Our tour begins at the lower market square in the heart of Freudenstadt. There is ample parking right by the water features, from where we will start our walk. At the lower end of the market square, we cross a beautifully landscaped park, rich in plants, which attracts many visitors on summer days. In the background, the imposing town church with its two towers, comes into view; we turn right in front of it. Here we encounter the first signpost, which guides us towards the "Wölperwiesenweg" trail.
Almost straight ahead, slightly sloping, we cross three cross streets (Schickhardt, Alfred, Gärtner, and Rappenstraße) and continue on an asphalted path, from which, after a few meters, an excellent view opens up into the nearby Christophstal valley.
We follow the path, which ascends gently (do not descend into the valley), until we reach the "Bässler Bridge" after about 300 meters. This bridge safely takes us across the B28, and suddenly we are no longer in the town center, but in one of the many fir forests surrounding Freudenstadt.
As if from nowhere, the once bustling city falls silent, and we find ourselves in complete tranquility on a forest path. After a quick look at the information boards at the start of the path, we keep to the left (right for cyclists) towards Agnesruhe, our next stop. From here, we follow the red diamond with a white center, or the signpost for "Tannenriesen" ( .
The path leads us gently uphill through the typical, densely overgrown fir forests of our region. After about 45 minutes, we reach Agnesruhe, a lovingly restored shelter located in the middle of a crossroads, which invites us to take a short break.
We follow the signs and turn left at Agnesruhe. After a few meters on this narrow forest path, we continue following the signs until we find ourselves directly on a main road. We keep right on the footpath and after a few meters reach the "Lauferbrunnen" and the hiking parking lot directly opposite, with its namesake fountain, which provides welcome refreshment on hot summer days.
An information kiosk shows us the hiking trails in the immediate vicinity.
From here we follow the signs for “Großvatertanne” and now keep to the yellow diamond.
After a short walk, we turn onto an adventurous, tree-root-lined footpath, which requires sure footing when wet. We cross another lightly trafficked country road, continuing towards the "Giant Firs".
As if from nowhere, we suddenly find ourselves standing before one of the described mega-firs, located right by the path. Even though we already feel tiny in the face of the tree, we should still be patient, because a few meters further on, the signpost points directly to the "Grandfather Fir," set back a little further. This is demonstrably the largest and strongest fir in the entire Black Forest . The 300-year-old, 47-meter-high, and 1.55-meter-thick fir towers imposingly before us. We wonder how many storms and thunderstorms it has withstood to this day and wish it just as much steadfastness for the next 300 years.
We leave the giant trees behind and follow the path towards "Friedrichshöhe/Friedrichsturm/ Kienberg ", Freudenstadt's local mountain. From the Friedrichsturm , we have a wonderful panoramic view of Freudenstadt all the way to the Hornisgrinde, at 1163m the highest mountain in the Northern Black Forest.
The tower, a gift to the city in 1899 to mark its 300th anniversary, is freely accessible and definitely worth climbing. We can bring our tour to a relaxing close at "Friedrichs," a beer garden located right next to the tower.
We then follow the descending path towards “Park Courbevoie” / “Marktplatz” and pass a newly created mini-golf area before returning to our starting point, the Freudenstadt market square.
If you enjoyed the hike to the Grandfather Fir in Freudenstadt, then you'll also love our e-book. It's packed with inspiration, insider tips, and suggestions for a fantastic holiday with hikes in the Black Forest and more.
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Two special holiday homes directly in and near Freudenstadt can be found: the manor house Hofgut Bärenschlössle and the holiday home Dornstetten .
If you're looking for a wonderful holiday in the northern Black Forest, then you should take a look at our specially equipped holiday homes near Freudenstadt. All of them feature special amenities: sauna, whirlpool, fireplace and more, waiting to be discovered!
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72275 Alpirsbach
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