From Hanau Pond to Waldeck Castle

Access: from Bitche, take the N62 towards Philippsbourg/Niederbronn-les-Bains, then the D162F to the Étang de Hanau car park.

Green Ring trail markings.

(S/E) From the Étang de Hanau car park, turn right (east) onto the Route Forestière de Hanau (tarmac section), which leads to the campsite. Opposite the Hôtel Beaurivage, turn right onto the sandy forest track (multiple markings, including the Green Ring, which you should follow throughout the route). Follow the wide sandy track uphill to Chemin Kachler.

(1) Take Chemin Kachler on the left, and continue straight on until you reach the forest junction with a long, straight path coming from the right (Chemin Waldecker Hubel). Continue straight on along Chemin Kachler (Green Ring) until you reach the junction with a tarmac road (Route Forestière des Bornes).

(2) Cross the road and take the Green Ring-marked path opposite, which leads to the right, up a steep climb, to the Erbsenfelsen rock.

(3) Turn left onto the wide path (signposted for the short route around the Hanau Pond, marked with the Green Ring). This excellent path runs the entire length of the Erbsenberg cliff. This is the^GR®532(Yellow Rectangle).

(4) At the end of the rocky ridge, the path veers left towards the hamlet of Waldeck and Hanau Pond, reaching a junction after about a hundred metres.

(5) Turn right onto the stony path leading up to Waldeck Castle. There is a picnic table at the foot of the ruins. After exploring the ruins via several flights of steps, and returning to the picnic table, continue along the path that runs along the foot of the castle to reach the previous junction.

(5) Continue downhill to reach the centre of the hamlet and the main street. Follow it, after a wide bend to the left, then to the right; be careful: a path branches off to the left.

(6) Leave the tarmac of the main street for this path which descends towards a large meadow (Red Ring, Red Diamond and Yellow Rectangle). Cross a small stream and walk right across the meadow, passing a cross, to reach the Route Forestière des Bornes.

(7) Follow it to the left for about twenty metres, then turn right onto the path that leads into the forest. Follow the peat bog discovery trail (multiple markings, but always the Green Ring). Continue to the junction marked with signposts.

(8) The markings lead to the right, but carry on straight ahead to walk, a little further on, along pleasant wooden footbridges over the bog, before reaching the car park via the path, keeping left at each junction (S/E).

Understanding the Club Vosgien trail markings.

Erbsenfelsen Rock: an impressive sandstone wall 25 to 30 metres high and nearly 450 metres long (restricted access, nesting and breeding site for peregrine falcons).