Schiltach, Black Forest
It was raining this morning when I woke in Neckarsteinach but the hotel owner’s wife was nice enough to drive me to the Bahnhof after breakfast so I wouldn’t get soaked. I rode south on Deutsche Bahn into the Schwarzwald (Black Forest) heading for the tiny village of Schiltach.
The train ride itself was an event as we wound along the bottom of valleys following rivers with towering pine trees on either side. We chugged through dark stretches of forest and tiny towns until we finally pulled into the small Bahnhof at Schiltach.
The whole medieval inner area of Schiltach is under monument protection. My hotel was right on the Markplatz in the center of town. Although tiny, my room had a great view out its window. Really, it’s all I need as I mostly just sleep there. Usually I’m out exploring while there’s daylight.
Schiltach is filled with fachwerk (half timber) buildings, some dating back to the 1500s. Many jut out over the streets a little more with each higher floor. Taxes hundreds of years ago were assessed by how much space the floor of the house occupied (when walking is the primary transportation, towns needed to be compact). Shrewd homeowners cut down on taxes by building out as they went up.
I found a great beer garden and bakery nearby. Usually, all you have to do is follow an older German couple who are out strolling in the evening and they eventually stop for Kaffee und Kuchen (coffee and cake). Just look at the variety of cakes and pies (no I didn’t have one of each Forrest).
You can also locate stores, bakeries and beer houses by the traditional metalwork signage adorning the front of businesses. They get creative and I think of them as early billboards, each trying to outdo the other:
After dinner, I hiked up into the hills surrounding Schiltach. Many of the villagers were already stockpiling wood for winter. I have no doubt Aunt Carole has German heritage. Every stick was carefully stacked for future cold mornings:
This was the first town I saw traditional German outfits ready for purchase in store windows. For women it’s the Dirndl (say “Durn-dull”) dress and for men the look includes Lederhosen, checked shirt and jacket.
I’m always impressed by the attention to detail found around every corner. As I’ve mentioned before, space is at a premium in Germany and people busy themselves with improving everything surrounding their home. Birdhouses, flower boxes and architectural details are always interesting.
Due to its remote hills and valleys, the Schwarzwald is a mysterious place. It’s filled with myth and legend (you may have heard a tale or two from the Brothers Grimm). Indeed, the sun set rather early in the valley and as darkness filled the village, I could easily imagine families gathering around fireplaces and telling stories passed down for generations.
I’ll make sure my window is closed tight. Gute Nacht from Schiltach!
