walk2balance

Through the Neckar Valley along the Neckarsteig, a quality hiking trail (Qualitätsweg Wanderbares Deutschland) covering around 128 km from Heidelberg to Bad Wimpfen. The long-distance hiking trail can be hiked as a multi-day or day tour. This stage takes you from Hirschhorn to Eberbach.

The Katzensteig connects the towns of Eberbach and Neckargerach. This route, which is around 26 kilometres long, is an interesting alternative to stages 5 and 6 of the Neckarsteig and offers a mix of nature, impressive views and cultural attractions.

Your tour starts in the spa gardens in Bad Schandau. Bad Schandau is a charming little town in the heart of Saxon Switzerland, situated right on the banks of the River Elbe. The town is not only a place for rest and relaxation, but also an ideal starting point for excursions into the impressive Elbe Sandstone Mountains. The Elbe Sandstone Mountains, also known as Saxon Switzerland, are famous for their bizarre rock formations, deep gorges and dense forests.

Freiburg im Breisgau, a university town in south-west Germany, is known for its mild climate and its historic old town. The town lies on the edge of the Black Forest and, with its narrow streets, the typical ‘Bächle’ water channels and the Gothic cathedral, offers a blend of tradition and modernity. A particular highlight is the nearby Schauinsland, which rises to a height of 1,284 metres.

Your tour starts at Freiburg Cathedral. Freiburg im Breisgau is known for its old town, the impressive cathedral and its proximity to the Black Forest. A particular highlight is the Schlossberg, a wooded hill rising behind the old town. From there, you can enjoy a wonderful view over Freiburg and the Rhine Valley. The Schlossberg is a popular destination with various hiking trails and the historic remains of an old 17th-century fortress.

Hinterzarten, situated at an altitude of around 900 metres, is a small village in the Upper Black Forest. The village is renowned for its natural diversity and rich cultural heritage. The area also boasts an extensive network of walking trails, including two long-distance routes: the Westweg and the Querweg Freiburg-Bodensee.

"Nature experience combined with sporty hiking" ... this is how the Burgensteig trail is described in the official flyer of Tourismus Service Bergstraße e.V. The Burgensteig trail leads from Darmstadt-Eberstadt along the heights of the Odenwald to Heidelberg. Along the approximately 120 km, you will pass over 30 historical sights and cross two other well-known trails, the Nibelungensteig near Zwingenberg and the Neckarsteig in Heidelberg. We took the liberty of deviating from the "standard" route here and there. We have put together the stages so that you can get to your starting point and back from your destination by public transport. Our version is therefore about 20 km longer than the original.

"Nature experience combined with sporty hiking" ... this is how the Burgensteig trail is described in the official flyer of Tourismus Service Bergstraße e.V. The Burgensteig trail leads from Darmstadt-Eberstadt along the heights of the Odenwald to Heidelberg. Along the approximately 120 km, you will pass over 30 historical sights and cross two other well-known trails, the Nibelungensteig near Zwingenberg and the Neckarsteig in Heidelberg. We took the liberty of deviating from the "standard" route here and there. We have put together the stages so that you can get to your starting point and back from your destination by public transport. Our version is therefore about 20 km longer than the original.

After conquering France, the Romans advanced across the Rhine. The Odenwald Limes was built to secure the route between the Main and Neckar rivers, which were considered natural borders. Built around 85 AD, this border wall was intended to protect the Roman province of Germania Superior. The fifth and final stage of your hike takes you along the former border line from Neckarburken to Neckarzimmern. During this scenically and culturally enriching tour, you will pass the remains of Roman watchtowers, forts (troop quarters), bathing facilities and border fortifications. Informative boards point out the sights and provide insights into life in the former border region.

After conquering France, the Romans advanced across the Rhine. The Odenwald Limes was built to secure the route between the Main and Neckar rivers, which were considered natural borders. Built around 85 AD, this border wall was intended to protect the Roman province of Germania Superior. The fourth stage of your hike takes you along the former border line from Limbach-Wagenschwend to Neckarburken. During this scenically and culturally enriching tour, you will pass the remains of Roman watchtowers, forts (troop quarters), bathing facilities and border fortifications. Informative boards point out the sights and provide insights into life in the former border region.

