Hikes in Neusitz

The route follows the Palatinate Jakobsweg Prague - Tillyschanz - Hohenburg - Rothenburg/T.. It leads over varied terrain through the Frankenhöhe Nature Park.

From Schillingsfürst via the Frankenhöhe, Neusitz and Waldgasthof Wildbad to Steinach near Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

From parking lot P4 in Rothenburg o.d.T. via Wachsenberg, Windelsbach, Hornau (refreshment option at the guesthouse Zur Altmühlquelle), past the 3 Altmühl sources (Hornauer Weiher, Erlach settlement, and Hirschteich) to the Waldgasthof Wildbad (refreshment option at km 18), from there to Steinach and by train back to Rothenburg.

Route with panoramic views and valleys. Hiked in winter and very beautiful. Magnificent in summer

Rothenburg ob der Tauber from aboveRothenburg ob der Tauber lies on the Romantic Road and is considered, thanks to its medieval townscape, the epitome of romance in Germany. Anyone who wants to view the town and its surroundings from above would basically only need to climb the 220 steps up the town hall tower. However, for hikers, the far more attractive alternative is to hike out of the town onto the nearby Frankenhöhe and climb the Lug ins Land. Its name is program, as from its plateau the town of Rothenburg and the vast Hohenloher Plain lie at our feet. Over the bird sanctuary Großer and Kleiner Lindleinsee and through the wildly romantic Saubachtal, we return to the old imperial town. All in all, a very relaxing hike that can be combined with a visit to Rothenburg.

100 km across the Frankenhöhe Nature Park with train connections at start and finish. Quality hiking trail through gentle terrain.

This lovely loop takes us away from the hustle and bustle of Rothenburg—which is often teeming with tourists in the spring and summer—to a small, idyllic lake. Things quiet down as we cross the Seegraben, and then we reach the Lindleinsee Nature Reserve. The wet meadows around the Great and Little Lindlein Lakes are home to a diverse array of vegetation, and many species of insects benefit from its abundance of flowers all year round. This also provides a suitable habitat for insect-hunting species such as the grass frog and the grass snake. If you linger for a while, you might even spot a rare bird of prey. > We begin our hike at the parking lot at Galgentor 01 in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. First, we follow Galgengasse to the right onto the Fränkischer Marienweg. We continue straight along the road until, just before leaving town, we turn left onto a paved path. Trail 10 now guides us. At the next fork, we keep to the right; after a quarter of an hour, Trail 10 leads us straight ahead—in a right-hand curve—onto a meadow path. This path takes us to a gravel road, which we follow to the left. Finally, we reach the Lindleinsee Nature Reserve 02. The trail turns sharply to the right behind the lake, onto a path along the lakeshore. Soon we walk briefly on gravel, then Route 10 leads us to the left onto a path, now together with the blue cross and the Way of St. James. Soon we hike along a meadow path past the Kleiner Lindleinsee 03 until we reach the road. At “Chausseehaus 1” (there’s a pottery studio here), we turn left. After about 50 meters, we turn right again onto a paved road. Shortly afterward, a trail leads us down to the right, continuing along our markings. We follow the path through the valley floor, across a narrow wooden bridge 04, always along the Steinbach stream. After a good three-quarters of an hour, we reach Steinbach 05. Just before leaving town, we turn left, crossing the Steinbach stream at the blue cross. At the main road, we turn left, then immediately left again onto a path that climbs extremely steeply! At the top, we come to a wide trail. We follow it to the road. At the stone cross, we continue straight ahead; we soon follow the “Walnußweg” and reach the entrance to Rothenburg 06. We continue along the “Walnußweg” to the end and turn right onto Route 9, entering “Heckenackerstraße.” We follow “Mergentheimer Straße” to the left as far as the Klingentor, through which we walk straight ahead. We cross a small wooden bridge to enter Rothenburg ob der Tauber 07. We follow “Klingengasse” straight ahead, then turn left onto “Judengasse.” After a few steps, we turn right onto “Deutschherrngasse,” which leads us to the St. Jacob’s church square. We cross the church square and turn left onto “Georgengasse.” After a few minutes, it becomes “Galgengasse,” which we now follow back to the parking lot at Galgentor 01.

In the Footsteps of the ShepherdsThe name of this tour suggests that the route won't be too steep. After all, a "Bergle" is a small mountain or hill. Indeed, the Berglesweg, created by the municipality of Gebsattel, leads to two small elevations that nonetheless offer a fantastic view of the Rothenburg region – the Kreuzlesberg and the Wolfsberg. But the unique feature of this hike is definitely the sheep pastures near Kirnberg, which are under nature protection. These nutrient-poor and dry grasslands are among the most species-rich habitats in Central Europe. Numerous endangered or even threatened animal and plant species find a refuge here. For a long time, the barren slopes have been grazed by sheep. The "four-legged lawnmowers" ensure that the species-rich grasslands do not become overgrown and thus make an important contribution to preserving this unique vegetation. Needless to say, when walking through these sensitive areas, we must not leave the paths.

Sweeping views from the Lug into the countrysideNeusitz, just outside Rothenburg, is the ideal starting point for an eventful hike up to the Frankenhöhe. Extensive mixed deciduous forests await us here, where you can hike for hours without meeting a soul. On the way, we pay a visit to the two Karrachsee lakes, with the Kleiner Karrachsee lake in particular impressing with its idyllic location in the middle of the forest. Via the Schweinsbach spring, we then head for the Lug ins Land, whose name says it all - it offers a sweeping view across Rothenburg to the Hohenlohe plain. We return to Neusitz via the Schafhof and round off the hike with a beer at the inn.

​Located right on the border of the Frankenhöhe Nature Park, the boundaries with the Hohenlohe Plain feel very fluid. That’s why the hike through the Steinbach Valley was included in this booklet—it offers beautiful views and is just a stone’s throw from the Hohenlohe Plain. After the hustle and bustle of Rothenburg, we hike through the Lindleinsee Nature Reserve. The wet meadows around the Großer and Kleiner Lindleinsee feature a diverse array of vegetation, and many insect species benefit from its abundance of flowers throughout the year. This also provides a favorable habitat for insect-hunting species such as the grass frog and the grass snake. If you linger for a while, you might even spot a rare bird of prey.