Conquering Ramstein

Baerenthal – Follow signs to Ramstein Beach; car park signposted.
There is also another car park further up Rue du Ramstein (just before the point (7))

(S/E) When you reach the canal, do not cross it but take the path on the left that runs alongside it (marked with a Red Ring and a Green Ring). Follow the banks of the pond for 800 m. Head towards the road in front of Baerenthal Pond.

(1) Follow it to the right and then immediately to the left, continuing along the pond. Ignore the first path on the right.

(2) Just after a small pond, turn right (still following the same markings). Take a left-hand bend, walk along a meadow, then enter the woodland and take the second path on the right.

(3) At the crossroads, head up to the right towards Bannstein (Yellow Diamond markings). Join a forest track and follow it to the left.

(4) At the crossroads (bench), follow the signs for Baerenthal via the Ramstein ruins (Green Ring markings). Ignore a path that bends sharply to the right and continue straight on, passing a spring (bench). At the end, the path bends to the right and descends to the Col du Petit Dunkelhal.

(5) Cut across the track and take the path, almost opposite, to the right of the large overhanging rocks, and immediately take a path descending to the right towards Ramstein. Follow the Red Ring and Green Ring markings. Pass under the rocks, reach a crossroads and climb up opposite. At the top, ignore a path veering sharply to the right (the return path) and descend a little.

(6) Take the small path on the right which leads to the foot of the steps leading to the summit of the Ramstein Castle ruins. There is an orientation table at the top of the castle with a clear 360° view of the Northern Vosges. After visiting the various points of interest among the ruins and descending the final, rather steep wooden staircase, take the descending path on the right which joins the path you passed earlier and the one you took previously.

(6) Continue straight on this time. A little further down, you will see a closed cave housing a colony of protected bats.

(7) Before the road, take a path on the right that runs alongside it, then follow the road straight on into Ramstein to return to the car park (S/E).

Bench at point (4)
Bench and water at the spring between (4) and (5)
Bench at point (5)

Possible picnic spots with tables:
- at the point (S/E)
- on the banks of Baerenthal Pond
- at Ramtein beach (on the opposite bank)