Black Forest to the Black Sea ... The source... which source?

Riding from the source of the Danube… an easy statement to make eh …wrong!

The source of the Danube River has been a bit of a touchy subject because there’s been rivalry between 3 competing sites … the source of the river Breg, a spring in Donaueschingen and the confluence of the 2 rivers the Breg and the Brigach.

If you accept the claim that it really starts at the confluence of the two source rivers then Hydrologically speaking (never thought I’d use that term in a blog)  the source of the Danube is the source of the River Breg which is longest and has a greater flow than the Brigach. 

The Breg which rises near Furtwangen just a few miles from Donaueschingen  at  a place near St. Martin's Chapel is also called the source of the Danube or Donauquelle and is now protected as a natural monument.

But romantically …and who doesn’t like a bit of romance … “by agreement of the German Parliament” who got involved, the source of the Danube is now considered a spring located in a stone basin on the grounds of the Prince of Fürstenberg's palace in Donaueschingen as “it has been bubbling in the city since 1488”.

Would it be cynical to suggest a few brown envelopes were distributed by the good Burgermeister of Donaueschingen.    

Anyway…as I’m here and it seems important I decided to visit all 3 then I can’t go wrong.  The confluence of The Breg and Brigach was a wonderfully peaceful place.

 Amazing to think that some of this water will end up in the Black Sea  ....... or even the Rhine ....why will be revealed in tomorrows blog hopefully.

A bizarre thing happened as I walked down to the statue at the source of the Breg. This text came up on my phone, honestly!!!

            I often go wrong on trips but ...

And just so you know how much I rough it on these trips by having to eat local…Apfelkuchen ... thanks for the recommendation Heidi!

Ah well .. On the road proper tomorrow.....

2840km to go according to the plaque at the spring in the  the grounds of the Prince of Fürstenberg's palace in Donaueschingen.

Talk later