The best family-friendly hikes and walks around Lauf

When the Thirty Years' War ended, the villages and surrounding fields around Sasbachwalden, as well as in other regions of the Black Forest, lay in rubble and ashes. The population was almost wiped out by the passage of plundering and pillaging troops. One often had to walk for hours to encounter a fellow human being. And so it happened that in this place on the heights of the Northern Black Forest near Sasbachwalden, a young man searching for survivors met a woman one day. Out of joy and surprise, he shouted to the heavens: "the old God still lives". The two joined forces, married, and settled in the valley. Many years later, the Bildstock was erected at the spot where the two met. A section of the path offers beautiful views over Sasbachwalden and into the Rhine plain, with benches inviting you to linger.

The water of the Brandbach plunges down here through a narrow gorge called Gaishölle. Over the centuries, the great drop of the water has washed away the huge rocks and erratic boulders lying on the valley floor. This created a wildly romantic forest gorge with many waterfalls. In the past, one could not walk through the valley normally. If one wanted to cross the gorge, one had to "geißen", meaning to move by climbing like a chamois (goat). "Hölle" is in turn an age-old name for a narrow, wild area with many rocks and stones. In 1880, a hiking trail was first laid out through the wildly romantic Gaishölle. The maintenance and care of this trail then led in 1882 to the founding of a special "beautification association", today's "Heimat- und Verkehrsvereines Sasbachwalden". Some interesting data: Trail length: approx. 800 m Steps: 225 Bridges: 13 Elevation difference: 154 m Access Murbergstraße: 338 m above sea level

The water of the Brandbach stream plunges down here through a narrow gorge called Gaishölle. Over the centuries, the great drop in the water has washed away the huge rocks and boulders lying on the valley floor. This created a wild and romantic forest gorge with many waterfalls. In the past, one could not walk normally through the valley. If one wanted to cross the gorge, one had to "geißen", meaning to move like a chamois (goat) by climbing. The "Hölle" is in turn an age-old name for a narrow, wild area with many rocks and stones. In 1880, a hiking trail was first laid out through the wild and romantic Gaishölle. The maintenance and care of this trail then led to the founding of a special "beautification society" in 1882, today's "Heimat- und Verkehrsvereines Sasbachwalden". Some interesting data: Trail length: approx. 800 m Steps: 225 Bridges: 13 Altitude difference: 154 m Access Murbergstraße: 338 m above sea level

The water of the Brandbach stream plunges down here through a narrow gorge called Gaishölle. Over the centuries, the great drop in the water has washed away the huge rocks and erratic boulders lying on the valley floor. This created a wild and romantic forest gorge with many waterfalls. In the past, it was not possible to walk through the valley normally. If you wanted to cross the gorge, you had to "geißen", meaning to move forward by climbing like a chamois (goat). "Hölle" (hell) is an old name for a narrow, wild area with many rocks and stones. In 1880, a hiking trail was first created through the wild and romantic Gaishölle. The maintenance and care of this trail then led to the founding of a special "beautification association" in 1882, today's "Heimat- und Verkehrsvereines Sasbachwalden" (Local and Tourist Association Sasbachwalden). Some interesting facts: Trail length: approx. 800 m Steps: 225 Bridges: 13 Elevation difference: 154 m Access Murbergstraße: 338 m above sea level

Very slippery terrain, poles strongly recommended.

The path to the waterfalls is very beautiful and varied. You repeatedly cross the waterfall on small wooden bridges.

The raised bog is a stunning natural spectacle with its own unique flora and fauna. A must-see is the hike up here from Lake Mummelsee and the wooden walkways. But you need time; you have to take it all in.

Until my visit to Hornisgrinde, I didn't know there was a raised bog up here. Very interesting, a must-see.