Staufen & Munstertal, Germany
Feb 16th, 2007 | 06:11 AM
#1
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Joined: Mar 2004
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Staufen & Munstertal, Germany
Can anyone tell me anything about these two towns, located in the Schwarzwald?
In a previous thread on the Black Forest, <b>Pegontheroad</b> suggested Staufen as a place to visit.
We will be travelling by train, so access is limited.
Can you hike up to the castle ruins in Staufen? How long would it take? Can you explore the ruins, or do you just hike up there for the view?
Munstertal is at the end of the train line. Did I read somewhere that there is a monastery you can hike to?
What about access to the Belchen Seilbahn or Schauinslandbahn, by rail or bus?
Many thanks for any information. Peace, Robyn
>-
In a previous thread on the Black Forest, <b>Pegontheroad</b> suggested Staufen as a place to visit.
We will be travelling by train, so access is limited.
Can you hike up to the castle ruins in Staufen? How long would it take? Can you explore the ruins, or do you just hike up there for the view?
Munstertal is at the end of the train line. Did I read somewhere that there is a monastery you can hike to?
What about access to the Belchen Seilbahn or Schauinslandbahn, by rail or bus?
Many thanks for any information. Peace, Robyn
>-
Feb 16th, 2007 | 07:04 AM
#2
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,214
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Hi Robyn,
we spent last New Years Eve and Day in Münstertal and loved it. There is a local train running into the valley. The monastery, named St. Trudpert, is a short walk from the village of Obermünstertal; from the Münstertal train station you'll walk about half an hour to 45 minutes. It's got a lovely baroque church, and the buildings and surrounding scenery are really pretty. The monastery is still inhabited by nuns, so you cannot enter the buildings. Still, it's an enjoyable little hike. Next to the monastery there is a cafe named "Gasthof zum Kreuz" which serves a huge and wonderful Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (Black Forest Cherry Cake).
By the vay, there is a good hotel and restaurant named "Adlerstuben" in Obermünstertal.
Can't tell you much about Staufen, since I just passed by car, but the hill with the castle doesn't seem too high. The hike can't be too difficult.
To Belchen and Schauinsland you'll have to go by bus.
we spent last New Years Eve and Day in Münstertal and loved it. There is a local train running into the valley. The monastery, named St. Trudpert, is a short walk from the village of Obermünstertal; from the Münstertal train station you'll walk about half an hour to 45 minutes. It's got a lovely baroque church, and the buildings and surrounding scenery are really pretty. The monastery is still inhabited by nuns, so you cannot enter the buildings. Still, it's an enjoyable little hike. Next to the monastery there is a cafe named "Gasthof zum Kreuz" which serves a huge and wonderful Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (Black Forest Cherry Cake).
By the vay, there is a good hotel and restaurant named "Adlerstuben" in Obermünstertal.
Can't tell you much about Staufen, since I just passed by car, but the hill with the castle doesn't seem too high. The hike can't be too difficult.
To Belchen and Schauinsland you'll have to go by bus.
Feb 16th, 2007 | 10:32 AM
#3
Joined: Feb 2006
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>Can anyone tell me anything about these two towns, located in the Schwarzwald?
>We will be travelling by train, so access is limited.
There is a local private train line SWEG from Bad Krozingen (on the main line Freiburg-Basel) to Muenstertal. Just be aware that the last train in the evening is at about 7.
>Can you hike up to the castle ruins in Staufen? How long would it take?
Depending on your level of fitness - it is an ascent of 80 m. Maybe 15-20 min leisurely walk, but you can also run up there in 6-7 min.
>Can you explore the ruins, or do you just hike up there for the view?
You can get up to the castle tower for best views or enter the courtyard, but there are no intact buildings up there.
>Munstertal is at the end of the train line. Did I read somewhere that there is a monastery you can hike to?
Yes, St. Trudpert - still an active monastery.
What about access to the Belchen Seilbahn or Schauinslandbahn, by rail or bus?
To Schauinslandbahn you would have to go all the way via Freiburg, from the station tram no. 4 to the end station and about 10 min by bus from there. To Belchen-Seilbahn there are buses from Muenstertal.
Don't miss out Sulzburg - about 15 min by bus from Staufen. It is the smallest town in Germany, with intact city gates and stuff, and also intact, 700 years old jewish cemetery further up the valley.
If you are a bit more for some sports, rent a bike and ride through the wineyards from Staufen to Muellheim, about 15 km small countryside roads (quite hilly).
>We will be travelling by train, so access is limited.