After conquering France, the Romans advanced across the Rhine. The Odenwald Limes was built to secure the route between the Main and Neckar rivers, which were considered natural borders. This border wall, built around 85 AD, was intended to protect the Roman province of Germania Superior. The third stage of your hike takes you along the former border line from Hesselbach to Limbach-Wagenschwend. During this scenically and culturally enriching tour, you will pass the remains of Roman watchtowers, forts (troop quarters), bathing facilities and border fortifications. Informative boards point out the sights and provide insights into life in the former border region.

After conquering France, the Romans advanced across the Rhine. The Odenwald Limes was built to secure the route between the Main and Neckar rivers, which were considered natural borders. This border wall, built around 85 AD, was intended to protect the Roman province of Germania Superior. The second stage of your hike takes you along the former border line from Michelstadt-Vielbrunn to Hesselbach. During this scenically and culturally enriching tour, you will pass the remains of Roman watchtowers, forts (troop quarters), bathing facilities and border fortifications. Informative boards point out the sights and provide insights into life in the former border region.

Following the conquest of France, the Romans advanced across the Rhine. The Odenwald Limes was erected to secure the stretch between the Main and Neckar rivers, which were regarded as natural borders. This boundary wall, built around the year 85 AD, was intended to protect the Roman province of Germania Superior.The first stage of your walk takes you along the former border from Obernburg on the sunny banks of the Main to Michelstadt-Vielbrunn.During this scenically and culturally enriching tour, you will pass the remains of Roman watchtowers, forts (troop quarters), bathhouses and border fortifications. Informative signposts highlight the sights and provide insights into life in the former border region.

Following the conquest of France, the Romans advanced across the Rhine. The Odenwald Limes was erected to secure the stretch between the Main and Neckar rivers, which were regarded as natural boundaries. This boundary wall, built around the year 85 AD, was intended to protect the Roman province of Germania Superior.Your hike takes you along the former borderline in five stages, from Obernburg on the sunny banks of the Main, through the densely wooded Odenwald, to Neckarzimmern in the romantic Neckar Valley.During this scenically and culturally enriching tour, you will pass the remains of Roman watchtowers, forts (troop quarters), bathhouses and border fortifications. Informative signposts highlight the sights and provide insights into life in the former border region.

This short walk takes you along the historic city wall, past the Almosenturm tower to the Annakapelle chapel. Continue along the picturesque Kapellengasse to the Mittlerer Höhenweg, from where you can enjoy a magnificent view over the town and the Main Valley as far as the Spessart. On the way back, you will pass the Lower Gate, St. Peter and Paul's Church and the former Stiftshof before arriving back at your starting point at the Roman Museum.

Through the Neckar Valley along the Neckarsteig, a quality hiking trail (Qualitätsweg Wanderbares Deutschland) covering around 128 km from Heidelberg to Bad Wimpfen. The long-distance hiking trail can be hiked as a multi-day or day tour. To ensure that this section remains walkable in terms of length, we have made a few adjustments to the route.

"Nature experience combined with sporty hiking" ... this is how the Burgensteig trail is described in the official flyer of Tourismus Service Bergstraße e.V. The Burgensteig trail leads from Darmstadt-Eberstadt along the heights of the Odenwald to Heidelberg. Along the approximately 120 km, you will pass over 30 historical sights and cross two other well-known trails, the Nibelungensteig near Zwingenberg and the Neckarsteig in Heidelberg. We took the liberty of deviating from the "standard" route here and there. We have put together the stages so that you can get to your starting point and back from your destination by public transport.

This tour takes us along lesser-known paths, first from Malchen to Frankenstein Castle, then downhill towards Mühltal and finally back to Malchen via the area above Darmstadt – Eberstadt.

There are four circular routes in the Mossau Valley, each with its own charm and marketed under the name ‘Drachenwege’ (Dragon Trails). These hiking routes have all been awarded the ‘Wanderbarer Odenwald’ seal of approval by the Odenwald Club, guaranteeing a high-quality hiking experience. The circular walks are: "Dorn" (the circular route described here), "Fafnir", "Triumphalis" and "Saphira" The length of each route varies between 15 and 21 kilometres, making them ideal for day hikes.

"Nature experience combined with sporty hiking" ... this is how the Burgensteig trail is described in the official flyer of the Bergstraße Tourist Association. The Burgensteig trail leads from Darmstadt-Eberstadt along the heights of the Odenwald to Heidelberg. Along the approximately 120 km route, you will pass over 30 historical sights and cross two other well-known trails, the Nibelungensteig near Zwingenberg and the Neckarsteig in Heidelberg. We took the liberty of deviating from the "standard" route here and there. We have put together the stages so that you can get to your starting point and back from your destination by public transport.

