Where and what is the Black Forest of Germany? So briefly it’s the mountainous region in Southern Germany that borders France, known for its thick dense evergreen forest with picturesque villages throughout and associated with the Brothers Grimm fairytales such Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel.

Schiltach a stunning small village

Schiltach

We headed off at 9:30 a.m., with no hurry to get underway today. Our first stop was Schiltach which is around a 45-minute drive from Gengenbach. Schiltach used to be part of an old trading route that the Romans used to pass through, connecting nearby towns to the occupied Strasbourg in France and only sixty years ago, they uncovered a 12th-century castle hidden within the overgrown forest.

Schiltach also has a creek that runs through the town and joins the Kinzig river, which itself is about 80 km long. The town isn’t that big though, it has everything needed to support the locals without them needing to head to larger towns. What makes this town are the thick surrounding forests, green fields along with being very picturesque.

We started with a coffee, then spent the morning walking the streets, window shopping, and taking numerous photos, all while absorbing the town's atmosphere

Our next town was Triberg, located just south of Schiltach and known for its cuckoo clocks and waterfalls. It's a hilly little place, and the weather had warmed up into the high 20s. With thirst kicking in, it was time for a drink, so we found a nice pub, elevated on a timber deck with a great outlook over the street.

If going to Schiltach, continue up the main street and cross the bridge into the "local" area, from there take the road to your right and it's a nice walk back along the creek  through some quirky pieces of artwork by some of the locals