Our Four Favourite Lakes in the Black Forest

From the minute you reach the parking lot of this small yet picturesque natural basin, you feel like you’re on vacation. Fermasee is carefully tucked away in a part of the Black Forest that features mature orchard meadows. Bathing is only permitted in one section of the lake’s southern side because most of its shoreline is part of a nature conservation area. Relaxing spots under the crisp shade of trees and bathing spots with shallow waters await. As you make your way down the slope to the water’s edge, a cluster of islands emerges from this gem’s waters. Fermasee is a true haven for protected flora and fauna. Visitors here can spend hours watching the sunlight dancing in the treetops and schools of tiny fish darting through its clear waters from the shore.

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Where the Upper Rhine River now rushes through polished rocky ridges, a massif once stood in its northward path. The Black Forest’s wild terrains that trace Isteiner Schwellen comprise clusters of small rock pools, shallow gravel beds and abundant plant life. A day trip to Isteiner Schwellen feels like an extended vacation. Adventure seekers can carefully make their way from pool to pool on foot. Countless secluded spots where you can dip your feet into the water and experience the Rhine’s raw beauty await. Further north, the current fans out into a landscape of shallow, natural gravel-bed channels giving way to a series of fantastic bathing spots. Those who aren’t keen to plunge into these icy waters can still enjoy a leisurely picnic on the rocks.

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This postcard-worthy little lake in the forest invites you to venture into its sloped basin surrounded by spruce trees. Nonnenmattweiher is located in the southern Black Forest, about 40-minute drive west of Feldberg. A sunbathing lawn provides access to the part of the lake that is roped off and designated for swimmers. The waters and floating peat isle that lie beyond this barrier are protected. Back on the shore, you can have a barbecue, nosh on snacks in the designated picnic area or grab a table at the fishing hut near the parking lot. We highly recommend taking a walk around the lake before heading home. Nonnenmattweiher’s dreamy pond is most enchanting towards the end of the day when the sun is low in the sky. This region offers an abundance of hiking trails: panoramic trails at Belchengipfel and Rapsfelsen, for example, are just a 30-minute drive from here.

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There’s something truly magical about this hidden forest lake. Perhaps, because it’s only accessible on foot or by bicycle. Or maybe it’s the ancient trees whose roots wrap around its shorelines. Königswaldsee’s narrow circular path will guide you straight to the large sunbathing lawn on its southeastern shore. Here, you can spread your towel under the shade of old willows and slowly wade into the lake’s shallows. If you feel like having a little bay all to yourself for the day, head toward the forest and take your pick from one of the more secluded swimming spots. The remainder of the nature trail puts the lake’s diversity on full display. As you walk, take in the views of the island, watch swans paddle through the scenery and enjoy the Black Forest’s dense foliage and rolling foothills in all their splendour.

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