Took the train to Elzach and made my way to the Brend to join up with the Westweg to go south till Weil am Rhein. Not much to report. Walk, eat, sleep. Repeat for 2 days.

I’ve noticed quite a few banners and signs about the presence of the wolf in the Black Forest which both is a somewhat “recent” development of the past years.

In case you can’t read the signs in the pictures: the first one makes you aware that this area inhabits wolves and you should keep dogs on a leash, lead kids by the hand and to hike and run in groups.

The second one….well I guess you get the sentiment. They did a good job portraying the wolf as the beast that we “know” it to be from our old German fairy tales. It reads: grazers instead of predators! No wolves in the Black Forest!

It certainly is a controversial and difficult topic that involves a lot of various interests and ideas. Economy, ecology, agriculture, forestry, conservation,…