Look closely. Don’t feel disappointed if you can’t see it – I can’t either.

Wandering through the Black Forest on a rare break in this rainy week, I came across this hill with a sign at the bottom (you can see the edge of it on the right). I stop and read such signs – you can usually learn something about area history.

What you are looking at is a quarry. I know it doesn’t look like it. i can only presume that it has been a long time since anyone took any rock from here.

According to the sign, in many places in the Black Forest small quarries were built right by the street, to provide material to make the road. Given that this road was built more than a century ago, it is no surprise this no longer looks like a quarry.

If you look a little to the left at the top you will see a mine entrance that goes a few metres into the hill. At least that is what the sign says – I couldn’t pick out the hole either. Nor was I going to climb up and try for a closer look. Old mines can be dangerous.

I have written from time to time of the delights of walking in the Black Forest. After four years I feel I have only scratched the surface in terms of discoveries. I’m going to miss the place.

Ottawa has some great walking trails in its urban forest. I will enjoy them when I get home. But I don’t think I am likely on those rambles to discover abandoned mines first dug during the Roman Empire as I have here. Nor am I likely to come across many ruined castles. Here it seems there is one on almost every hill.

There is rain forecast for every day from now until my flight home. I’m hoping the forecasters are wrong and I can get a few more walks in.