Mummelsee and the Black Forest High Road

The Mummelsee is the best-known lake in the northern Black Forest and a classic stop on the Schwarzwaldhochstrasse, the High Road that runs along the ridge from Baden-Baden towards Freudenstadt. The lake lies at about 1,036 metres above sea level, is roughly eighteen metres deep and covers under four hectares, with a shoreline of around 800 metres. It is the largest of the seven cirque lakes that remain in the Black Forest, carved by glaciers in the last ice age and ringed today by steep, dark spruce slopes. The name comes from the white water lilies that locals call Mummeln, and the lake is wrapped in legend: water spirits known as Mümmlein are said to live in a crystal castle beneath the surface, ruled by a lake king, and one tale tells of a young spirit who fell in love with a farmer's son and paid for staying out past nightfall. A small cluster of buildings on the shore includes a restaurant and a hotel, and the loop path around the water takes only a few minutes, which makes this an easy, atmospheric stop on a scenic drive.

Treat the Mummelsee as the anchor of a half-day ridge drive rather than a destination on its own. The High Road climbs from the spa town of Baden-Baden through forest and opens onto long viewpoints across the Rhine plain towards the Vosges, with lay-bys and small car parks where you can stop for photographs. At the lake, walk the short path around the shore, read the legend boards, and then pick a longer walk.

The most rewarding is the climb to the Hornisgrinde, the highest summit in the northern Black Forest at roughly 1,160 metres, where an open plateau of moorland, called a Grinde, is crossed by a boardwalk and a lookout tower gives wide views on clear days. The grassy ridges here feel different from the closed forest in the south, and wind and weather change quickly, so bring a windproof layer even in summer.

The lake can be reached without a car by the local bus network from Baden-Baden, and the Baden-Baden tourism site shows a dedicated stop at the Mummelsee, which makes a car-free day possible if you check the timetable in advance. Drivers should leave plenty of time, since the road is winding and slow behind coaches and cyclists on weekends. In winter the ridge is often snowbound or icy, the road can be difficult, and the area turns into a cross-country skiing and snowshoeing zone, so check conditions before setting out and carry warm clothing.

Fog is common in autumn, and a clear day after a cold night is the best moment, when cloud lies in the valleys and the lake mirrors the spruce.

Food and shelter are on hand at the lakeside restaurant, which serves regional dishes, cakes and coffee, and the shore has the usual souvenir stalls and a playground. Visitors who want quiet should come early on a weekday or late in the afternoon, when the day trippers have left. The lake combines well with Baden-Baden's thermal baths and the Lichtentaler Allee on the same day: ride or drive up for the morning, walk and lunch on the ridge, then descend for a soak in the baths.

It also suits families, since the path is short and smooth enough for most pushchairs on dry days, though the Hornisgrinde climb is steeper. Allow one to two hours at the lake itself, or half a day with a summit walk.