The Neckarsteig stretches over 128 kilometres from Heidelberg to Bad Wimpfen, winding its way along the majestic Neckar River through the picturesque region of Baden-Württemberg. This route promises an unforgettable journey through a variety of landscapes, from gentle vineyards to imposing rock formations. Along the route, you can expect challenging climbs as well as relaxed sections along the river. You can look forward to varied landscapes ranging from wooded slopes in the Neckar Valley to charming half-timbered towns and historic castles. We have designed the sections so that you can reach every start and end point of a stage by public transport.

This version of the Albsteig (Black Forest) takes you on a 112-kilometre journey through the Alb Valley along the river from Albbruck to the Feldberg, the highest peak in the southern Black Forest. The first stage takes you upstream from Albbruck through and along the picturesque Alb Valley and, towards the end, through the Höllbach Valley up to Göhrwihl.

This variant of the Albsteig (Black Forest) trail takes you on a 112-kilometre journey through the Alb Valley along the river from Albbruck to the Feldberg, the highest peak in the southern Black Forest. Stage 5 is not formally part of the Albsteig. The Wolfssteig is both the continuation and the missing link needed to turn the Albsteig Black Forest into a multi-day circular tour. The Wolfsteig continues down into the Upper Rhine Valley to Waldshut and from there by public transport to the starting point of the tour in Albbruck.

This variant of the Albsteig (Black Forest) trail takes you on a 112-kilometre journey through the Alb Valley along the river from Albbruck to the Feldberg, the roof of the southern Black Forest. The fourth stage leads from the pass at Feldberg via Menzenschwand and St. Blasien to Höchenschwand. In terms of altitude, it is a little less strenuous than the previous stages. The eastern route of the Albsteig takes you back down towards the Hochrheintal valley.

This variant of the Albsteig (Black Forest) trail takes you around 112 kilometres through the Alb valley along the river from Albbruck to the Feldberg, the roof of the southern Black Forest. The third stage of the Albsteig leads via St. Blasien and the Westweg trail to Bernau and the pass at the top of the Feldberg. The highlights of this stage, apart from the impressive landscape, are the Windberg waterfall, the view of the cathedral in St. Blasien and the Herzogenhorn, the highest point of the Albsteig. On a clear day, you can enjoy a magnificent panoramic view of the Black Forest and the Alps.

This variant of the Albsteig (Black Forest) takes you through the Alb Valley along the river from Albbruck to the Feldberg, the roof of the southern Black Forest, covering around 111 kilometres. Along the route, the Albsteig crosses two other long-distance hiking trails, the Schluchtensteig near St. Blasien and the Westweg on the Feldberg. The multi-day tour described here takes you along the western route to the Feldberg and back down to Höchenschwand via the eastern route. From there, the Wolfssteig (23 km) takes you down to Waldshut-Tiengen and finally by train back to the starting point in Albbruck.

This variant of the Albsteig (Black Forest) takes you on a 112-kilometre journey through the Alb Valley along the river from Albbruck to the Feldberg, the roof of the southern Black Forest. Stage 2 takes you from Göhrwihl back down into the Alb Valley, then over the Dachsberg, to the Albstausee reservoir and up to Häusern.

The Schluchtensteig trail leads in six stages over 119 km from Stühlingen to Wehr, right across the southern Black Forest. The last stage is the longest at almost 24 km and takes us through the wonderful Wehraschlucht gorge and later high above the Wehra river and then down to the Wehrastausee lake. Along the Wehra, we hike directly into the centre of Wehr.

The Schluchtensteig trail leads in six stages over 119 km from Stühlingen to Wehr, right across the southern Black Forest. The last stage is the longest at almost 22 km. In case of continuous or heavy rain or other incidents, this is an easy alternative if you want to get to Wehr somehow and cannot walk through the Wehraschlucht gorge. While the first half of the stage to Gersbach offers some variety, the hike to Wehr is exclusively downhill on a gravel forest path.

The Schluchtensteig trail runs for 119 km in 6 stages from Stühlingen to Wehr, right across the southern Black Forest.On the fifth stage, the route climbs 300 metres in altitude straight after the start to the Lehenbachkopf. And the route continues to climb steeply as it progresses.A new route now runs alongside the Klosterweiher pond and briefly follows the Bergbaurundweg circular trail. It then crosses the Horbacher Heide and the Ibacher Höhe, from where, on clear days, you can see as far as the Swiss Jura. The crowning glory of this stage is the stunning Hochwehraschlucht gorge.

