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07:09: Awake. Up and into the bathroom by 07:15. Had an uncomfortably hot night.
08:54: Washed, breakfast of three-egg, two-scallion omelette and four slices of buttered toast with marmalade. Wash-up done. Packing now.
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09:53: On the road. Had a chat with Linh, a Taiwanese medical student practising here.
10:35: As always, it’s lovely to be moving again. I’m walking through city streets along a tram line, but the road is lined with a mix of architecture from 1970s concrete to grand early 20th century stone mansions with plenty of trees and shrubbery.
10:56: It’s warm (thankfully I’ve been able to stay in the shade so far) and my bag is heavy. I have four litres of water, 700g of couscous and perhaps the same again in honey and marmalade, plus 500g porridge. Still I’m making good progress and enjoying the day. I’m in a lovely summery mood.
11:11: Today is a festival day so almost everything is shut. It feels like a normal day in France.
13:11: I need to be so careful on paths running alongside waterways. I’ve been caught out for the second time on the wrong side of the waterway when my junction comes up. I’m having to do a bit of a detour now which I’m not in the mood for because I’m trying to push on past the village of Kirchzarten in order to get into the hills a bit and have my lunch. I’m aiming for Hinterzarten and then a camping south of Titisee. Gonna refold the map now to help me recover from the wrong turn.
13:22: Moving again.
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13:43: Well on the way to being back on track. Stopping for lunch of crisps and apple.
14:08: …and 100g of chocolate and water. Moving again.
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14:35: Climbing steadily through forest since finishing lunch.
14:41: On the contour. 685m.
15:01: Drenched in sweat but feeling good. Stopping for a drink of water.
15:36: Höfner Hütte 959m.
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16:09: Atop Hinterwaldkopf, 1197m. Spectacular views, gorgeous weather. Mild breeze. Everyone in t-shirts and sunnies.
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16:16: Descending the east face.
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17:33: Back on tarmac. 932m. Stunningly beautiful descent, alternating through mixed forestry and alpine meadows with wild flowers.
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18:02: Titisee 10km, says a sign — but I’m going to the South-Western edge of the lake and the town is at the North-Eastern side. Hinterzarten, which I pass though on the way, is just 2km. I’m at 750m.
18:58: Exited Hinterzarten. It’s full of outrageously huge Black Forest log villas.
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19:45: Checked in at the youth hostel. €29 for a dorm bed.
20:23: The loos and showers are quite disgusting and there’s no kitchen where I can prep food and the chefs in the canteen aren’t serving food. I’m preparing packet leek soup with scallions and bread outside. I left the butter and camembert in the fridge in Freiburg. The bread’s a bit stale so it’ll benefit from soaking in soup.
My sole bedroom companion is Tomas, a biker from East Germany. He’s got a pretty thick accent, but he’s a lovely guy.
20:48: That was moderately successful. I ate all the rest of the bread and the soup was pleasantly salty. I put two sachets into 600ml water, which is twice the amount of water recommended on the packet. Still, soup sachets are light so I think I’ll continue to use this option. The stock cubes I’d bought weeks ago in France had lain unused in the bottom of my bag since I think Dormans, so they were fit to chuck. I think soup sachets will have a better turnover.
I think I might read for a bit after I’ve packed my cooking stuff away. I will get breakfast in the morning, laid on by the youth hostel — let’s see what that consists of.
