Hirschhorn Castle and views of the Neckar River

Description

Start : Ersheimer chapel car park along Ersheimer road. (69434)

(D) From the war park, walk towards the road and the chapel' entrance. Turn left and walk along the road for around 200 m. As soon as you see a green area with a basketball playground, walk right towards the river side.

(1) When you reach the riverside, follow it left (South-West) and walk in between the bank on your left and the river on your right. Be careful if you have children to not be too close to the water otherwise, keep walking along the road to reach the lock.

Walk along to reach the lock. When you reach it, cross it by turning right. If you are lucky enough you might see some boats going through the lock. As you reach the end of the bridge, you get to Eberbacher street.

Turn left along it toward the village centre. After 60 m or so, turn left down the second set of stairs (ignore the first one). Walk along this tiny street following if as it curves right behind the church. When you reach a little place with the church entrance on your right, carry straight on to walk past the "Café Schmit Backerei" on your left-hand side. Enjoy the typical houses along the way. Walk along this street where you can find restaurants until you reach an Italian restaurant on your right-hand side.

(2) Just past it, turn right and walk up steep hidden stairs bringing you to a footpath reaching the castle. On the way, you will be walking alongside back gardens.

(3) After 240 m up hill, you will go through an arch where you carry on following steps to reach another arch and the castle. Normally you should not lose yourself as the stairs and path aside along the way are closed with gates.

When you finished enjoying the castle, walk past the canon on your right-hand side and exit the castle on its North entrance to reach the main car park.

(4) When you get to the car park, turn right to walk to its end then carry on a footpath going into the trees (North-East). Here you start an ascent to reach the top of the cliff from where you will start getting the best panorama over the valley. From here you can walk as long as you wish and rest on the few benches along the way then come back the same way to your car. (A)