Wolfartshoffen lake, Windstein and Jaegerthal castles

Start from the western car park at Wolfartshoffen lake.

(S/E) From the car park, cross the D53 with care, follow the path marked with a Green Ring and turn left immediately. You will reach a junction near the German Military Cemetery.

(1) Continue along the track to the right, marked with a Yellow Ring, heading north-east.

(2) At the Mittelrain junction, continue straight ahead towards the north. About fifty metres before a slight right-hand bend, you will find a path starting on the left; follow it.

(3) Cross the D663 with care and, at Villa Le Riesak, leave the Yellow Ring markings heading north-west towards Les Acacias and take the small path on the right behind the copse heading north-north-east, marked with a Blue Rectangle. You will reach a fork at the bottom of the valley.

(4) Continue straight on along the track, marked with a red saltire, for about 300 m, towards Riesack Farm, then turn right towards the north-east, towards the Windstein Ruins and the Schwarzbach Footbridge, marked with a red-white-red Red Rectangle. Go straight on following the markings, alternating between tracks and paths, crossing the top of a valley by making a wide right-hand bend and finding the start of a path on the right, after crossing over to the other side of the following ridge. Follow this path downhill and reach a footbridge over the Schwarzbach stream.

(5) Cross the small footbridge, then cross the D53 very carefully to reach the side of the Windstein restaurant. Take the path that climbs steeply towards Nouveau Windstein Castle, marked with red-white-red Red Rectangles and yellow diamonds.

(6) At the small road, continue straight ahead on the path that veers slightly to the left, marked with a Red Rectangle, and reach the castle ruins. At this point, the Col de Guensthal is already signposted with a Yellow Diamond.

(7) Leave the Château du Nouveau Windstein heading north. Make your way to the Château du Vieux Windstein by skirting the western flank, i.e. on the left. It is also possible to go round it on the right, where you will find a climbing spot on the eastern flank.

(8) Leave the Château du Vieux Windstein via a winding path that descends steeply and technically; watch out for obstacles on the ground (stones, roots), marked with Red Rectangles. Then turn sharply right and follow the Yellow Cross and Yellow Diamond markings towards the Col de Guensthal. Continue along this track, straight ahead, to the pass.

(9) At the Col de Guensthal junction, continue straight ahead towards the south-east, following the Yellow Cross and Yellow Diamond markings, following the signs for the Maginot Line Trail – Guensthal East Blockhouse. Proceed to the next junction.

(10) Turn right, heading south, then follow the bottom of the valley, marked with a Blue Rectangle. Further down, pass to the right of the Welschhof farm. Reach the start of a path on the left about 200 m further on.

(11) Leave the forest track and take a path on the left running alongside the neighbouring meadow, continuing downhill to Jaegerthal.

(12) Cross the D53 with care and continue a little further towards the old forge, the birthplace of the De Dietrich company, which was founded on 5 April 1685.
At this point, turn right towards the north, follow the Blue Rectangle and Red Saltire markings, and walk along the left bank of the former lake, which is now dry and overgrown.

(13) At the junction, the path continues roughly halfway up the former lake via a hairpin bend to the left, marked with a Blue Rectangle and Red Saltire. Ignore a track on the right and reach the D653.

(14) Cross the D653 carefully and join the path marked with a Blue Rectangle on the opposite side. Cross a track, then go over a footbridge and turn left a few metres further on. Reach the summit, then head down the other side and reach a fork a few metres before arriving at the bottom of the valley.

(15) Head left, following the valley downhill, cross the D53 with care and follow the path that branches off to the right. Go round the drinking water plant on the left and follow the track to the eastern car park of the Wolfartshoffen lake.

(16) From the car park, head up the left bank towards the south-west.

(17) At the western end of the lake, turn right, following the Red Ring markings, and head to the western car park (S/E).