Schonach is the Black Forest at its most tightly folded, a village of about four thousand strung along a steep valley, with farms on every ledge and a small ski jump looming over the houses. Winter is its big season: the area is a regular stop for Nordic combined and ski jumping competitions, and the big hill, the Langenwaldschanze, is among the larger in Germany. In summer the same slopes fill with walkers and cyclists, and the church bells carry a long way in the clear air.
The clock story starts here, or near enough. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, farmers in the high Black Forest spent the long winters carving wooden clockwork, and by the eighteenth century the craft had grown into an industry that exported clocks across Europe. The cuckoo clock, with its carved wooden case and its bird that pops out on the hour, became the symbol of the region, and you can still see the old farmhouses with deep eaves where the work was done. Schonach and its neighbour Triberg have museums and workshops that carry on the tradition, and shops that sell everything from traditional pieces to enormous novelty clocks.
Triberg, about three kilometres away, has its waterfall, which tumbles in seven stages through a wooded gorge and is one of the highest in Germany. A path with steps runs alongside it, and at dusk there is lighting. The town also has a museum of Black Forest culture and a good place to try the famous Black Forest cherry cake, which is made with kirsch, cherries and whipped cream and is much better when it is not mass-produced.
For riding, the Clock Route is a pleasure. The roads climb from the Gutach valley through dark spruce forest and past isolated farms, with a lot of curves, steady gradients and reasonable surfaces. Traffic is moderate, though coaches run to Triberg, and cyclists are common. The hairpins above the villages are tight, and the weather can change quickly, with fog in the hollows and snow into April on the higher passes.
Schonach is small but has the basics, including a couple of places to eat. Triberg, with a bit more choice, is the better bet for fuel and supermarkets. After a long day, a plate of smoked ham, dark bread and pickles is a fine reward, and the cold clear days of October are particularly lovely.