Winnweiler industrial culture and nature with great views

The slightly more than 14 km long circular hike, mainly north of Winnweiler, begins at the hiking sign at the corner of Schloss- / Bahnhofsstraße, opposite the Winnweiler train station and at the same time the starting point of the multi-stage "Palatinate Heights Route", which is initially followed up to the Kreuzkapelle, which is worth a short visit if open.

Palatinate Heights Route starting point Winnweiler

Kreuzkapelle Winnweiler

On this part of the route, the "Red Bar" marking runs concurrently; both are followed after the chapel further into the forest, where after a few hundred metres shortly behind a small shelter on the right, a left turn is taken. Via this forest path, marked by a signpost at the next junction, the so-called Felswald, the "Hochsteiner Kreuz" is reached with a very nice view into the Alsenztal. Just above the cross is a magnificent viewpoint over the Alsenztal towards Winnweiler with a bench.

Hochsteiner Kreuz

From the cross, the route goes briefly uphill again, then turning left to reach the original forest service path. The route continues completely around the slope until shortly before the junction with the above-mentioned sign "Hochsteiner Kreuz", where it sharply turns left towards Eisenschmelz. Before passing the small settlement "Eisenschmelz", a short detour to the Wambacher Rock is made, which steeply falls to Imsbach (an old sign grown into a tree indicates the forest path there, no longer clearly recognizable).

Eisenschmelz Winnweiler

The Eisenschmelz is crossed towards L 392 and then the B 48 is crossed to the left, passing the Winnweiler sewage treatment plant. Still at the level of the plant, the route goes left uphill into the forest, then right to the forest path with the marking "white-blue bar", on which a left turn is taken. This is followed subsequently to the starting point of the hike. It now goes mainly through forest, passing below the Kahlheckerhof; the K 4 is crossed to a possible break in or at the Igelborner Hut of the Winnweiler local group in the Palatinate Forest Club with a nice view towards Donnersberg.

Then continue following the "white-blue" marking downhill through Winnweiler to the start and end point.