“Der alde Gott lebt noch” (The old God still lives), at least in the area of Sasbachwalden. A sea of vines, set in as bucolic a landscape as one could wish for, hold the secret to a long and happy life here, centered around wine and hiking.
As the story goes, a young man, on meeting the beautiful young woman who would become his wife, cried out: The old god still lives! They married, settled in the area, and enjoyed a happy life together. On seeing this wonderful trail, in such an idyllic setting, one could cry out the same.
This is an area of vines in Baden’s Ortenau district, which have taken their name from the old legend. These vineyards rise steeply from the Rhine Valley floor, at a place just outside of town where the elevation begins in earnest. They rise to meet the tall fir trees of the Black Forest, near the crests of these early foothills. Along the way, creeks rush down the hillsides, providing gentle music, powering mills, and carving the landscape as they twist downhill.
The most dramatic creek, the Brandbach, passes through a rocky gorge. It cascades steeply downhill, surging around boulders, dropping into pools, shifting sand beds, before re-composing itself as a creek as it rushes through town. This marvelous site is known as the Gaishoelle Wasserfaelle (Gaishoell Waterfall), and is a scenic attraction in its own right. The well-maintained stairs and series of quaint wooden bridges provide great opportunities to view this wonder up close from many vantage points as the trail climb upwards.
A solitary chapel dedicated to world peace, is aptly situated on a quiet slope high on a hillside. The subsequent stretch of trail through a still wood of pines inspires a tranquil mood, before heading back downhill. From the chapel to the end of the pines, the distant views are truly magnificent. Looking out over Sasbachwalden, the Rhine river valley, both the German and French sides are visible. The Vosges mountains loom as a massive purple wall on the horizon.
By an old mill (1986), there is a picnic area. (No picnic lunch? No problem, as there are taverns along the way.) Perfect for enjoying the scenery, and resting before another uphill climb. (For a more serious rest, there is a unique “hotel” only a couple hundred meters away: a series of large wine barrels, outfitted with beds!) The final ascent passes through forests and orchards, a peaceful Arcadian interlude before re-entering vineyards. I reached the end of the trail after a slight downhill segment. It had been a wonderful hike on the trail on a crisp December day, with spectacular scenery brilliantly lit by the sun, through the Old God’s vineyards on the slopes around legendary Sasbachwalden.
