Westweg Day 7: Büchereck – Gasthaus Hirschen

Day seven in the Black Forest. I think we are getting a feel of what hiking the Appalachian Trail might be like as the path leads mostly through wooded areas with an occasional view point and a descent to town.

Today we were off to an early start since we slept in one of the huts and we did not have a tent to pack. The cyclists that came to the hut after us chose to cowboy camp under one of the canvas tents that was erected for the festival that would take a place today and they were happy to choose that spot because the dew set over night and anywhere a roof did not provide a protection, droplets of water cumulated in a great amount.

We hiked fast in the morning, or at least we tried. Our progress was hindered by blackberry bushes bearing fruit so plump and juicy that the temptation was too much to resist.

We walked on trails in the morning with view points along the way. We stopped at both, dropping our backpacks, climbing the fifty feet or so up to each overlook.

The morning was hazy, atmospheric. The views were beautiful.

We walked around a lake too. Blindensee. It was a swampy area with no good view really but it attracted the crowds. There was a wooden pathway and several benches, all taken by hikers enjoying their snacks and beer which they drank mostly from glass bottles. Definitely weekenders.

For me the highlight of the day were the meadows. We walked around several of them, each verdant and inviting us to lay in the soft grass… if only they were not fenced by a barbed wire. Still they were beautiful and somewhere between chirping of the crickets and the cowbells, I found my happy place.

At the end of one meadow we found a cozy Gasthaus Hirschen where we decided to end the day. Strategically this is a great position for us as we have a shorter, 17-mile day tomorrow to a bigger town where we would resupply and then we would vanish in the woods for four more days before it’s time to bid Westweg a farewell.

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This stage does not offer any grocery stores but there are multiple opportunities to stop at a restaurant for a meal or piece of pie, or to refill water bottles.

No ATM machines along this stage.

Wilhelmshohe restaurants where we had lunch took credit cards.

Nöbble Duss restaurant, the cream and peach pie is to die for, was cash only.

Credit cards are taken at Hirschen Hotel.