Kandern Wolfsschlucht Eitentalweg

Hikers’ car park (a few spaces) on Böscherzenweg in Kandern. Coming from Wollbach, head towards Riedlingen. Just after Kandern station, take Schützenstrasse on the left and immediately on the left is Böscherzenweg. Go to the end of the road. All the paths, apart from in the Wolfsschlucht where there is a tricky section, are wide and clearly visible.

(S/E) Continue along the Yellow Diamond-marked trail towards the Wolfsschlucht. At the first Wolfsschlucht signpost, at the edge of the forest, leave Böscherzenweg, which turns towards Kandern, turn left and reach the second Wolfsschlucht signpost on the Westweg, marked with a Red Diamond.

(1) Go straight on and follow the Red Diamond markings to the left then to the right, crossing the Wolfsschlucht (Wolf Gorge) whilst following the Red Diamond markings until you reach a large crossroads.

(2) Leave the Red Diamond markings and go straight on towards Holzen, Kerstenharderweg. At the end of the path there used to be a remarkable Behleneiche tree, of which only the fallen trunk remains. Continue straight on. You will reach the junction with the Eitentalweg.

(3) Turn right and follow the Eitentalweg. Ignore the first path on the right and arrive at the junction with the Holzener Ruhebank / Behlenweg (picnic area).

(4) Go straight up the hill. Then veer left and keep to the right. Follow the signs for Golfplatzblick and Gelberweg.

(5) At a three-way junction, turn right and further on turn right again. The path turns left. Follow it to reach a viewpoint overlooking Kandern Golf Course (Golfplatzblick).

(6) Viewpoint and picnic area. Ignore the path on the left. At the end of the path, take the sharp right-hand bend, ignore the path on the left and then the one on the right, and you will reach the path marked with a Yellow Diamond.

(7) Head straight towards Kandern and follow the Yellow Diamond markings.

(8) Leave the marked path and head straight towards the town.

(9) At the Böscherze junction, go straight on. Turn right onto Bahnhofstrasse, then right again onto Hermann Burre Strasse and take the path on the left between numbers 15 and 17 on the street. At the end of the path, turn right and go to the end of the street to reach the car park (S/E).

Another parking option is at Kandern station. Join Böscherzenweg via Schützenstrasse, just next to the car park towards the town’s exit.

Crossing the Wolfsschlucht is not a problem, except for a few dozen metres towards the exit of the gorge on the climb up to Holtzen, where you need sure-footedness and may need to use your hands to hold onto the rocks. Personally, I would have liked this section to be made safer with a handrail or a rope. In any case, go in dry weather and wear good shoes.

Alternative route: at the point (9), turn right (behind the Böscherzen towards a horse farm). Leave the farm on your right and continue straight on towards the summit of the Böscherzen (413 m) and the First World War memorial, which offers a view of Kandern and the Blauen. Then, on leaving the forest, turn left past an antenna, then right at the end of Schützenstrasse and take the path on the right which passes in front of the shooting club to join the Böscherzenweg; follow this to the left to reach the car park (S/E). The total distance is the same, but the elevation gain is slightly greater (+30 m) to climb to the summit of the Böscherzen.

Magnificent unobstructed views of Kandern, the Blauen, the Châreau de Bürgeln and the surrounding hills from the Golfplatzblick. An ideal spot for a picnic.