Seewald: Discover water, nature and trails

Seewald offers a range of experiences to help you plan your trip: swimming and water sports take centre stage at the Nagold Reservoir, while nature and cultural trails near Besenfeld open up other possibilities for your day. There are also cycling options, from a regional mountain bike arena to a long river route. So if you are looking for accommodation, first consider whether water, short nature excursions, longer hikes or cycling will shape your stay. The distinctions below offer some concrete guidance.

Water and scenery at the Nagold Reservoir

The Nagold Reservoir is surrounded by a 650-hectare landscape conservation area. There are six public and two private parking areas along the reservoir. Swimming and bathing are permitted in the forebay; if your outing depends on this, it is worth checking local guidance on water use in advance.

At Erzgrube, the Nagold Valley Reservoir is described as the only sailing area in the surrounding region. An IWA windsurfing school at the Nagold Reservoir also offers boards, wetsuits and lessons. Before your trip, check whether the operator and its services are available on your planned date. This makes it easy to distinguish between the water-based activities: swimming is designated for the forebay, while sailing and windsurfing each have their own focus on the reservoir.

A short nature trail or longer routes near Besenfeld?

The Kingfisher Trail at the Nagold Reservoir is an easy circular route of approximately 500 metres. Its natural section includes a biotope and a large insect hotel. There is also an interactive water play area centred around the approximately 100-metre-long Mini Nagold. This compact area combines a circular trail, nature themes and water play.

Near Besenfeld, there are two longer trails with different themes to choose from. The Felix Nature and Adventure Trail is 8 kilometres long, with 17 information boards covering animals, plants and the environment. The 7-kilometre Brunnen Walk, by contrast, is a cultural hike focused on historic fountains. The distances and themes can help you decide: the Felix Trail explores nature and environmental education, while the Brunnen Walk puts fountains at the centre as historic landmarks.

Another hiking idea is still in development: Seewald is working on the “Genuss Runde Seewald,” a hiking experience for visitors and local residents. If you would prefer to plan around a trail that has already been described, the Kingfisher Trail and the two routes near Besenfeld have specific distances and themes; the Genuss Runde, on the other hand, should be considered a developing offer.

Cycling routes with different ranges

The Nagold Valley Cycle Path starts in Seewald-Urnagold and runs for approximately 90 kilometres to where the Nagold flows into the Enz at Pforzheim. Seewald is also part of the Murg/Enz Valley Mountain Bike Arena, whose signposted routes cover around 800 kilometres in total. These are different in scale: the cycle path is a specific route with a named start and end, while the arena is a larger network of routes. When planning your trip, you can weigh up whether a particular river route or the variety of a signposted mountain biking network better suits your cycling plans.

Culture in the wider destination of Freudenstadt

The wider destination of Freudenstadt also offers its own cultural highlights. In Alpirsbach, the monastery and its impressive abbey church are among the few surviving monasteries in southwest Germany built according to the principles of the medieval Hirsau Reform. The classic historical guided tour of Alpirsbach takes in historic buildings and includes a stroll through the spa gardens. The Museum of Local History explains the town’s development using selected collector’s items; in the monastery museum, the permanent exhibition “Monks and Scholars” displays clothing, letters, drawings, games and vessels from six centuries.

Freudenstadt itself stands out for its market square, considered the largest in Germany, with 50 fountains and arcades. For exploring together, the Experimenta interactive museum in Freudenstadt offers a different focus. It is a hands-on museum for the whole family, where visitors are invited to try things out. Alongside Seewald’s water, nature and cycling themes, the wider destination therefore offers local history, architecture and interactive experiences as distinct areas of interest.

Discover more destinations: Eisenbach, Reinerzau, Alpirsbach, Baiersbronn, Loßburg, Erzgrube, Bad Rippoldsau-Schapbach, Schopfloch.

To the overview of the wider destination: Freudenstadt.