By German land
Saxony: Saxon Switzerland
Enchanting mountain landscapes, rugged valleys and bizarre rock formations - this is how the Elbsandsteingebirge presents itself. Located southeast of Dresden and close to the border with the Czech Republic, the Saxon Switzerland National Park has been protecting a large part of the primeval landscape since 1990. From the obligatory excursion destination Bastei offers ever an incomparable view of the Elbe landscape. If you want to get to know more, you can join guided tours of the national park, for example, leading to the Wolfsschlucht gorge or the Schrammsteine. The network of hiking trails is widely branched and also leads across borders to Bohemia. Art lovers can follow the traces of famous painters such as Caspar David Friedrich or Ludwig Richter on the "Malerweg" from Dresden and visit the places where the artists once designed their landscapes. Information under www.elbsandsteingebirge.de and www.saechsische-schweiz.de. Hiking trails in the National Park Saxon Switzerland are available at www.nationalpark-saechsische-schweiz.de. Package deal: Hiking week Saxon Switzerland from 698 Euro per person, for example via: www.wanderung.de
Thuringia: The Rennsteig
Rennsteig garden.
In GDR times, the Rennsteig in the Federal Republic was hardly known, today is the mountain trail of the Thuringian Forest again the most famous trail in Germany. On 168 kilometers, the ridge trail runs from Hörschel to Blankenstein in the northern Franconian Forest, past Eisenach with the Wartburg, the saltwater bath Bad Salzungen or Schmalkalden with Wilhelmsburg Castle. Package: 12-day hike from the Werra to the Saale in 8 stages from 499 euros offers active tourism Rose, Längwitzerstr. 32 D-99130 Arnstadt, www.rennsteig.net. Or Tourist Association Thuringian Forest, PO Box 124, 98501 Suhl, Tel: 0 36 81/39 45 0, www.thueringen-tourismus.de and www.rennsteig-travel.de/.
Lower Saxony: Hermannsweg
Hermann Monument near Detmold
The Hermannsweg is considered one of the most beautiful mountain trails in Germany. Named after Hermann, the Cherusker, the route leads on its tracks over the ridge of the Teutoburg Forest from Rheine to Detmold. On the road are many historic villages with attractions worth visiting such as the Hermannsdenkmal, the Dörenther cliffs or the ruin Ravensberg. Length: 156 exciting hiking kilometers. Information under www.hermannshoehen.de.
On the Hexensteig across the Harz
2 years ago the "Harz Hexenstieg" was inaugurated. On 110 kilometers, the long-distance hiking trail crosses the northernmost low mountain range from west to east, from the half-timbered town of Osterode to Thale via Sankt Andreasberg, Schierke and Hasselfelde. And of course, the route also leads over the Brocken, the highest mountain in the Harz at 1142 meters, where the witches celebrate their Walpurgis Night every year. The hiker can expect a varied tour with gentle climbs. Even the Brocken can be climbed slowly and without climbing equipment. Information and offers: z. B. Circular course from Bodetal Thale, Hasselfelde and Wendefurth with three Ü / F, luggage transfer, hiking map (Harzer Verkehrsverband, Marktstraße 45, 38640 Goslar, Tel. 053 21/340 40, Fax 34 04 66, www.harzinfo.de). Accommodation: "Landhaus Kemper", wine red wooden house with garden, old rose bushes, spacious rooms. (An der Trift 19, 38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld / Buntenbock, Tel. 053 23/17 74, Fax 45 29, www.landhaus-kemper.de) .-->
North Rhine-Westphalia: murderous Eifel
Crime fans should know the name well, now even the wanderers can move among them "In the footsteps of Jacques Berndorf" - that is namely the hiking offer in honor of the famous author. Armed with the Eifel Crime Travel Guide, crime scenes and scenes of well-known Eifel crime thrillers are visited. The Eifelkrimi hiking trail in the Hillesheim region opens up twelve scenes of the thrillers of Jaques Berndorf, Ralf Kramp and other authors. The trail has a length of around 55 km and is divided into three stages. The accompanying brochure with description of the locations, quotes from the respective novels, directions, overview map and bibliography is available at the Tourist Information Hillesheim, Graf-Mirbach-Str. 2, 54576 Hillesheim, Tel. 06593/809200. Package deal: 2 nights, accompanying brochure, signed Eifel thriller, transfer and 3-course thriller menu from 125 Euro per person in a double room. More information at www.eifel.info
Wilderness in the Spessart
Off to the wilderness. 2440 square kilometers with dense oak and beech forests, interrupted only by small meadow valleys and streams: real wilderness in the middle of Germany. The robbers used to live in the few taverns in Spessart.Tour guides accompany holidaymakers in this adventure landscape: Trekking and mountain biking or canoe tours on the Franconian Saale, one or more days, overnight stay in the tavern or Indian tipi at the campfire. Those who prefer to travel without a guide will be sent with maps and tour descriptions; and at the rest area there is a ready-made tent in the evening. Outdoor Company NatUrlaub, Bozerei 5, 63875 Mespelbrunn, Phone / Fax 060 92/54 79, www.naturlaub-reisen.de. For example, 3 days hiking incl. Breakfast from 185 euros per person.
On foot over the Alps
In a week from north to south: On the classic E 5 long-distance bike goes from Germany via Austria to Italy. Colorful flower meadows in the Allgäu Alps, fascinating panoramic views of the rocky peaks, glaciers and mountain giants in the Ötztal and finally the southern climate in Merano make this hike particularly appealing. The seven-day journey with return transport is available from 595 euros per person. The hiking level is considered moderate, sometimes the backpack itself must be worn. Appointments are available until the end of September. Information at www.wanderungen.de.
Ecumenical pilgrimage
Worth a visit: The Wartburg in Eisenach
More than a quarter of a million people are likely to make a pilgrimage this year on the Spanish Way of St. James. Far less will be on the Ecumenical pilgrimage traveling through Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. Inaugurated in autumn 2003, the 440-kilometer section is part of the old European pilgrimage route network from Kiev to Santiago de Compostella and follows an old trade route from Görlitz in Saxony via Weimar and Erfurt to Thuringia's Vacha. It is thanks to an initiative of the religious educationist Esther Heiße that this forgotten route has not only been rediscovered and revived, but has also been consistently marked with the symbol of the scallop shell (yellow on a blue background). Who goes here on pilgrimage, gets a pilgrimage card, with the cheap accommodation in vicarages and private quarters can be used on the way (sleeping bags must be brought). The pilgrim's guide: "The Ecumenical Pilgrimage" is available for 12 Euro at the Ecumenical Pilgrimage e. V., Goetheplatz 9b, 99423 Weimar, Tel. 03643/5028 97,. More about the pilgrimage at oekumenischer-pilgerweg.de
Barefoot on the Lower Rhine
Walk barefoot through sand, gravel, peat and mulch - that sounds like childhood memories. For who is walking barefoot today? After all, you can now officially try it out again on the first barefoot trail in Neuss on the Lower Rhine. And less of a kilometer is needed - the course is only 400 meters long - but rather the sensual experience: on the path, the feet are led over very different "experience fields" of sand, stone, gravel, loam or pieces of bark. And by the way, barefoot running also benefits the health: it strengthens the foot muscles, and promotes, for example, the blood circulation. To continue on the river then shoes and stockings are recommended. Info: Barefoot path in Neuss at the Erft www.barfusspfad-neuss.de or Niederrhein Tourism, Willy-Brandt-Ring 13, 41747 Viersen, Tel. (02162) 817903.
