more minutes and gave my feet a well-deserved break. While I was at it I also checked the train connections from Waldshut home. After a short deliberation I came to the conclusion that I would either arrive at the station right on time or miss the train by a few minutes. I wrestled with myself and decided not to rush the rest of the trail, but instead to go for a coffee at my destination.
When I reached Waldshut station I realized that this journey was truly over now. The trail started beautifully and ended breathtakingly.
