With nearly 82 million people, Germany is Europe's most
populous nation, yet when you travel outside the major cities it's easy to
wonder where they all live. More than a third of its terrain is covered with
forests and much of the rest is comprised of rolling hills, fields and
vineyards.
The most
precious patches of nature are protected by Germany's 15 national parks. Each
has its own character, from the gleaming white chalk cliffs of Jasmund National
Park, on the Baltic island of Rügen, to the craggy peaks and ice caves of
Berchtesgaden National Park, on the border with Austria. The newest to join the
ranks is the Black Forest National Park, which was designated in 2014. Add to
that 104 nature parks and 15 biosphere reserves, and it's clear Germany takes
its nature pretty seriously.
The best way to explore the great
outdoors is on foot – after all, the word wanderlust was coined by the Germans.
There are 200,000 km of sign-posted trails criss-crossing the countryside, from
gentle rambles to hardcore alpine climbs, so it's easy to find a route to match
your timeframe, sense of adventure and fitness level.
The Bavarian Alps are Germany's
hiking heartland, and for a truly special experience it's possible to embark on
a multi-day trek from mountain hut to mountain hut. Built to protect shepherds,
farmers and mountaineers from the elements, many of these huts now provide a
welcome brotzeit (light meal) stop or a place for weary hikers to spend the
night. Set amid splendid scenery, they tend to be rustic affairs, and some have
strong historic credentials: the Soiernhaus in the Karwendel range is
"Mad" King Ludwig II's former hunting lodge, and the Staffelalm in
the Tölzer Land once provided refuge to the expressionist painter, Franz Marc.
Most huts are managed by the German Alpine Association (00 49 89 140 030; alpen
verein.de). Local chapters also organise guided treks. Handy
resources for planning a German walking holiday include touchingnature.co.ukand wanderbares-deutschland.de.
Germany is also
superb cycling territory, whether you fancy a leisurely spin around a lake, a
downhill ride in the Alps or a multi-day freewheeling adventure. Local tourist
offices can supply suggestions for trips and you can rent bikes (including
e-bikes) in most towns and villages.
More than 200
sign-posted, long-distance cycle routes cover 70,000km across the country.
These combine lightly travelled back roads, forestry tracks and paved highways
with dedicated bike lanes. Many traverse nature reserves, meander along rivers
or venture into mountain terrain. One of the most popular and family-friendly
is the 245km-long Altmühltal Radweg, which starts in the walled medieval town
of Rothenburg ob der Tauber and follows the Altmühl River as far as Kelheim.
Ancient castles, monasteries, villages and beer gardens make for pleasant stops
along the way, as does the bishop's seat and university town of Eichstätt.
Germany's
national cycling association, ADFC, has an extensive website (adfc-tourenportal.de)
with downloadable maps and route suggestions. It has also created a handy
directory called Bett+Bike (bettundbike.de)
that lists 5,500 bicycle-friendly hotels, inns, hostels and campsites.
The Black Forest
The Black Forest
region sprawls across 100sq km in the south-west of the country. Between the bucolic Black
Forest High Road and the Murg Valley, it protects thick woodland, glacial
lakes, thunderous waterfalls and dark moors. You can even find house-sized
cuckoo clocks near the village of Triberg.
The region is
also a fine-dining paradise, famous for its smoked ham and kirsch-drenched
gateau and boasting no fewer than 26 Michelin-starred restaurants. Hiking and
cycling are the main outdoor pursuits. Mac's Adventure (0141 530 4013;macsadventure.com)
offers a nine-day Red Deer Trail self-guided walking holiday (with seven days'
walking) in the northern Black Forest. Available between May and October, the
trip will take you from the town of Freudenstadt through forests, open pastures
and villages. The package costs from £645, including B&B accommodation,
baggage transfers, route notes and maps. Flights not included.
Wine country
The vineyards
along the Mosel deliver a rewarding immersion in viticulture. It was the Romans
who first brought wine-making to Germany some 2,000 years ago, and founded the
city of Trier – the starting point of the Mosel Cycle Route that follows the
river for 200km as far as Koblenz.
Along the way,
you'll clap eyes on Europe's steepest vineyard and stop in such celebrated wine
villages as Bernkastel-Kues, with its timber-framed homes, Art
Nouveau-flavoured Traben-Trabach and romantic Beilstein. Opportunities to sample
fine rieslings and other classic German varieties in ancient cellars and cosy
taverns abound. Good options include the Zehnthauskeller (00 49 2673 900 907; zehnthauskeller.de)
in Beilstein and the Mosel Vinothek (00 49 6531 4141; moselvinothek.de)
in Bernkastel-Kues, which has an all-you-can-taste deal for €15.
Radweg Reisen
(00 49 7531 819 930; radweg-reisen.com)
offers self-guided, seven-day Mosel cycle tours from €439, including B&B,
luggage transfers, route notes, maps and a guided tour of Trier.
