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By car or train, head to Lautenbach (Germany); there is free parking at the station. The starting point of the walk is at the junction of Sendelbachstrasse and Bahnhofstrasse, 90 metres from the station. You can also park at the sports ground on the other side of the bridge, on the left.
(S/E) Leave the station behind you on your left and take Bahnhofstrasse north-west until you reach the junction with Hauptstrasse. On your left is the town hall (Rathaus); cross the road and walk up the street opposite. Take the second road on the left, Spitzenbergstrasse; after about a hundred metres, continue along the road to the right and follow the sign for ‘Panoranaweg’.
(1) The tarmac road turns into a dirt track. Take the path that climbs to the left and leads you back to a tarmac road.
(2) Cross the road and continue along the dirt track opposite (follow the ‘Panoranaweg’ sign or the Yellow Diamond markings), which turns into a footpath. ‘Enjoy the beautiful views over Lautenbach.’
Carry on to the top of the hill, where you’ll find Sepps Ruhebänkle on your left – a good spot for a short break if you fancy one.
(3) Take the first dirt track, immediately on the right, making a 180° turn (Yellow Diamond); do not follow the Panoramaweg any further. Leave the tarmac road that climbs up to your left; we’ll rejoin it further up. At the top of this hill, there are also benches where you can stop and admire the view. Leave them behind you and continue along the ridge until you reach the damaged tarmac path that takes you back to Spitzenbergstrasse. Walk up the road for a few dozen metres.
(4) At the junction, there are two options:
- Depending on the route, take the path on your right. It leads up through the meadow at the bend in the tarmac road that turns off to the right (Yellow Diamond).
- Head left up the tarmac road until you reach a house and the junction with the path.
At the top of the meadow, before crossing the road, turn round to admire the view.
(5) Cross the road and take the tarmac road opposite (Yellow Diamond, Lautenbacher Hexensteig). After 50 m, you have two options:
- stay on the tarmac road (the footpath joins it further on);
- follow the route by taking the path on the right that runs alongside the road, the option shown on the map.
(6) Continue to the right of the house along the dirt track, then keep to the left. The track turns into a footpath (Yellow Diamond, Lautenbacher Hexensteig). It leads to a forest track.
(7) Turn left and stay on the forest track (Yellow Diamond, towards Schauenburg) until you reach the junction at a right-hand bend at a place called Oberer Burgerwald.
(8) Leave the Lautenbacher Hexensteig trail and stay on the track until you reach the next bench at a junction.
(9) Take the path up to the right next to the bench in the bend (Yellow Diamond, towards Schauenburg). The climb is gentle at first but then becomes quite steep; follow the zigzagging path (you can also go straight up) until you reach a track, which you follow to the left until the T-junction.
(10) Leave the tracks and take the path leading uphill opposite. Continue straight up the slope until you reach a forest track, then turn left (Yellow Diamond, towards Schauenburg) until you reach a multi-way junction.
(11) Leave the forest tracks and take the only footpath on the right. It descends towards Schauenburg (Yellow Diamond). At the next set of forest tracks, cross them and continue along the descending footpath (Yellow Diamond, towards Schauenburg) until you reach the castle ruins.
(12) Walk round the ruins of Schauenburg Castle on the right to have a look around (you can also take a shortcut by turning left). Then head towards the car park, below the restaurant, a few dozen metres before the entrance to the forest and the first bend. Continue along the dirt track to the left, which becomes a path through the forest. It starts above the tarmac road (no signposting).
At the first junction, carry on straight ahead along the forest track as it climbs. At the following junctions, continue straight ahead along the forest track (Blue Diamond with a green interior). You’ll reach a rest area with several benches, a fountain and a lovely view of Strasbourg Cathedral.
(13) Head down the path to the left of the bench and the fountain (Yellow Diamond, towards Oberkirch) to the Rocher Tortue.
(14) Continue down the path (Yellow Diamond, towards Oberkirch) until you reach the vineyards. Turn right, then left onto the dirt track, until you reach the vineyards again and a tarmac road. Walk straight down the tarmac road towards the Gloriette (no signposting) to enjoy the view.
(15) Turn your back on the gloriette and head down the tarmac path to the right. Stay on this path until you reach the edge of the vineyards. Take the road that descends to the right towards the houses. At the first junction, continue to the left towards the hamlet’s exit, near a railway line and a main road.
(16) Take the path on the right, past the fence of the last house/inn, and cross the main road and the railway line. Continue along the dirt track to the right of the house to reach the embankment of the River Rench. Turn left towards Lautenbach until you reach the first road bridge. Turn left and return to the starting point (S/E).
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