The Schluchtensteig trail leads in six stages over 119 km from Stühlingen to Wehr across the southern Black Forest. The fourth stage of the Schluchtensteig is almost completely free of gorges and therefore quite easy to walk. However, you should not underestimate the altitude difference, especially after Unterkrummenhof, where a long climb awaits hikers, and after St. Blasien, where the forest road descends for a long time and is quite steep in places. The southern Black Forest with its isolated farms shows its charming side on this stage, offering frequent views of the Alps. At the end, you can enjoy the Windeck waterfalls above St. Blasien. Thanks to good bus connections, this stage can also be hiked very well as a single stage.

The Schluchtensteig trail runs in 6 stages over 119 km from Stühlingen to Wehr, right across the southern Black Forest.“Exposed paths along steep rocky gorges, some offering spectacular views down into the depths. The Wutachflühen, the Wutach Gorge, the Schleifenbach Falls, the Haslach Gorge, the Windberg Waterfall, the Hohwehras Gorge and the Wehras Gorge are destinations for all those who enjoy hiking through wild gorges, marvelling at thundering waterfalls, savouring the natural silence and wanting to switch off from everyday life for a week,” as stated on the Schluchtensteig website – and the trail certainly lives up to its promise.We’ve tweaked the third stage slightly, so you’ll avoid the hill between Lenzkirch and Fischbach. Instead, we’ll hike up to the Riesenbühlturm in Schluchsee, which offers a panoramic view in all directions.

The Schluchtensteig trail leads in 6 stages over 119 km from Stühlingen to Wehr across the southern Black Forest. If you are staying in Schluchsee between stages 3 and 4, you should definitely climb the Riesenbühlturm tower and enjoy the magnificent view of Schluchsee and the Alps.

The Schluchtensteig trail runs for 119 km in 6 stages from Stühlingen to Wehr, right across the southern Black Forest. Our third stage starts at the upper entrance to the Lotenbach Gorge and ends in Lenzkirch, where there are plenty of places to stay and a bus service to the start of stage 4. Alternatively, you could stay overnight in Schluchsee and climb the Riesenbühl Tower – see the relevant tour.Anyone wishing to hike all the stages of the Schluchtensteig can stay overnight at the Schattenmühle between stages 2 and 3. From there, you can tackle the Lotenbach Gorge and hike uphill to the starting point of this walk.

The Schluchtensteig trail runs for 119 km in 6 stages from Stühlingen to Wehr, right across the southern Black Forest.The second stage leads from Blumberg past the Schleifenbach waterfall to the River Wutach, through the magnificent Wutach Gorge, past the former spa town of Bad Ball and several waterfalls, and ends at Gasthof Schattenmühle.

The Schluchtensteig trail leads in 6 stages over 119 km from Stühlingen to Wehr across the southern Black Forest. The first stage takes us from Stühlingen to Blumberg along the Wutachflühen. High above the Wutach, we hike on narrow paths and exposed trails. We pass the Sauschwänzlebahn railway line several times and, with a bit of luck, we will see the museum train steam past. The Buchberg with its long ascent challenges us in the last third of the tour before we descend to Blumberg.

A wonderful walk around three-quarters of Lake Schmollensee – mostly through secluded woods on gentle, unpaved forest paths. Along the route are the historic highlights: the castle and post mill in Pudagla, and the church and Dutch windmill in Benz.

"Nature experience combined with sporty hiking" ... this is how the Burgensteig trail is described in the official flyer of Tourismus Service Bergstraße e.V. The Burgensteig trail leads from Darmstadt-Eberstadt along the heights of the Odenwald to Heidelberg. Along the approximately 120 km, you will pass over 30 historical sights and cross two other well-known trails, the Nibelungensteig near Zwingenberg and the Neckarsteig in Heidelberg. We took the liberty of deviating from the "standard" route here and there. We have put together the stages so that you can get to your starting point and back from your destination by public transport.

Sandy beach, views from Streckelsberg, Lüttenort, Schwanensee and Achterwasser – a walk on Usedom could hardly be more varied. We’ll also pass historic sites such as the listed salt huts, the site associated with the ‘Amber Witch’, and the viewpoint overlooking the sunken city of Vineta, the ‘Atlantis of the North’.

