The Glasträgerweg (Glass Carrier Trail) reveals a significant chapter of Black Forest history. You'll hike 125 kilometres (77 mi) through the southern Black Forest from Aftersteg to Laufenburg, passing historic glassworks, informative pavilions, small museums and colourful parks en route. This multi-day hike commemorates the old but little-known traditional profession of glass carriers.

From the 13th to the 19th century, glassblowers, their glassworks and the glass carriers who travelled all over Europe were omnipresent in the forests of the Black Forest. Glass production required wood, water and sand. Glass carriers took the finished pieces from remote glassworks in the middle of the Black Forest along valleys and trade routes and to cities. They carefully transported the fragile treasures in a ‘scab’ – a backpack stretcher. After unloading their glassware, they brought exotic goods and exciting stories back to their hometowns from afar.

In the 19th century, glass production in the Black Forest began to decline. Located far from important trade and economic centres, it was no longer profitable and competition increased from other countries. Almost all glassworks in the Black Forest closed their doors and the glass carrier profession died out.

The Glasträgerweg keeps the traces and memories of this almost extinct Black Forest industry alive. You'll walk through historical places of glass production, learn everything about the rise and fall of the glassworks in the southern Black Forest and immerse yourself in the life of the glass carriers and blowers. Often, place names are the only indication of former glass production, but you can still find historic sites of this rare craft in some villages.

In seven days, the Glasträgerweg takes you through wonderful parts of the southern Black Forest. From Todtnau-Aftersteg, the trail heads over the 1,493-metre (4,898 ft) Feldberg to Schluchsee. In St. Blasien, you'll see an impressive monastery, which, alongside the St. Peter monastery, played an important role in glassworks. Through valleys and over hills, you'll arrive in Todtmoos and visit several waterfalls in the Murgtal valley. Finally, you'll pass through colourful meadows and forests to Laufenburg am Hochrhein.

You don't need to be experienced or super fit to complete the hike. The seven stages are up to 23 kilometres (14 mi) long, but you can sometimes split them as the Black Forest offers plenty of accommodation. The start and endpoints are easy to reach with public transport. To get to Aftersteg by bus, you can take line 7300 from Feldberg-Bäretal train station to Todtnau and change to line 7215 from there. In Laufenburg, on the border with Switzerland, you can access to the Switzerland and Germany's rail network.

Who knows, maybe you'll become a glass carrier yourself on your way through the southern Black Forest: the unique pieces in the glass-blowing factories are irresistible after all.