More westerly than the Westweg — Germany’s Kandelhöhenweg

Mighty, mystical and with fantastic views, the Kandel is a very special Black Forest mountain. In the past, witches were said to have danced on the 1,241-metre (4,072 ft) peak; today, the Kandel is popular with outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers. In this Collection, you get to know the Kandel up close: you approach from the Renchtal valley, enjoy the picturesque Black Forest heights, then hike over the ridge of the exposed mountain and finally down to Freiburg im Breisgau. You cover more than 110 kilometres (68 mi) and over 3,300 metres (10,800 ft) in altitude in the five stages of the Kandelhöhenweg – a truly fantastic hike.

This varied, high-level trail was created by the Black Forest Association in 1935. The aim: to publicise the Kandel and the Black Forest heights, which lie even further west than the popular Westweg. The route is superbly signposted throughout, simply follow the red rhombus with the white ‘K’. At the end of each stage, you'll find places to stop and spend the night and in the high season, it's worth booking in advance. On your tours, you can fortify yourself in hikers' huts with regional dishes, or you can stock up on your own provisions in the villages along the way and find the best places to stop for a picnic. From time to time, you pass springs where you can fill up your water bottle with fresh Black Forest water.

It doesn't matter whether you walk the route from north to south, as suggested in this Collection, or the other way round. You can reach Oberkirch from Offenburg by train, and in Freiburg you can connect to mainline trains from the station. If five days are too long, you can easily shorten the hike or divide it into day Tours. There are train stations in Gengenbach and Waldkirch, and a bus will take you from Höhenhäuser to the next train station.

Ready? Look forward to five days of pure Black Forest enjoyment, idyllic towns, picturesque river valleys and unique views, because the Höhenweg has it all.