Circular walk starting and ending in Bansin. The route takes us along the nature trail through the woods to the cliffs. Here we can enjoy a magnificent view of the Baltic Sea and the Polish coast. We walk back high above the Baltic Sea and arrive directly at the pier. After a short detour to Schloonsee, the path takes us along the beach promenade and finally back to the starting point.

"Nature experience combined with athletic hiking" ... this is how the Burgensteig trail is described in the official flyer of the Tourismus Service Bergstraße e.V. The Burgensteig trail leads from Darmstadt-Eberstadt along the heights of the Odenwald to Heidelberg. Along the approximately 120 km, you will pass over 30 historical sights and cross two other well-known trails, the Nibelungensteig near Zwingenberg and the Neckarsteig in Heidelberg. We took the liberty of deviating from the "standard" route here and there. We have put together the stages so that you can get to your starting point and back from your destination by public transport.

This walk follows the Main-Stromberg Trail, but whenever the forest tracks became too wide, I tried to find an alternative. The result is a wonderful route that leads over the Tromm ridge through the Hessian Odenwald. The absolute highlight of the tour is the newly built Ireneturm (Trommturm) – for me, the Leaning Tower of the Odenwald.

A section of the relatively little-known Main-Stromberg Trail runs from Ober-Ramstadt to Lützelbach. This route frequently deviates from the original trail and does not end until you reach Brandau in the Moda Valley. This allows you to bypass a number of wide forest tracks and create a lovely circular walk: either park your car in Brandau and take the bus to Ober-Ramstadt first thing in the morning (recommended, as bus services are limited), or park in Ober-Ramstadt and take the bus back to your car after the walk.

This walk takes us from Wald-Michelbach to Neckarsteinach without any cultural or historical highlights. We walk along or parallel to the Main-Stromberg Trail. Our aim was to avoid the ‘forest motorways’ and focus on walking on forest paths or at least on unpaved forest tracks.The route is ideal for switching off and simply walking – no sights, no places to stop for refreshments and absolutely nothing to distract you along the way. In return, there are hardly any changes in altitude, and at the end of the route, the castles around Neckarsteinach do offer a little highlight after all.

"Nature experience combined with sporty hiking"... this is how the Burgensteig trail is described in the official flyer of the Bergstraße Tourist Association. The Burgensteig trail leads from Darmstadt-Eberstadt along the heights of the Odenwald to Heidelberg. Along the approximately 120 km, you will pass over 30 historical sights and cross two other well-known trails, the Nibelungensteig near Zwingenberg and the Neckarsteig in Heidelberg. We took the liberty of deviating from the "standard" route here and there. We have put together the stages so that you can get to your starting point and back from your destination by public transport.

An easy walk starting and finishing in Bickenbach (Bergstraße), taking you to Erlensee and through the Pfungstädter Moor Nature Reserve.

A walk around the Saar Loop near Mettlach, one of the Saarland’s most famous attractions. The route takes you from the “WELLES” ferry across the Mettlach lock up to the treetop walk and back in a loop to your starting point.

"A nature experience combined with athletic hiking" ... this is how the Burgensteig is described in the official flyer of the Tourismus Service Bergstraße e.V. The Burgensteig leads from Darmstadt-Eberstadt along the heights of the Odenwald to Heidelberg. Along the approximately 120 km, you will pass over 30 historical sights and cross two other well-known trails, the Nibelungensteig near Zwingenberg and the Neckarsteig in Heidelberg. We took the liberty of deviating from the "standard" route here and there. We have put together the stages so that you can get to your starting point and back from your destination by public transport. This means that our version is about 20 km longer than the original.

This circular walk takes you from Jugenheim via Heiligenberg Castle to the Felsenmeer in Reichenbach, then on towards Balkhausen, to the ruins of Jossa Castle and back to Jugenheim.

"A nature experience combined with sporty hiking" ... this is how the Burgensteig trail is described in the official flyer of the Bergstraße Tourist Association. The Burgensteig trail leads from Darmstadt-Eberstadt along the heights of the Odenwald to Heidelberg. Along the approximately 120 km route, you will pass over 30 historical sights and cross two other well-known trails, the Nibelungensteig near Zwingenberg and the Neckarsteig in Heidelberg. We took the liberty of deviating from the "standard" route here and there. We have put together the stages so that you can get to your starting point and back from your destination by public transport.