There is a local private train line SWEG from Bad Krozingen (on the main line Freiburg-Basel) to Muenstertal. Just be aware that the last train in the evening is at about 7.
>Can you hike up to the castle ruins in Staufen? How long would it take?
Depending on your level of fitness - it is an ascent of 80 m. Maybe 15-20 min leisurely walk, but you can also run up there in 6-7 min.
>Can you explore the ruins, or do you just hike up there for the view?
You can get up to the castle tower for best views or enter the courtyard, but there are no intact buildings up there.
>Munstertal is at the end of the train line. Did I read somewhere that there is a monastery you can hike to?
Yes, St. Trudpert - still an active monastery.
What about access to the Belchen Seilbahn or Schauinslandbahn, by rail or bus?
To Schauinslandbahn you would have to go all the way via Freiburg, from the station tram no. 4 to the end station and about 10 min by bus from there. To Belchen-Seilbahn there are buses from Muenstertal.
Don't miss out Sulzburg - about 15 min by bus from Staufen. It is the smallest town in Germany, with intact city gates and stuff, and also intact, 700 years old jewish cemetery further up the valley.
If you are a bit more for some sports, rent a bike and ride through the wineyards from Staufen to Muellheim, about 15 km small countryside roads (quite hilly).
Feb 16th, 2007 | 02:35 PM
#4
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Joined: Mar 2004
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Thank you, <b>quokka</b> and <b>altamiro</b>. The two of you, as well as a couple of other Fodor's posters, have become my reliable source of info for helping us plan our 30th wedding anniversary trip to Germany in October. I so appreciate the time everyone takes to answer my questions. Give me a couple more days and I'm sure I'll have another query to make.
Now I have to decide whether to visit Staufen or Titisee while we're in the Schwarzwald. Unfortunately, there just isn't enough time to fit everything into our plans otherwise Sulzburg sounds like a neat little town to visit.
Have a great weekend. Peace, Robyn>-
Now I have to decide whether to visit Staufen or Titisee while we're in the Schwarzwald. Unfortunately, there just isn't enough time to fit everything into our plans otherwise Sulzburg sounds like a neat little town to visit.
Have a great weekend. Peace, Robyn
>-
Feb 17th, 2007 | 12:19 AM
#5
Joined: Aug 2006
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Just my two cents about the Staufen or Titisee question: Titisee has become a real tourist trap, full of crappy (and I mean crappy) souvenir shops and tour buses. The lake is quite nice but nothing spectacular. I'd much prefer Staufen, as it's more authentic, off the beaten track, and has more historical architecture to offer. Plus, there is wine.
Is Triberg still on your list? If yes, you can do all your cuckoo clock shopping there (and much better) than in Titisee. I'd vote for Staufen and the Münstertal.
Keep your questions coming, Robyn. I'll be back on Tuesday evening - in the meantime I'm going to immerge myself into the Black Forest carnival and take several hundreds of photos of those splendid masks and costumes.
Is Triberg still on your list? If yes, you can do all your cuckoo clock shopping there (and much better) than in Titisee. I'd vote for Staufen and the Münstertal.
Keep your questions coming, Robyn. I'll be back on Tuesday evening - in the meantime I'm going to immerge myself into the Black Forest carnival and take several hundreds of photos of those splendid masks and costumes.
Feb 17th, 2007 | 05:10 AM
#6
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,206
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>Titisee has become a real tourist trap, full of crappy (and I mean crappy) souvenir shops and tour buses.
Yes, but only the village side of the lake. If you are up to a bit of leg work, you can ascend to the Hochfirst - a 1200 m high summit above the lake, with excellent views to the Feldberg and over the Black forest; or you can walk the fairly level way along the lake shore, and the follow the small river up the valey to the Feldsee - this lake is my favourite spot in the Black Forest; semnicrcular rock walls of the Feldberg corrie behind it, and when you are there in May the snow melt from Feldberg feeds numerous waterfalls down these walls. All of this is of course on the well maintained and signposted trails.
Yes, but only the village side of the lake. If you are up to a bit of leg work, you can ascend to the Hochfirst - a 1200 m high summit above the lake, with excellent views to the Feldberg and over the Black forest; or you can walk the fairly level way along the lake shore, and the follow the small river up the valey to the Feldsee - this lake is my favourite spot in the Black Forest; semnicrcular rock walls of the Feldberg corrie behind it, and when you are there in May the snow melt from Feldberg feeds numerous waterfalls down these walls. All of this is of course on the well maintained and signposted trails.
