Schnepfenriedkopf, Nonselkopf and Lauchenkopf

The walk starts next to the police station, on the hamlet’s main street.

(S/E) Retrace your steps for about fifty metres. Turn right onto the small road that climbs, until you reach the first bend (Red Saltire).

(1) Leave the road and take the Chemin des Pistes until you reach the first house on the right-hand side.

(2) Turn left and follow the path uphill for a few hundred metres.

(3) Before the second ski lift, take the rough track that climbs left through the scrub towards the ridge. There are no markings.

(4) At Schnepfenriedkopf, take the ridge path to a small beech forest (no signposting). At the edge of the forest, do not take the path branching off to the right; continue straight ahead.

(5) Descend through the forest to the Col du Platzerwaezel.

(6) Cross the road and take the path opposite, the Blue Disc, which climbs towards the Nonselkopf, continuing straight on.

(7) At Nonselkopf, continue along the same path, the Blue Disc, to Lauchenkopf.

(8) Descend the scree slope following the Blue Disc, then through the forest (steep) to a junction with a Red Disc marked path.

(9) Take this to the right until you reach the D27.

(10) Cross the road and take the path leading down the other side to the right, before turning left and joining a path marked with a Red Rectangle crossed out in White.

(11) Take the path towards the Ferme-auberge du Salzbach, which can already be seen in the distance.

(12) Head straight on at the fork to reach the farm.

(13) Leave the Salzbach Farm Inn on the right to join the path marked with a Red Rectangle crossed out in white.

(12) Turn left and continue straight on to the Uff Rain Farm Inn, which can be seen from a distance.

(14) Take the^second path on the right which joins the road. Follow the red-and-white-barred signs. Walk along the road to the left for 200 m until you reach a path leading down to the left, also marked with red-and-white-barred signs.

(15) Continue along this path to the Widenbach Refuge.

(16) After the refuge, turn right onto the path leading up to the Schnepfenried Farm Inn, marked with a Red Saltire.

(17) When you reach the ski lift, leave the path marked with a Red Saltire and head down opposite along the lift. Follow the ski lift to the Schnepfenried Farm Inn (Deybach).

(18) Take the road (Chemin des Chalets) on the right to return to the gendarmerie station (S/E).

Schnepfenried Farm Inn: Schnepfenried hamlet, Mittlach. 03 89 77 61 61. Closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Chalets available to rent (sleeps 9). Meals served from 12 noon, at lunchtime and in the evening (orders taken until 8 pm). Open all day, every day, all year round. Pork specialities in October and November. Credit card payments accepted.

Uff Rain Farm Inn: Route du Schnepfenried, Metzeral. 03 89 77 67 68. Bookings by telephone only. Open from 1 May to 11 November. Credit card payments accepted. Closed Monday evenings, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Lunch and dinner served; booking recommended.

Ferme-auberge du Salzbach: Salzbach hamlet, Metzeral. 03 89 77 63 66. Closed on Thursdays. Open from 12 noon to 8 pm, except on Mondays from 12 noon to 4 pm. Open from April to November; in winter, open at weekends and during school holidays.

Ferme-auberge du Hahnenbrunnen (near the walk): Markstein, Route des Crêtes. 03 89 77 68 99. Open from mid-May to mid-October. Closed on Mondays (except Whit Monday).

Form'Aventures, tree-top adventure park and multi-activity centre. Bookings on 07 81 90 03 57. Mountain biking, archery, hiking, snowshoeing in winter.

Information on Schnepfenried, in both winter and summer: visit this website.