Boat & Bike
Tours (00 31 299 313 071; boatbiketours.com)
runs seven-day trips through Saarburg to Koblenz (or vice versa) that include
accommodation on board, three meals a day, bicycles, daily guided rides and one
wine tasting. From €699pp.
Saxon Switzerland
Saxon
Switzerland is a magical land where nature has chiselled porous rock into a
series of dramatic spires, cliffs, ravines, mesas and valleys. Through it all
meanders the mighty Elbe River, past thick forest, hilltop forts such as the
13th-century Festung Königstein (00 49 035021 64607; festungkoenigstein.de;
€4), and villages including Bad Schandau, where scenes from Oscar-winning film
The Reader were set.
One of Germany's
most scenic trails, the 112km-long Malerweg (Painters' Way), follows in their
footsteps, passing by dozens of walker-friendly inns set up to provide stays
and catered lunches.
Cyclists are
drawn to the Elbe Cycle Route (elbe-cycle-route.com)
that stretches up from Cuxhaven. But Saxon Switzerland is Germany's top spot
for rock-climbing. Kletterschule Outdoortours (00 49 35971 569 07; klettern-sachsen.de)
offers a four-day introductory package, including two days' instruction,
equipment and full-board lodging for €245.
The Green Belt
On 3 October,
Germany will be celebrating 25 years as a reunited nation, making this a good
time to reflect by hiking or cycling the 1,400km-long former East-West border.
The so-called
Green Belt zigzags from the Czech Republic to the Baltic Sea, passing
watchtowers, signposts and other Cold War relics. Off-limits to development for
40 years, the border strip allowed nature to flourish.
One of the
nicest and most easily accessible sections is the 100km-long Harz Border Trail,
in Harz National Park. A handy first stop is the visitor centre in Torfhaus (00
49 5320 331 790;torfhaus.info), near
Goslar.
Wandern im Harz
(00 49 5321 689 6600; wandern-im-harz.de)
offers self-guided walks, including a six-day itinerary from Wernigerode to
Walkenried, via Mt Brocken, the Harz's highest peak. From €385, including
B&B, packed lunches, luggage transfers and a bus back to Wernigerode.
DIY-types should pick up a copy of Michael Kramer's illustrated
"German-German Border Trail".
The classic way
to overnight is in a gasthaus or gasthof. These inns are generally family-run,
with restaurants serving home-cooked food. If you don't have a booking, look
for signs saying "Zimmer Frei" (room available). In Trier, Hotel
Siebenglueck (00 49 651 4631 0877;siebenglueck.de)
offers doubles from €79, B&B. In Hinterzarten, in the Black Forest, is
Gasthaus zum Engel (00 49 7652 1539;engel-hinterzarten.de),
with doubles from €43, B&B.
Farm holidays
are particularly suitable for families, because children can interact with
animals and take part in farm activities. The German Agricultural Association
inspects hundreds of farms and publishes details on landtourismus.de,
which also allows you to contact properties directly.
Germany is
littered with campgrounds, many in scenic locations. Camping on public land is
not permitted, and if you want to pitch a tent on private land, you need to ask
the owner's permission.
Getting there
Following the
tragic Germanwings crash on Tuesday, the airline cancelled several flights.
However, at the time of going to press it was operating a normal schedule,
serving destinations including Stuttgart, the main gateway to the Black Forest.
It flies there from Heathrow, Stansted, Birmingham and Manchester (0330 365
1918; germanwings.com). Stuttgart is also served by
British Airways (0344 209 7777; ba.com) from Heathrow and Glasgow; Flybe (0371
700 2000; flybe.com) from Birmingham; and Ryanair (0871
246 0000; ryanair.com) from Manchester. Ryanair flies from
Stansted to Baden-Baden, just north of the Black Forest.
For wine country
and the Mosel, Frankfurt Hahn (not the city's main airport) is served by
Ryanair from Stansted and Edinburgh. Cologne is another access point: fly
Germanwings from Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Stansted and Heathrow;
Flybe from Birmingham; easyJet (0330 365 5454; easyjet.com)
from Gatwick; and Ryanair from Stansted.
The closest
airport to Saxon Switzerland and the Harz Border Trail is Leipzig, served by
Ryanair from Stansted and by Germanwings from Manchester, Birmingham, Stansted,
Heathrow, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
To go by rail,
take Eurostar (03432 186 186; eurostar.com)
from London St Pancras, Ashford or Ebbsfleet to Brussels, where you can connect
to Deutsche Bahn (00 44 8718 808 066; bahn.de). You can be in Trier (for wine country)
in six and-a-half hours, in Goslar (for the Harz Border Trail) in nine, in
Baden-Baden (for the Black Forest) in seven and-a-half, and in Dresden (for
Saxon Switzerland) in 12 and-a-half.
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