Hanau Pond - Falkenstein and Waldeck Castles

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The castles of Hanau - The Erbsenfels arch.

Details

n°10053
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 15.02 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 337 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 330 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 372 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 233 m
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Photos

Waldeck Castle
Waldeck Castle
Waldeck Castle
Waldeck Castle

Description of the walk

Car park near the Notre-Dame des Bois chapel.
Access: via the Hanau forest road (access near the Hanau pond) then the Erbsenthal forest road - car park 200 metres from the chapel.

(S/E) Go to the chapel (signposted) then straight on towards the Étang de l'Erbsenthal (500m from the start).
Signposting: red ring to the Rothenbourg castle car park

(1) Blue round signposts to the ruins - 80m elevation gain over 400m.
Blue round markings to the Falkenstein Castle car park.

(2) Blue ring markings to the castle. The castle is not always accessible due to construction work.

(3) Blue ring markings to the Liesbach Pond.
Continue on the blue ring to the Hanau pond.

(4) Follow the yellow rectangle signs, go around the pond and head towards the village of Waldeck.

(5) Waldeck Castle is not always accessible due to construction work.
Follow the yellow rectangular signs along the Erbsenfels. You will pass close to a magnificent arch carved into the rock face, but be careful as the view is hidden by young shrubs.

(6) Go around the Erbsenfelsen and you will find the arch seen from the north.
Stay on the same trail until you reach the Erbsenthal forest road.

(7) Turn right onto the forest road to reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 248 m - Car park near the Chapel of Notre-Dame des Bois
  2. 1 : km 2.8 - alt. 294 m - Ruins of Rothenburg Castle
  3. 2 : km 5.73 - alt. 291 m - Falkenstein Castle
  4. 3 : km 6.89 - alt. 236 m - Liesbach pond
  5. 4 : km 8.82 - alt. 239 m - Hanau Pond
  6. 5 : km 10.69 - alt. 268 m - Waldeck Castle
  7. 6 : km 12.73 - alt. 292 m - Erbsenfelsen
  8. 7 : km 14.81 - alt. 255 m - Erbsenthal Forest Road
  9. S/E : km 15.02 - alt. 248 m - Car park near the Chapel of Notre-Dame des Bois

This route passes through a protected area, which may be subject to special regulations:

Worth a visit

Waldeck and Falkenstein castles are not always accessible due to construction work.
At Erbsenfelsen, you will pass close to a magnificent arch carved into the rock face, but be careful as the view is hidden by young shrubs.
All of the cliffs are inaccessible (peregrine falcon protection zone).

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 58 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
chevalley@wanadoo
chevalley@wanadoo

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb hike

Falkenstein Castle is a marvel to behold.
We were lucky enough to meet the volunteers from the Club Vosgien who do a tremendous job of clearing the undergrowth. Well done

At the Etang de Hanau there is a path to discover the peat bog area. It's very well done.

However, the beach at Etang de Hanau is privatised and a fee is charged. That might be understandable as far as swimming is concerned. When we did the hike it was 15°C and the whole area is subject to charges.
A great pity.

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Mickerle
Mickerle

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

very nice walk
the path to the chapel was impassable due to the rain of the last few days
possibility of having a drink or an ice cream on the terrace near the Hanau pond

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Sophie Herzog
Sophie Herzog

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pretty, pleasant and peaceful spot. The route is fairly flat, ideal for hot weather, for example. The distance makes up for the slight difference in altitude, and the nature trail near the Hanau pond is a nice touch.

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Sandrine68@
Sandrine68@

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 26, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice walk

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pmo67
pmo67

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very nice walk, varied with ponds and wilderness, rocks and impressive castles, with no great difficulty, a reasonable gradient and a route closer to 19km (it's worth pushing on to the Waldeck pond, among others). Done between 3pm and 9pm, taking advantage of the long days at the beginning of July :-)

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Christecol
Christecol

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 14, 2022
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice hike and some beautiful discoveries, but I'm not going to repeat what's been said.
The Erbensenberg rock and the surrounding area is currently closed to hikers because of the falcon nesting period and you must not disturb them.
You need to download your IGN map! The route is in the white zone.

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laika1963
laika1963

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 18, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful 20-kilometre walk with magnificent views and the remains of some very fine castles.
Not very popular during the week.
Do it again when the weather is cooler.

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Patrick S1.
Patrick S1.

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 24, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very nice suggestion for a hike. Thanks to the author.
I have only given a "good" for the reliability of the description and the route, as they are a little light. From time to time, you may be in a bit of doubt (for example, when walking along the Erbsenfelsen, should you follow the yellow rectangle or get closer to the rock by taking a parallel path? But you can't get lost.
And these minor inaccuracies are more than made up for by the beauty of the surroundings. This hike was done at the end of October with colours worthy of a Canadian autumn. Forests, ponds, ruins: very varied and very accessible despite 2 or 3 steep sections.
For the duration, allow a little more time as the visit to the marvellous castle (ruin) of Falkenstein is a must.
We set off from the Etang de Hanau in the direction suggested, so that the Falkenstein (the highlight of the walk) would be at the end of the route.
Definitely worth doing and doing again.
PS: very busy indeed. And it's best to have downloaded (or printed out) the route. This really is a white zone.

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singlerchristian
singlerchristian

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 27, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

very nice tour and beautiful remains of the castle with magnificent views

We started our tour from the Etang de Hanau.

It's a shame there's no telephone coverage in some places

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anstett josiane
anstett josiane

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 14, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Nice walk!!!! shame no access to the châteaux!!!!

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denis sustranck
denis sustranck

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 14, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Lovely hike, superb castle with magnificent views, but there's a white zone so no internet throughout the hike!

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54710fran
54710fran

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 28, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice tour, pleasant site, great discoveries.

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moggy
moggy

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 09, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pretty route, easy to follow and walk, with beautiful views and remarkable places.

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Phil-Greg
Phil-Greg

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello to you all,
No to the last question, because today (in March 2021): completely quiet (not necessarily always the case!!?)
The start at the chapel was chaotic, because there were no boundary markers nearby; so to start, you have to take the path that leads to the entrance of the chapel (so go back to the entrance in the back ;o) ) and when you come out of the path, facing the pond, you have to turn right straight away, to then come back to the path marked "red ring".
I had a few mix-ups between stages 2 and 3 when I visited the Falckenstein... and I couldn't find the Lieschbach pond
so be careful if you leave the path to visit the Falcken'!
It's difficult to find your way around because there are so many signposted paths!
Otherwise, there are many beautiful things to see: castles, rocky peaks, nature, etc.!

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moggy
moggy

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 09, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice route, starting from the Etang de Hanau; superb scenery and views, easy paths and tracks.

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