The Richterhaus. In the tri-border region between Czechia, Austria and Germany. In the southern reaches of the Bavarian Forest. There are many names for this upland range—the Nordwald, the Bayerwald, the Bohemian Forest—but the Czech is the most poetic: Šumava, the Murmuring One. The sound of the treetops. Listen to nature. Do nothing.

Follow the Schwarzenberg Canal deep into the forest. On hot summer days, Lake Ranna and Lake Freuden bring refreshment. Strolls through the silent winter woods. In every season, this patch of land between hills, fields, and rivers invites exploration. And yes, the romantic expectations of this mystically charged forest must be earned on foot.