Clauser Haweweg

After just 50 meters on the An den Erlen road, turn right onto a farm track that runs along the edge of the forest. After around 300 meters, you reach the idyllic "Bildstöckel" rest area at the foot of the Dietersberg. From here, you have a wonderful view of the above-mentioned development area as well as the surrounding meadows, pastures and fields. Right next to it you will find a small altar with a statue of St. Mary and a prayer board. There is also a huge, ancient oak tree here, which lends the whole place a special, almost mystical atmosphere. All in all, a wonderful place that invites you to linger, enjoy the sunset and simply unwind.

200 meters further on, the path then turns left to the west and leads back up through the Dietersbach valley towards Orleberg. After around 1,100 meters, keep left to cross the L498 after 200 meters. Here you will find the next beautiful seating area, picturesquely situated under a tree in a small green area surrounded by meadows and fields.

The tour now leads steeply downhill along a road, which later becomes a forest path and finally a trail, into the romantic Clauser Tal valley with its little stream. If you like, you can also make a short detour to the Orlebrunnen, a small, enclosed spring, on the path down.

Once in Clauser Tal, you pass the mighty Kuhfelsen rock on the right, under whose ledges shepherds used to seek shelter. There is another opportunity to rest and linger at the cozy seating areas located there today.

From here, the trail continues south-east along the famous Rodalber Felsenwanderweg, which was voted "Germany's most beautiful hiking trail" in the multi-day tour category in 2022 and achieved an outstanding 2nd place. Passing the Eisenbörnchen rocks, you reach the Wiesental valley after about 700 meters along the mountainside. If you are lucky, you will be able to observe the fallow deer of a partner farm of the Pfälzerwald-Nordvogesen Unesco Biosphere Reserve in the "wild", so to speak. The farm (Damtierhaltung Clausen, Alfred Weber) also offers guided hikes and training courses for kindergartens and secondary schools through to adult education (contact: Alfred Weber junior, tel. 0173-6660160). You now cross the Dreiweiherbach stream and follow the rocky hiking trail in a southerly direction. You will also pass the Klausberg rocks.

After around 1,600 meters, you finally leave this quality trail again and instead follow a path for 300 meters to the southeast. Then turn left to the north and follow a slightly ascending natural path for approx. 400 meters. Keep to the right and after 100 meters you will reach the viewpoint "Blick Burg Gräfenstein ". The well-preserved ruins from the Stauffer period near the neighboring municipality of Merzalben are always worth a visit and are also the landmark of the entire Gräfensteiner Land vacation region. The trail now leads through woods, meadows and pastures down into the Birkwiesertal valley, which you can catch wonderful views of time and again.

Once in the valley, you cross the Holhbach stream and turn left shortly afterwards. From now on, the tour climbs steeply as a path for around 200 meters and leads into a somewhat wider path. This accompanies you for about 600 meters over a mountain ridge and through the lush meadows and pastures of the Birkwieser Valley, always in the direction of the Merzalber Annexe Birkwieserhof. Shortly before the Birkwieserhof, the path now leads - turning sharply to the left - as a path along the edge of the forest. After about 500 meters, you can already see the Krebswoog rocks on the right, another impressive, silent witness to history made of red sandstone. If you like, you can linger for a while at the bench located here and enjoy the last views of the valley.

The path now turns north and begins to climb slightly. After about 100 meters, it widens slightly and you pass a small fish pond. It then leads as a romantic path through beautiful mixed forests, past smaller rocks and slightly uphill to the northeast, before turning west after around 600 meters. It soon becomes a somewhat wider natural path and leads northwest. Turning left, you finally reach the last steep section after about 200 meters, keeping to the right here. You will soon be back in the built-up area through beautiful orchards to return to the starting point at the "Hawebrunnen" via Kirschhecke and Marhöferstraße.

If you are interested, you can also make an appointment with the owner to visit the small museum of old craftsmanship at Talstraße 9, not far from Marhöferstraße.

For those who are still hungry and thirsty after the hike, there is also the option of stopping off at the "Castello" pizzeria and restaurant near the "Hawebrunnen" to round off a successful day.