Westweg-Etappe 01: Pforzheim - Dobel

At the confluence of the three Black Forest rivers Enz, Nagold and Würm lies the "gold city" of Pforzheim. The former residence of the margraves of Baden and birthplace of the humanist Johannes Reuchlin (1455-1552) is today the center of the German jewelry and watch industry. The three most famous high-altitude hiking trails in the Black Forest, the West, Middle and East trails, start at the Kupferhammer

The three major trails of the Black Forest Association start at the Kupferhammer, the confluence of the Nagold and Würm rivers. If you don't want to take the bus there, walk from Pforzheim main station through the city center, cross the Enz and follow the Nagold up the valley through the city garden to the hiking sign and the "Golden Gate" at the start of the three long-distance trails. The Westweg and Mittelweg remain faithful to the Nagold, while the Ostweg leaves at the starting point in the Würmtal valley. At the Hoheneck ruins, the red diamonds point to the right over the Hämmerlesberg downhill to Dillweißenstein. After the Nagold bridge, the trail leads over the Sonnenberg down into the Enz valley and follows the rushing river up the valley from the Unterer Enzsteg. At the Grösselbach ford, mighty stepping stones help you cross the stream. The New Castle towers high above the old mining town of Neuenbürg on an imposing hill that circles the Enz. Scenes from Wilhelm Hauff's famous Black Forest fairy tale "The Cold Heart" can be seen in the branch museum of the Baden State Museum housed there. At the bottom of Neuenbürg's old town, the route crosses the bridge and climbs the steep slope of the River Enz to the Wilhelmshöhe district. After a short passage through the forest, the route continues above Straubenhardt along a path with great views at the edge of the forest. From the Schwanner Warte wooden tower, the view stretches as far as the Rhine plain and the Palatinate Forest. Then the Westweg finally disappears into the dark fir forests of the northern Black Forest. Behind the imposing rock formation of the Großer Volzemer Stein, it reaches the spa town of Dobel.