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We start our stage in Hesselbach at the Grüner Baum inn (Römerstraße 1).
(S) Here we turn left straight away and take the first side road up to the left (Kailbacher Weg), passing through a small wood and reaching a covered rest area in a clearing.
(1) Here, at the ‘Hasselbacher Höhe’ signpost, we join the Nibelungensteig and from now on follow the trail markings. These lead us straight up into the woods; at the first fork, we keep left, following the path uphill. We reach a fence with a gate, which we walk through.
(2) We now leave the Hessian Odenwald and find ourselves in 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 track, we leave the signpost and continue straight down 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, continuing down the narrow path. A white triangle can be seen on the tree ahead of us. We are now in the hunting grounds of the former lords of Waldleiningen. A few more hairpin bends and we reach a tarmac road.
(4) This leads to Waldleiningen Castle, which we can admire directly ahead of us at the end of a large clearing. We follow the road to the left and continue to have an unobstructed view of the magnificent estate. At the next fork, we turn left again onto an unpaved path leading uphill, following the green triangle until we reach a junction.
(5) Here we rejoin the Nibelungensteig, which comes from the left and which we now follow straight on. We are now back in the Bavarian Odenwald. Immediately after the signpost at a fork, we take the right-hand path, which leads slightly downhill. We follow the unpaved forest track downhill. It’s worth stopping here now and then to listen to nature. A little slice of wonder forest in the Odenwald.
(6) At the next junction, we turn sharply right and follow the stream on the right, slightly higher up. Eventually, we cross the stream and find ourselves on the left bank, finally reaching a stone house – the first house in the abandoned hamlet of Breitenbach.
(7) We pass St. Wendelin and St. Nikolaus Church, and at the junction behind it the path leads us to the left; to the right are further properties belonging to Breitenbach. 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 spot. The path is lined on the left by old fruit trees, which, however, have seen better days and are being squeezed out by spruce trees.
(9) Immediately after a crucifix, we turn left up a narrow path; we reach a forest road, which we follow to the right, always downhill; to our right we can see houses and the village of Ottorfszell.
(10) After a sharp right-hand bend, we come onto a tarmac road, which we follow into the village. We walk through the village along Klingenweg.
(11) At the chapel, we turn right onto the valley path, cross the stream, head straight towards the church, reach the main road (Ernsttaler Straße), which we follow to the right for a few metres, then immediately turn left onto Fuchsenlochweg, along which we leave the village. We follow the forest track uphill and leave it at a hairpin bend, taking the narrow path straight up. It gets really steep and strenuous. We cross several forest tracks but stay on the direct path up. Finally, we reach a meadow and see the village of Preunschen ahead of us. At a junction, we follow the Höhenstraße to the left straight into the village and finally reach the end of today’s stage (E).
It makes sense to add the following Stage 8 without an overnight stay should there be no accommodation available in Preunschen.
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