WaldFunkeln Lodge: Holiday apartment in the Black Forest

Advertising: Contribution in cooperation with the WaldFunkeln Lodge

When I made a small survey on my Instagram Story a few weeks ago about the focus of my blog posts, I was repeatedly asked to present more special accommodations. From time to time we come across these hidden gems ourselves while planning our trip and sometimes they are brought to us. That’s exactly the kind of gem I’d like to show you today. During the soft opening phase, we were given the opportunity to test the apartments of the brand new WaldFunkeln Lodge in Hinterzarten and at the same time get to know the fantastic region.

Before we dedicate ourselves in detail to the lodge and the excursion possibilities around Hinterzarten, two things in advance: Even though the last stone slabs of the forecourt were moved into the right position just before our visit and not everything was styled down to the last detail, the lodge – and especially “our” apartment – knocked our socks off from the first moment! And although the weather luck was not on our side this weekend, we were captivated by the autumnally glowing Black Forest (“Goldwald” would probably be the more appropriate term at this time of year). In a nutshell, we had a great and wonderfully relaxed weekend in the Black Forest!

Really casual – insight into our apartment in the new WaldFunkeln Lodge

The WaldFunkeln Lodge is located in the village centre of Hinterzarten in the Upper Black Forest. What sounds insanely remote at first glance is in reality easy and quick to reach from Switzerland by public transport as well as by car. By train, the journey takes a good 2.5 hours with one change in Freiburg Hbf. The lodge itself is less than a seven-minute walk from the train station.

From a purely external point of view, it is positive that the new building integrates well into the local structure and that wooden shingles were used for the façade. The connection to the place and the love for nature forms the red line in the concept of the WaldFunkeln Lodge.

The 13 apartments have dreamy names such as “Tautropfen”, “Tannenspitze” or “GipfelGlück”. The hangers of the cloakroom are supported by branches and the floor was laid with German wood. It feels like every piece of furniture has its own story and is carefully placed. An absolute eye-catcher for me is the swing at the kitchen table – isn’t it terrific? There are a total of four different categories – from the nests with around 50 m 2 to the two signature lodges “Wald” and “Sparkle” with integrated sauna and almost 90 m² of living space. All apartments have a fully equipped kitchen. Also included is access to the coworking space “WaldWohnZimmer”, the use of the sauna area in the basement and other extras such as backpack and umbrella in the room.

This weekend we are allowed to make ourselves comfortable in the “Wald” apartment. This includes a spacious living and dining area, a bedroom, a bathroom with rain shower, bathtub and sauna as well as a separate toilet. After a first curious examination of all the corners and features, we are drawn outside when we look out of the window. The remaining time until the arrival of the announced rain front will finally be used.

Out of the apartment, into nature

If you, like us, travel by public transport, enjoy the privilege of simply starting hiking in Hinterzarten. There are numerous beautiful hiking routes that start in the middle of the village and lead you over hill and dale to beautiful places. Alternatively, you can take the train to neighbouring Titisee, where there are regular bus connections to the Feldberg – the highest peak in the Black Forest. For the time being, we follow the signposted “Säbelthomaweg” in the direction of Mathisleweiher. Unfortunately, the rain starts before we reach the idyllic Mathisleweiher pond, which is located in a nature reserve. The pouring rain only allows us to linger briefly at the pond.

Not far away, the farm shop of the Mathislehof offers us shelter. Here you can not only get fine Zvieriplättli with the farm’s own cheese, but also numerous other regional products. Perfect to stock up on the groceries for the apartment with delicacies from the region.

Back in Hinterzarten, the rain pauses for a moment and treats us to a few minutes of magical autumn light at the Adlerweiher, which is located right next to the lodge.

Excursion tip: Ravenna Gorge hike

Another beautiful hike, which we start right in front of the door of the WaldFunkeln Lodge, is the Heimatpfad Hochschwarzwald. Passing the Hinterzarten train station, we follow the Freiburger Strasse until a mill wheel symbol shows us the way towards the Löffeltal. The seven-kilometre-long circular hike leads through the Löffeltal valley to the Sternen estate – one of the numerous places where Goethe once spent the night – today the estate is particularly known for its glassblowing. Directly behind the estate is the imposing Ravenna Bridge. Since 2010, one of the most beautiful Christmas markets in the Black Forest has been held here every year. But even outside the Christmas season, the detour to the Ravenna Bridge is worthwhile. Directly behind it is the wildly romantic Ravenna Gorge. We follow the gorge uphill to the Ketterer inn. From there it goes along the pastures back to Hinterzarten.

