The Black Forest, Feldberg, Germany
Who knew that snow could fall so early? It’s been unseasonably cold in the southwest of Germany this time of year, but I did not expect to find myself in the middle of a snowfight.
In the mountains outside Freiburg, the unusually early blanket of frost has turned the Black Forest white. By the morning, the trees’ branches are supporting a healthy layer of snow.
As the sun crosses the sky, it all starts to melt. Trekking through the forest, it drips constantly onto my head.
The clouds are dry but it feels like it’s raining under this sky of heavy leaves.
Local Sabrina Roseler is guiding me along the track, towards a lake at the bottom where we’ll stop for lunch.
She’s patient as she waits for a million photographs to be taken along the way. I can’t help myself – there’s something about the snow, the way it catches the sun, the contrasts it forms against the tree trucks, and the sharpness of all the images containing it.
“It’s the beautiful moment when you know everything is going to calm down,” Sabrina tells me when I ask her about the snow.
“The plants are not growing anymore, everyone’s getting kind of in the winter sleep, so it’s all about silence and coming down. I love being out in the nature when you see the change between the seasons.”
We’ve started walking from the town of Feldberg, about 1200 metres above sea level. The town shares a name with the Feldberg mountain, which is looming above us. This is the highest peak in the Black Forest.
Feldberg is accessible from Freiburg, first by train and then by a short bus trip. Making my way through this region up to our agreed meeting point, I pass through little towns nestled between mountains.
This is not a remote area, as such, but it feels so isolated from Freiburg or any other large towns.
It’s a little world of its own amongst the dense foliage. And this is the little world that Sabrina grew up in.
“Growing up here you play in the woods all the time,” she says.
“You build your own little treehouses, and of course in winter you can just start skiing from your house. You don’t have to drive to a ski resort.”
It sounds like heaven for a nature-lover. Trekking through this region, I can see why you might never want to leave.
I’ve put together a few photos from my walk and I hope you can appreciate it too.
Time Travel Turtle was a guest of Baden-Wurttemberg and DB Bahn but the opinions, over-written descriptions and bad jokes are his own.
Gorgeous photos! I’ve only seen it in the summer so it’s refreshing to see it dressed in white.
And this was only in October. I can’t even imagine how it would look in the middle of winter! I prefer it now, though, because you can still see the trees and the grass under the fine layer of white.
Lovely photos, especially the snow on the red berries (they are berries?).
Yeah, they’re some kind of berry. I don’t think they’re edible ones, though. I certainly wasn’t going to try to eat them, at least!! 🙂
Beautiful pictures! There is something so serene about a light snow in the forest! Your pictures really captivated that.
I think the light does weird things when it’s reflecting off the snow and the whole forest just seems brighter. I loved trying to capture that with the photos. Thanks!
Love it! Looks so peaceful there! Thanks for sharing.
Happy travels 🙂
With just the sounds of the birds chirping and the snow dripping off the leaves, it was so beautiful and peaceful. I could have spent all day there.
The Schwarzwald dresses up pretty, even in white. 🙂 Crazy that the one time you come through our hometown, we aren’t around.
I know – such a pity that we missed you. Hopefully there’ll be another chance. I’m very jealous you’ve got this beautiful forest so close!
Great shots!
Thanks. It was hard to go wrong on such a beautiful day!
You did a lovely job of capturing the magic in this place!
Sounds like a truly amazing place where Sabrina grew up. 🙂
It was so pretty! I would love to have been a kid there. Playing in the forest all the time would have been incredible!
Loving the differing look of the White Forest 😉
He he. Definitely looks better in white than black 🙂
Jealous! I officially want to visit now. P.S awesome shots, well done
Thanks, mate. You should try and get there – I bet there’s a heap more snow by now.
These photos are gorgeous!
I didn’t realize it could snow this early, but I think we’re supposed to get it next week here in Aberdeen. I’m not ready, but hopefully it will be as pretty as it is in these images! 🙂
I have never spent too much time in Europe during the winter so any kind of snow still amazes me. I didn’t realise it would start so soon in somewhere as south as this part of Germany, though!
I was here in October first week. Right after Oktoberfest in Munich… And it was not snowing…
I was there in early October as well. Perhaps it was a cold couple of days up on the mountains. The snow had pretty much melted by the later afternoon.
I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and I must admit that I did always love going for a walk in our woods, especially when the first dusting of snow would blanket the trees. It’s just such a peaceful and serene scene.
It was such a perfect time. I’m not sure how enjoyable it is in the thick of winter. Although the white snow makes everything look so pretty, cold and wet boots are not particularly fun.
WOW!! Michael these are stunning. Really neat transition of seasons you captured. Are any of these from the Baden-Baden area? I heard that that area is really big on natural hotsprings. Would love to go one day!