Geographic Range: Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Access: Hiking

Populated by: Stags, mythical creatures and the stuff of fairy tale nightmares

Reasons for visiting: Beautiful scenery, hiking trails and monster hunting

Horde: Germanic

A large forested mountain range in southwest Germany, the Black Forest is home to many frightening and fanciful creatures. Said to be the inspiration for settings of Grimm’s fairy tales such as “Hansel and Gretel”, it’s as scary as it is magical.

The Black Forest is the site of several creatures and tales of the weird. One such story is that of the Hirschsprung, where a legendary stag once leapt over an impossibly wide gorge in the Höllental valley, while trying to escape a hunter. There is also the small hamlet of Schonach, where a mysterious ghostly Watcher is supposed to haunt, reliving its final moments. Another tale is that of Der Grossmann - a tall man - who stalks the forest, carving out a Slenderman-style figure, seeking those who have wandered off of the hiking trails.

Whispers and curses abound in these woods as many lost travelers, hikers and explorers have misread their maps, mistrusted their GPS or even just misunderstood the vastness of the forest. It’s an easy place to get lost, especially while you’re marvelling at its beauty. When traversing the wooded valleys of the Black Forest, we recommend bringing an experienced guide, ensuring you can read a map properly and don’t trust anything that whispers your name in the darkness.

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