Nonnenmattweiher, Nature reserve in Kleines Wiesental, Germany
Nonnenmattweiher is a nature reserve covering about 71 hectares in the Black Forest, with a mountain lake surrounded by steep rocky cliffs. The water sits in a glacial basin formed by ice age movements, sheltered by slopes that define the landscape.
The site was converted into a fish breeding pond in 1758 to support local food production. Following a dam collapse in 1922, the structure was rebuilt and raised in 1934.
The name comes from medieval times when local farmers used the meadows for pig grazing, a practice reflected in the old dialect word. Today this farming heritage remains visible in how the land and water work together around the site.
You reach the lake by taking a narrow road that branches from the main route between Badenweiler and Neuenweg, ending near the local restaurant. The grounds are easy to walk around, with spots to pause and enjoy the water.
A floating peat island with rare wetland plants drifts in the lake, kept separate from the swimming area by a barrier of logs. This floating patch is home to specialized species found nowhere else in the region.
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