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Touristikgemeinschaft Odenwald
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At the Steinemühle in HardheimPhoto: Daniela Arnold, CC BY-ND, Geopark-Informationszentrum Walldürn
Mystical, legendary, hidden, eerie... all these terms fit one place or another on this route. A true discovery route, therefore, which in the design of this course is only suitable for experienced route cyclists or mountain bikers who do not want to tackle technical challenges. The round mostly runs on paved forest paths and in one section over a meadow with tire tracks. In one or two steep sections, the bike must be pushed for about 100 m.
As an alternative to the meadow path in front of the Wohlfahrtsmühle and the short but sharp ascent immediately afterward, the first kilometers can be ridden on the Erftal-Mühlen cycling route and the country road to Dornberg up to the junction towards Kappel.
From the Wohlfahrtsmühle, it goes uphill to where, between beech and maple trees, the mysterious and quiet Kappel ruin lies. The chapel was founded at the beginning of the 15th century by the lords of Hardheim and was originally called "Chapel of Our Dear Lady in the Forest", later "Catherine Chapel in the Valley". In popular speech, the chapel has always been called "The Kappel." Until 1768, a hermitage belonged to the Kappel. The hermit locked the chapel in the morning and evening, cared for the church equipment, and provided floral decorations. For these activities, he received provisions from the Junkers of Hardheim. Only the well remains from the hermitage, which was uncovered again in 1986.
From the Kappel, it continues to the Schächerstein, a striking Buntsandstein formation around which many legends and tales revolve. The view into the Odenwald valley of the Erfa is stunning.
Shortly thereafter, the route reaches its highest point and offers a beautiful panoramic view on the path through the fields.
At Schlempertshof, there are information boards about the contemporary history geological path "Former Military Airfield." On a section of this themed trail, the tour passes through the forest four former bunker facilities, in which ammunition was stored during the Second World War. Of the four bunkers, two are accessible.
At the Kneipp facility or at the hiking parking lot in Höpfingen is the entrance to this well-marked themed trail with its total of nine stations. Past here, the route continues to the Lochseen and then into the forest on the way to the Wohlfahrtsmühle. After a few meters on the forest path, the remains of the former Höpfingen forest swimming pool can be seen. The facility with its steps down to the forest stream was built in the early 1930s by the Kaiser & Böhrer brickyard.
Author’s recommendation
Points of interest:
Hardheim: Josefskapelle, Wohlfahrtsmühle
Dornberg: Kappel
Rütschdorf: Schächerstein
Schlempertshof and Höpfingen: Geological trail Former military airfield
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
Track types
Roadbook
From Hardheim Castle Square "behind the village" and past the Erfa at the Steinemühle, the route leaves the entrance to the Ertal-Mühlen cycling path on the right and leads uphill on the Way of the Cross until the large Buntsandstein cross below the Josefskapelle is reached. Here, continue to the right and soon the view opens into the Erftal and the mountain slope that must be climbed. It's best to sit for a moment on the rest bench next to the former shooting stand, which protrudes from the forest as a concrete embrasure, and enjoy the view of the Wohlfahrtsmühle. From here, the path is only recognizable as a track through a meadow and requires some concentration and skill over a few hundred meters.
At the parking lot at the Wohlfahrtsmühle, turn left, and after 50 m, turn left again into the forest and take the steep forest path to the right. After 1200 m, 100 meters of elevation have already been gained, and the country road towards Dornberg is reached. Follow the road to the left uphill for about 100 m and then turn right into the forest path. After 300 m, there's a junction to the left onto the path that runs just below the Kappel. A small detour is necessary to visit the hermitage. The actual route follows the forest path over a ravine (a term for a notch shaped by a stream bed) in a 90° left curve to the edge of the forest. There, continue right along the forest and at the next opportunity, turn right into the forest again. Follow the gravel forest path; after 400 m it bends left and ends after another 700 m at a crossing forest path. Turn right here. Stay on this path for about 1 km and after crossing the "Einsiedlerklinge," follow the signage to the left towards Schächerstein.
The Schächerstein lies before a curve and is only accessible on foot via a narrow path from the route. Sturdy footwear is required.
The route leads between field and forest to a junction after about 1 km; turn left here and ride through the fields to Rütschdorf. Cycle on the through road through the village and turn right at the end of the village into the field path. Always straight ahead through the fields, crossing the country road between Dornberg and Vollmersdorf, turn left at the edge of the forest and continue onto the road leading to Schlempertshof. There, the path leads right into the forest onto a section of the geological trail circular path "Contemporary History Path, Former Military Airfield" to the former bunker facilities. At the bunker facilities, go straight across the intersection to the connecting road between Höpfingen and Glashofen. Turn left and ride to Höpfingen.
After the curve at the village entrance, there is a Kneipp facility and information boards about the contemporary history geological path can also be found at the parking lot. Then turn left into Dornberger Straße and in the sharp left curve turn right and ride to Lochsee. From here, either past the lakes on the left-hand side, then the bike must be pushed over a footpath to the forest path for a few meters, or past the lakes on the right and at a fork turn left on the forest path. Both paths lead through the forest down to the Wohlfahrtsmühle.
From the Wohlfahrtsmühle, follow the signs of the Erftal-Mühlen cycling route back to Hardheim.
Hardheim: Steinerner Turm
Hardheim, Post
Hardheim, Post
400jährige Linde und historisches Wegkreuz
Schächerstein im Erfatal bei Hardheim
Coordinates
Localization
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
User Questions