Once upon a time in the Black Forest - Es war einmal im Schwarzwald

Curiosity got the better of me when I learned about a waterfall with a mysterious name nearby Ottenhöfen, a mere forty kilometre drive away from home. Bella, the trusty Italian steed, was again the best choice to for another episode of ride-to-hike (RTH, thanks for this, Dom.). So I packed lunch, grabbed my gear, and headed out to find out about the tale behind the Nobelwoman's Grave.

Als ich über einen Wasserfall mit besonderem Namen nachlas, war es klar, dass ich mich auf den Weg machen musste, diesen zu entdecken. Dieser befand sich etwa vierzig Kilometer von zu Hause entfernt bei Ottenhöfen. So packte ich mir etwas zu Beißen für zwischendurch ein, schnappte meine Ausrüstung und machte mich wieder einmal mit Bella, dem treuen Italienischen Lasttier, auf den Weg zu einer neuen Folge von "Mit Roller auf Wandertour". 

The trail access proved to be a bit of a challenge. I had to cross a slippery (because: wet) track leading through a working quarry, and watch out for huge gravel trucks, and other heavy moving equipment. The trail head was empty, and didn't seem well visited lately. It had begun to rain again, and it was again too cold for a typical late summer day in September.

Die Zufahrt zum Wanderparkplatz erwies sich als kleine Herausforderung. Ich musste nämlich dabei einen Steinbruch durchqueren. Es war (wieder einmal) nass und daher sehr glitschig. Zudem war dieser in Betrieb, so dass ich auch noch auf riesige LKW und anderes bewegliches Equipment achtgeben musste. Der Parkplatz war leer und sah auch nicht so aus, als wenn er noch oft besucht würde. Natürlich fing es wieder an zu regnen und es war viel zu kalt für einen Spät-Septembertag.

I left the Vespa under the roof of a weathered trail map display, donned my hiking boots and followed the signs along the creek. I was all alone, there were no birds chirping, no other noises but the rustling of leaves under my boots, the wind in the trees, and my own elaborated breathing while walking uphill. The atmosphere was truly odd.

Ich stellte die Vespa unter dem Dach eines verwitterten Hinweisschildes mit Karte ab, schnürte meine Wanderschuhe und folgte den Wegzeichen und dem Bach aufwärts. Ich war mutterseelenallein, kein Vogel störte die Stille, es gab kaum Geräusche außer den knisternden Blättern unter meinen Stiefeln, dem Wind in den Bäumen und meinem Schnaufen während ich den steilen Berg hochlief. Es herrschte schon eine eigenartige Atmosphere.

The falls owe their name to an ancient legend. Knight Wolf von Bosenstein went on a crusade and was on his way to the Holy Land while the wife stayed behind. She didn't take fidelity very seriously, and lived the high life back home with her lovers. One day a poor woman with seven almost starved children came to the castle asking for help, but was ridiculed and dismissed. In return the beggar threw a curse over the noblewoman. She would have to bear seven children of her own, all at once, and all as miserable as the ones she had mocked. The curse became true. In her distress the lady asked her servant to put the newborns in a bag and drown them in the well. Just when this was about to happen the knight returned, saved the little ones, and left them in the good hands of relatives.

Die Sage vom Edelfrauengrab basiert auf einer alten Legende, die man hier wunderbar nachlesen kann.

Seven years later Knight Wolf brought back the children incognito to perform at a festivity. They where healthy, well educated and had learned to sing and play the harp. Dressed in plain clothes they sang of their sad destiny. Wolf then asked his unfaithful wife how she would punish a woman who would drown her own children to keep her infidelity a secret. "She deserves to be immured and left to die slowly, barely to be kept alive on water and bread." the woman replied. "So, that's what is going to happen to you!" the knight pronounced her sentence, and had her walled in in a cave in the valley of God (Gottschlägtal). But after a while he took pity on her, and ordered to divert the creek and flood the cave in order to drown her, and save her from further torment. Since then, the cave is called the Nobelwoman's Grave.

No remains of the knight and his unfaithful wife were to be seen. But what a beautiful and arcane grotto, partly covered by a veil of water. It was certainly well worth the climb.

Es waren weder Überbleibsel vom Ritter oder seiner untreuen Frau zu sehen. Nur eine schöne und geheimnisvolle kleine Grotte, an der einem Vorhang gleich, ein Wasserfall herunter lief. Das war den Aufstieg wert.