Rhine walk with lock and black park

From Talissa with Finja (02.2018)

From Karl Barth-Platz you enter the St. Alban Ring and follow the street until Gellertstrasse. At this crossing, turn left into Gellertstrasse and follow the street. After about 150 m you can walk in the middle of a kind of park and at the end you will come to Zürcherstrasse. If you want, you can make a side trip to the St. Albantor, but be careful: dogs are not allowed on all paths! Since I know the St. Albantor, I am directly down the St. Alban-Talstrasse into the valley. Via Letziplatz I reach the Basel paper mill and thus the first highlight. As it is not allowed to walk with a dog down the Rhine (except in the official bathing area), we follow the Rhine on the St. Alban-Rheinweg (upstream). On the way to Birsköpfli you can see the Rocheturm, several fishermen's houses and you pass the Rhine bath Breite. Before you reach Birsköpfli, you have to go under the Black Forest bridge and over the Birskopfsteg. Dogs are allowed on a leash on the paths. After the Birskopfsteg turn left and you are at the Birsköpfli. Follow the path until you reach the lock and cross the bridge to Birs Kraftwerks Insel, where you can take a nice walk. At the top of the bridge you can look out over the Rhine and at the same time you are at the entrance to the lock, and continue along Hofstrasse, which becomes Schulstrasse at the junction with the Birsfeld Museum. Turn right at the main road, cross the road and turn left from the Coop into Birsstegweg. At the Birs you cross the bridge and can now decide whether you want to go down to the bank or follow the road to the right. At the bus stop "Nasenweg" turn left into the street of the same name. Now you cross the Lehenmattstrasse, turn left into the street "In den Klostermatten" and go straight on until you reach the stairs. Go up these stairs and you will reach the St. Alban pond. Turn left at the pond and then soon turn right into the Schwarzpark, where you are required to wear a leash and are not allowed to leave the paths. The opening hours can be found at the entrances. The park is not big, but the paths are in good condition and it is always nice to go for a walk. You leave the park on this tour via the upper exit, cross the Gellertstrasse and turn left before the bridge into the Neusatzweglein. The tour is almost over. Follow the Neusatzweglein until you can turn right onto the bridge. Then you only have to walk along Karl Jaspers-Allee and you are at the starting point.