Hinterzarten and Black Forest in rainy weather – what to do?

I had been busy making plans for our three days in the Black Forest in advance. In addition to the Ravenna Gorge, I wanted to explore the Hinterzarten Moor on foot and tackle the almost 70-kilometer 4-lake tour by bike. Unfortunately, the weather thwarted our plans. But it quickly became apparent that such a rainy day is not a bad thing at all. On the one hand, we were able to “zmörgälä” extensively without any guilty conscience. The WaldFunkeln Lodge also offers a breakfast and bread roll service. This can be booked from December before arrival. We were allowed to test in advance which fine regional products will be available. Of course, crunchy apples, Black Forest ham and mountain cheese are not to be missed.

After breakfast we took the train to Titisee-Neustadt. Every Saturday morning, one of the Black Forest weekly markets takes place there. The market itself is not particularly big (about 5 market stalls at the Narrenbrunnen), but if you appreciate seasonal, local vegetables like us, you will find the right ingredients for dinner here.

Instead of taking the bike, we take the bus to the Feldberg. I’ve been to the highest “Black Forest” before. But the weather was about the same cloudy then as it was this time. On a clear day, you should have a magnificent view from the Feldberg over the Jura, the foothills of the Alps and the Bernese four-thousand-metre peaks. But the Feldberg is also a worthwhile destination in rainy weather. If you are travelling with children, let them let off steam in the indoor facility of the Fundorena. If you want to learn more about the flora and fauna as well as the history of the Black Forest, go to the House of Nature. The permanent exhibition conveys interesting facts about the Feldberg nature reserve in an interesting and sometimes extremely amusing way.

Back in Hinterzarten, we let ourselves be tempted to take a short walk towards the Black Forest Ski Museum. Here, skiing in the Black Forest can be traced back to its beginnings at the end of the 19th century. In addition, there are lots of colorful ski suits and trophies of successful Black Forest skiers to examine.

Faster than we would have thought, the afternoon is already well advanced. It’s high time for a coffee and cake break. We stocked up on two pieces of Black Forest cake at the Fischer bakery and confectionery at Titisee train station. In addition, there is freshly brewed coffee and cozy swinging at the kitchen table.

While we enjoy coffee and cake, the sauna slowly warms up. It takes almost half an hour until the temperatures rise above 80° Celsius and we start to sweat after all. And that, in addition to the breakfast happiness, is one of the second reasons why the rainy weather is a blessing – if the weather had been nice, we probably wouldn’t have had the chance to enjoy the amenities of the private sauna.

And how does an all-round perfect rainy day end? Exactly, with a really delicious home-cooked dinner. We bought the spelt tagliatelle in the farm shop of the Mathlisehof, the onions are from the market and the Pifferlinge as well as the ham from Anna’s Naturgourmet (the shop with many regional specialties is located halfway between the WaldFunkeln Lodge and the Hinterzarten train station).

With hiking, exploring, cooking and relaxing, our three days in the Black Forest go by in no time. We really liked both the lodge and the region. And since I would like to catch up on the bike tour that “fell into the water” one day, there will certainly be a reunion.

More tips for your trip to the Black Forest

• You can reach Hinterzarten by train via Freiburg Hbf with the Höllentalbahn. If you arrive by electric car, you will find parking spaces with charging stations on site.
• Prices vary depending on the category and season. The “Nests” (the 4 smallest apartments) cost from 168 euros per day/apartment – the most expensive category (Signature Lodges “Forest” and “Sparkle”) costs from 224 euros per day/apartment.
• The WaldFunkeln Lodge is dog-friendly and has installed a dog shower in the bike room in the basement.
• For stays of two nights or more, the Hochschwarzwald Card is included in the price. With this card, you can visit over 100 attractions in the region free of charge (e.g. the Ski Museum, the House of Nature, the Fundorena or – also a bad weather option – the Black Forest Bathing Paradise).
• In addition to numerous hiking trails, there are also exciting cycling and mountain bike trails in the Black Forest. If you don’t arrive with your own bike, you have the possibility to rent an eMTB through the WaldFunkeln Lodge.