Melt water from the Feldberg and the rainwater run-off let the Alb swelling and developing a roaring whirl. Even in dry periods, the whirl is worth a visit.
The whirl
In the course of millenniums, the River Alb fought its way downwards from the springs at the Feldberg before flowing into the Rhine, hereby creating a steep gorge. As the small river sometimes failed to conquer the hard granite stone of the Alb Valley, still today it has to fight its way around giant rocks. Such a whirl can be found in the South of the village of Wilfingen, right on the boundary between Dachsberg and the cathedral town of St Blasien.
How to get there
On the side of Dachsberg, a hiking trail leads to the Alb whirl. From a viewpoint your gaze will wander deep down into the raging floods. The hiking tour starts at the church of Wilfingen.
On the side of St. Blasien, you can reach the whirl from the route L154. Near the “Hohe Brücke” (high bridge), the exit to Dachsberg (K6590), a hardly visible bay at the roadside is signposted. From there you can descend to the whirl but be cautious!
Insiders’ tips
With the water being extremely cold, it needs quite a bit of courage, to use the basin in dry periods as a romantic bathing area.
Whatever bike you use, the Albtal road is popular with cyclists of all kind. The cycle bus, operating on Sundays and public holidays between May and October, make this tour even more attractive. The bus takes you from the Rhine up to the Black Forest heights from where you can start a fantastic downhill ride. Or just do it the other way round: enjoy the downhill ride first and have a relaxing way home later.
