Hikes in Bad Windsheim

A scenic and varied hike from Neundorf through forest and fields to Sugenheim and from there over the "Golden Steps" up to Dutzenthal Water Castle. From Rüdisbronn on the Bocksbeutelweg past former vineyards to Ipsheim.

A scenic hike through fields and meadows, forest and vineyards from Obernzenn with its "Red" and "Blue Castle" first to the wine village of Weimersheim and then through the Ipsheim vineyard area with Hoheneck Castle to Ipsheim.

The starting point of our hike Bad Windsheim offers visitors attractive destinations with its historic old town, the Franconian Open Air Museum and the Franken-Therme that recommend a stay before the hike.

Hiking route right through the heart of Franconia – over more than 160 km from Bamberg to Bad Windsheim

A walk through the Franconian Open-Air Museum is like a journey through 700 years of Franconian everyday history: Over 100 buildings, farms, craftsmen's houses, mills, shepherds' farms, breweries, administrative house, schoolhouse and small noble castle, barns, stables, baking and drying houses invite you on a discovery trip into the past.

Circular route at Kehrenberg

Through the hilly landscape in the north of Bad WindsheimThis tour offers everything that makes hikers' hearts beat faster: a well-kept spa park, beautiful paths and trails, ponds, streams, lush deciduous forests, orchards, scattered vineyards, wide views of the hills of the southern Steigerwald, and a rustic inn known for its large schnitzels.

Hoheneck Castle stands majestically in the heart of the Frankenhöhe Nature Park. Dating back to the 12th century, the castle complex has had an eventful history: it was destroyed and rebuilt several times over the centuries. During the Nazi era, the castle was initially used for conferences and as a base of operations; a few years later, the Reich Veterinary Chamber converted it into a training center. In the middle of the last century, the city of Nuremberg finally acquired the castle. It initially served as a rural school camp and youth hostel until it was converted into a youth education center in the 1980s.> From the Ipsheim 01 train station, we follow the red X along the NEA36 to the right, first down Bahnhofstraße, then along Hoheneckstraße. Shortly before leaving town, we turn right onto Eichenstraße, then immediately keep left onto Birkenstraße. This leads us onto a dirt road, which we follow past fruit trees until it becomes Wiesenweg. After crossing a dirt road, the trail climbs uphill and soon turns into a path. After a few minutes, this path leads us to the right, circling Hoheneck Castle 02 once. We now head away from the castle on the access road; at the hiking parking lot, we turn right and continue following the red X toward Weimersheim. First, we go straight ahead on a dirt road; at the edge of the forest, we keep to the right toward Sonnenberg. We hike down a meadow path; after a few hundred meters, we walk along an idyllic trail through the deciduous forest. At the wide forest path with the orientation sign, we continue straight ahead. From here on, the red airplane symbol and the yellow bar guide us. They lead us uphill first, reaching the edge of the forest after about 10 minutes. Here we keep to the right; after half a kilometer, we reach State Road 03, which we cross to the right. We continue on the left-hand dirt road toward Breitenau, following the yellow bar and the red X. About 300 meters after entering the forest, at the left-hand curve, our trail markers lead to the right: we take the right-hand path of the two. After a few hundred meters, we keep to the right at the clearing; a few minutes later, we follow the paved forest path to the right. It leads us to a large intersection. We follow the path straight ahead (the second path from the right), continuing to follow our trail markers and also BW4. We now follow this main path steadily for just under three-quarters of an hour until we reach Rest Hut 04. Continue straight ahead here as well. A good quarter of an hour after the hut, we emerge from the forest and reach a T-intersection: Here, we follow BW4 to the right. Just a few minutes later, right at the next left-hand curve, we turn onto a path to the left , down into the forest. After a quarter of an hour, we reach a clearing 05; here, we continue straight ahead on a meadow path, now along a slope with beehives, until we reach the gravel path. At the very next fork, we turn right, continuing on BW4. After about 10 minutes, the path curves to the left, then goes uphill briefly, and soon we see the church tower of Ickelheim. A field path quickly leads us to the outskirts of Ickelheim. At Eichenweg, BW4 directs us to the left. We follow this road until we reach the state highway. We follow it to the right, through the town gate, to St. Georg Church 06. After the church, we turn right onto Birkleinsgasse and soon follow a farm road straight out of town. After a good half kilometer, we turn right onto a dirt road. At the paved path, we keep to the left; after about 300 meters, we turn right again. Now continue straight ahead, crossing the Aisch Flood Canal 07. Ten minutes past the cemetery, turn right through the park to Rothenburger Straße. Follow this road to the right into the Old Town until it ends. There, turn left onto Herrngasse. At Kornmarkt, turn right again and follow the road uphill until you reach the market square on your left. We cross the square, passing St. Kilian Church 08, then head down Pastoriusstraße until we reach Johanniterstraße. We continue along this street, which leads us directly to the Bad Windsheim train station 09. We take the train back to the starting point at the Ipsheim train station 01.

​> From Bad Windsheim 01 Station, a pedestrian bridge crosses the tracks to the spacious spa park. We follow the sign for “Zum Steigerwald-Panoramaweg” and cross the spa gardens along the main avenue. The trail markers direct us to turn left onto Hans-Schmotzer-Allee, and the path—flanked by trees and hedges—turns right toward the Kühwasergraben. We cross the Bad Windsheim–Oberntief road and walk straight ahead past the Gräfwiesen hiking parking lot to follow the Gräfgraben. Behind a pond, we come to a forest road. We follow it to the left until the trail markers direct us to the right, uphill into the Gräfholz 02. At the top, the trail turns right, and the information panels along the Steller Trail showcase butterflies and beetles. While the Steller Trail 03 branches off to the right, we continue straight ahead and stay on the Steigerwald Panorama Trail. It soon leads us to the left, down into the Oberntief 04 district. At Obere Tiefstraße, we turn right and then keep to the right again on Kehrenbergstraße, circling around the village pond. Here, we leave the Steigerwald Panoramic Trail behind us. We arrive at the Schwarzen Adler and can take the opportunity to stop for a break. Then we leave the village again via Kehrenbergstraße, following the signs for the Celtic Adventure Trail. A short time later, the “BW1” marker directs us to the right onto a dirt road that leads into the forest. We return to the Steller-Pfad 03 and now follow it to the left around the Dachsberg. Orchard meadows line our path as we hike downhill toward the Lochbrunnengraben. We keep to the left and turn right onto the road at the parking lot. After about 250 meters, below the Scheibenberg, a dirt road ( 05) branches off to the left. At the T-intersection, we turn right and continue straight ahead. We cross the Kühwassergraben and, shortly after passing a pavilion, re-enter the spa park. Following the main avenue, we finally cross the pedestrian bridge and return to the Bad Windsheim train station 01.

IVV HIKING BAD WINSHEIM 7km ON 27.05.2018