Schonach - Blindensee - Brend

0.0 km Kolmenhof/Danube Source/Martins Chapel

The hike on the first stage of the new WasserWeltenSteig begins directly on the watershed between the Rhine and the Danube. Every child in the southwest knows that Brigach and Breg bring the Danube along. The Breg, the larger of the two source rivers, springs 100 meters below the starting point. Right next to it, the Kolmenhof invites you to stop for a break, and the St. Martins Chapel, probably dating back to the 8th century in its foundations, invites you to a moment of reflection. The Westweg – probably the classic and perennial favorite among Black Forest hiking trails – and the WasserWeltenSteig run often parallel in the first kilometers – as well as on the return – with a comfortable forest path at the beginning. Don't miss the turnoff to an easy-to-miss forest path that takes a small detour to the impressive Güntersfelsen.

0.9 km Güntersfelsen

From the wildly tossed granite blocks, you descend a few steps back to the forest path running below and follow it to the mountain inn and observation tower at Brend.

2.5 km Brend, 1149m

On the viewing platform, you get a wide view of the southern Black Forest and the Alpine arc. After the panoramic viewing, you hike back along the previous path, turn right after the Naturfreundehaus, and descend into the Katzensteig valley. You reach the valley at the small Pius Chapel at the schoolhouse. For a while, the trail follows the road uphill to the Doldenhof and leads through a side valley up to the Katharinenhöhe.

• Shortcut: At the rehabilitation clinic on the Katharinenhöhe, there is an opportunity to shorten the hike: To do this, follow the marked high trail to the Weißenbacher Höhe up to the Katzensteig road. Those who like can take a loop on the premium "Heilklima-Steig" trail and find two forest bathing benches there for dreaming, watching, and experiencing nature. At the Katzensteig road, go left to the opposite forest edge where you again meet the continuation of the hike described here.

The large round trip to Blindensee follows the hiking trail down into the center of Schönwald. In the town, keeping left, follow the B 500, then again turn left onto Bourg-Achard Street, climbing towards the cemetery with a view of the Adlerschanze. This is followed by a short descent into the Weißenbachtal and a stroll through meadows and pastures to Reinertonishof.

10.3 km Reinertonishof

At Reinertonishof, you meet the WasserWeltenSteig again at the information board about the Schwarzenbachtal nature reserve, turn left, pass the former Elzhof homestead, and enter the forest around Blindensee. Gradually, high forest gives way to dense spruce forest, through which finally a wooden boardwalk leads to the observation platform at the moor lake.

12.4 km Blindensee

Continuing along the boardwalk, you soon enter again the typical patchwork of meadows, forests, and pastures of the Central Black Forest and from the Vorder Vögte farm follow the WasserWeltenSteig marking up to the Weißenbacher Höhe. In the meantime, the familiar red lozenges of the Westweg are also attached to the trail signs. For 120 years, this trail has extended over about 285 kilometers, crossing the entire Black Forest from Pforzheim to Basel. At the short descent into the beautiful Elz valley, the farm café "näbbe duss" invites you to a sinful break with homemade cakes and pies or farm ice cream, before feeling the ascent noticeably back to the starting point at Kolmenhof at the Danube source.

18.0 km Kolmenhof/Danube Source/Martins Chapel