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We start our stage in Hesselbach at the Gasthof Grüner Baum (Römerstraße 1).
(S) We turn left here and take the first crossroads on the left uphill (Kailbacher Weg), pass through a small forest and reach a covered rest area in a clearing.
(1) Here, at the signpost "Hasselbacher Höhe", we meet the Nibelungensteig and follow the trail markers from now on. These lead us straight ahead uphill into the forest. At the first fork in the path, we keep to the left and follow the path uphill. We reach a fence with a gate, which we pass through.
(2) This takes us out of the Hessian Odenwald and into Baden-Württemberg. We walk down a beautiful, unspoilt path with a moderate gradient, crossing several unpaved forest tracks, and the path continues to descend, quite steeply in places. As soon as the Nibelungensteig turns left onto a wider unpaved forest path, we leave the signpost and continue straight ahead downhill on the narrow Hesselbacher Pfad. The path is steep, unmarked but clearly visible.
(3) We pass a bench and shortly afterwards reach a wider path, which we cross and stay on the path downhill. A white triangle can be seen on the tree in front of us. We are now in the hunting grounds of the former lords of Waldleinigen. A few more hairpin bends and we reach a paved road.
(4) This leads to Waldleiningen Castle, which we can admire directly in front of us at the end of a large clearing. We follow the road to the left and continue to have a clear view of the magnificent estate. At the next fork, we turn left again onto an unpaved path uphill, following the green triangle until we reach a crossroads.
(5) Here we meet the Nibelungensteig again, which comes from the left, and we now follow it straight ahead. We are now back in the Bavarian Odenwald. Immediately after the signpost at a fork, we take the right-hand path slightly downhill. Follow the unpaved forest path downhill. It is worth stopping here to listen to nature. A small piece of wonder forest in the Odenwald.
(6) At the next crossroads, we turn sharp right and follow the stream on the right, slightly uphill. Finally, we cross the stream and find ourselves on the left side of the stream, eventually reaching a stone house – the first house in the abandoned hamlet of Breitenbach.
(7) We pass the church of St. Wendelin and St. Nikolaus and at the crossroads behind it, the path leads us to the left, with more properties from Breitenbach on the right. Then we cross the stream.
(8) We pass a wayside shrine and here our path leads uphill to the right; the signpost is difficult to see. The path is lined on the left by old fruit trees, which have seen better days and are being squeezed out by spruce trees.
(9) Immediately behind a Jesus cross, we turn left onto a narrow path uphill and reach a forest road, which we follow downhill to the right. To our right, we can see houses and the village of Ottorfszell.
(10) After a sharp right-hand bend, we come to a paved road, which we follow into the village. We walk along Klingenweg through the village.
(11) At the chapel, we turn right onto the valley path, cross the stream, walk straight towards the church and reach the main road (Ernsttaler Straße), which we follow to the right for a few metres before turning left onto Fuchsenlochweg, which takes us out of the village. We follow the forest path uphill and leave it at a hairpin bend, taking the narrow path directly uphill. It becomes really steep and strenuous. We cross several forest paths but stay on the direct path uphill. Finally, we reach a meadow and see the village of Preunschen in front of us. At a crossroads, we follow the Höhenstraße to the left directly into the village and finally reach the end of today's stage (E).
It is a good idea to add the following stage 8 without an overnight stay if there is no accommodation available in Preunschen.
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