Members and friends of W+B gathered early yesterday afternoon for the latest in our series of local walks in the Basel region. Hardwald forest, a peaceful wooded oasis and a popular local recreation area on the outskirts of Basel, is just a short way upstream from the city along the River Rhine. With comfortable temperatures and dry skies, our group’s 1½ hour walk in flat country, along paths that interlace the forest, enabled us to view undergrowth and trees from saplings to full-grown – a haven for a wide variety of birds and other wildlife.
Coordinators Doris and Dorothea ensured that our walk would end with refreshments at the palatial Hotel Waldhaus, before leading us on a short stroll back to the tram stop taking us directly back to Westfeld. We weren’t disappointed!
Background: Originally an oak forest used for animal pasture, the Hardwald forest today is one of the city’s many ‘green lungs’. Fewer know that the forest’s gravelly substrate also has the exceptional ability to filter Rhine water, reducing downstream processes needed to make clean water available to supply an ever-growing industrial and domestic demand.