of timber was hampered by the rocky gorge in the middle valley. This section could not be traversed by rafts until 1768. As early as the early 18th century, Wüerttemberg's timber trading companies had attempted to create a rafting route by blasting through the rock in the riverbed in order to float the logs from the upper valley down to the Rhine and the Netherlands. However, due to differences with the Bishopric of Speyer in Gernsbach, most of the Württemberg timber at Huzenbach had to be transported about 200 metres up the mountain and then transported to the neighbouring valleys of the Nagold and Enz. For this purpose, a lift called the "machine" was built in 1755. The logs were hoisted up the steep mountain slope using a series of man-powered wheels. However, this rickety structure was abandoned after a few years and the transport was taken over again by wagons. In order to float the logs from the side valleys into the Murg, splash dams (Schwallungen) were built in the forest, such as the Herrenwieser Schwallung, and existing lakes were further impounded to raise their levels. Rafting became less important after the construction of the Murg Valley Railway. In 1896, the last raft floated down the river Murg. In 1913 the rafting company closed and was officially banned in 1923. Hiking and cycling In 1981, the Murg Valley Trail (Murgtalwanderweg) was established, running for approximately 100 kilometres following the course of the Murg from its source to its mouth. The Murgleiter trail runs for 110 km between Gaggenau and Schliffkopf along the heights on the other side of the river. The Gernsbacher Runde explores the heights of the Murg valley near Gernsbach. In Forbach the West Way (Black Forest) crosses the valley as part of the E1 European long distance path. The 67-kilometre-long cycle route known as the "Tour de Murg", begins in Freudenstadt and accompanies the river from Baiersbronn to Rastatt. Gallery See also List of rivers of Baden-Württemberg References Literature Markus Bittmann, Meinrad Bittmann: Das Murgtal: Geschichte einer Landschaft im Nordschwarzwald. Special publication by the Rastatt County Archive, Vol. 6. Casimir Katz Verlag, Gernsbach, 2009, . Max Scheifele, Casimir Katz, Eckart Wolf: Die Murgschifferschaft. Geschichte des Floßhandels, des Waldes und der Holzindustrie im Murgtal. (= Series of publications by the Baden-Württemberg Forestry Commission. Band 66). 2nd edition. Casimir Katz Verlag, Gernsbach, 1995, 521 pp., . Wilfried Schweinfurth: