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Navigation and signage

About a decade ago the Black Forest trail system underwent an extensive reform. Previously, markers of every shape, size and colour proliferated on every other tree. The trail system has since been condensed and simplified. Now there are basically three distinct types of markers, almost all of which take the form of a diamond. (But just to confuse matters, some local areas have hung onto their old signs and routes, which may not coincide with the new system.)

The Westweg marker is a solid red diamond on a white background, which is also the logo of the Schwarzwaldverein. (Note that the Mittelweg trail symbol is a red diamond with a white line through its centre.) Despite the fact that Westweg is extremely well marked and generally quite easy to follow, there are still a few spots where the marking is ambiguous, missing or counterintuitive. The trail may amble along on a broad forestry track, when suddenly a half-hidden marker may point to a tiny little trail that heads off through the bushes. Or, there are spots where the route splits into a couple of variants, offering walkers a choice. The present book describes all the official variants that were marked at the time of writing, but these things can change – another reason why it is important to carry a current map.