The next few destinations on our German study tour were all within the Black Forest. It was interesting to me to hear from our guides prior to our visit about how green Germany is and then be able to see it in person. I have since learned that Germany is one of the greenest energy consuming countries in the world.
While journeying through the region, it was remarkable to see the beautiful countryside, with the charming traditional buildings, and to realize there are solar panels on so many of them. At the Hofgut Sternen, we had a visit with one of the family owners who gave an interesting talk on their construction project to fully utilize green energy. This project is unique in the way that they are not only going to be using geothermal energy from water (which is somewhat common), but also be capturing the energy from the gray water (which is more uncommon). He also mentioned that they currently use wood pellets as their heat source, which is considered a green resource. At one time, the forest was dwindling, but now they have more trees than they can use, so the pellets were mentioned as an efficient way to use the now replenished forest.
Our first visit outside of Stuttgart was a local dairy that produces cheese, ham, and even cosmetics. The main building on this farm dates to 1470! They have Scottish Highland cattle that are able to thrive in the winters, yet they still supplement the production with milk from other local farms. It is truly a cooperative effort! The farms here, and many restaurants that I noticed, all seem to use local products. The most interesting thing to me was that this is not a new concept there or even a recent return to older ways – it seems like that is simply the way it has always been. The cheesemaker also focuses on using as much of the resources as they have, and even uses the whey to make lotions and other skin care items. We had a cheese and ham tasting, and it was delicious and so interesting to enjoy the different flavors side by side.
The next stop was at Lake Titisee for a delicious lunch and wonderful tour of the Maritim Hotel Titisee. This property is on the lakeshore and could not be more relaxing – it is right in the village, where everything you could want is within an easy stroll. We were able to enjoy a lake cruise, and the autumn colors only added to the gorgeous mountain scenery.
We then motored to Hofgut Sternen, which was my overall favorite stop of the trip. This hotel is by the Ravenna viaduct in Höllental (Hell’s Valley). The hotel became better known when Marie Antoinette stopped in 1770 (with her entourage of course)on her way to Paris . This hotel was an important stop because of its location within such a steep passage. Travelers could get supplies and even fresh horses, which were needed because it was such a difficult route. A highway and railway run through this stunning landscape, and the Hofgut Sternen is tucked into the valley – I loved it immediately and grew more attached by the minute. There are many hiking trails that traverse the dark woodlands, romantic gorges, wild waterfalls, and calming meadows. I walked down to see St. Oswald’s Chapel, which dates from 1148. The history and natural beauty at this site are simply amazing.
We experienced a demonstration in cuckoo clock making, and I learned so much about this world famous Black Forest export. Most fascinating to me was the piece work system – in the cold winter months, when there is not much to do, people start carving pieces. Then the pieces are collected from all around and assembled into the clocks. It is intriguing to me that the clocks are all locally made, but one clock may contain pieces from many artists. Next was a demonstration of the Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte – the world famous Black Forest Cherry cake. They also have glass blowing demonstrations, but there was so much to do here that we just couldn’t get to see everything in one afternoon.
The rooms at Hofgut Sternen are quite nice, and the different buildings have various types of accommodations – from modern and contemporary in the Glashaus, to classic and charming (where I slept peacefully with a private balcony overlooking the creek). The food was delicious – I had a venison ragout for dinner, which was prepared with sour cream and currants and served with spaetzle. It was absolutely the best venison I have had. Of course with Kirschtorte for dessert, this stop proved to me that there are (rare) opportunities to have your cake and eat it too!