I've been putting this off for long enough, but here is a real gem in the heart of the Black Forest: the little town of Hornberg! Located in the Gutach valley with hills on all sides, it makes for an easy-access spectacular outing, as my parents would hopefully attest to having been there recently. This will be a mini-series as there's a lot to see, but let's start with some establishing shots and the two most obvious sights: the castle and the railway viaduct.
The castle on the top of a rock face is the first view on offer when coming out of the train station. It dates back to the 1200s and the first lords of the town. Progressively, the area came under the control of larger and larger domains, first Württemberg, then the Grand Duchy of Baden. Today, the tower remains, and can be climbed to enjoy a 360° view of Hornberg.
The railway viaduct is part of the ramp the Schwarzwaldbahn uses to get out of the Gutach valley cul-de-sac. Trains start climbing out of Hausach, and after Hornberg, they continue to Triberg and its loops. The view of the viaduct and station from the castle is marketed as a "life-size model railway": once an hour, Regional Express trains come through in both directions, and if they're perfectly on time, they cross the viaduct in sync!
After walking down from the train station, several routes lead to the castle. The steep, winding path on the Eastern rock face, visible in the second photo, is the quickest, but not always open, depending on the season. Going around the South side of the mountain leads to two more access roads, one straight up from the residential area and again rather steep, and the paved road, which is the easiest but, of course, the longest. In any case, it takes less up to an hour (longest route and really strolling) to get to the top - in time to watch the model railway!
