Steigerwald Loop: Marswald

Although only four kilometers long, the Marswald loop, best started at the eponymous forest playground above Zell, has a lot to offer. After crossing the road Zell – Oberschleichach, the path leads into the forest and soon through the Mordgrund nature reserve, which gets its bloody name from the time of the Thirty Years' War. Much older than the name are the barrows from 1200 – 500 BC, which can be discovered here. The detour to the viewpoint Zeller Schlossberg (1.2 km) is rewarded with a breathtaking view of the Steigerwald and the Main valley. A panoramic swing invites you to linger. Returning on the Steigerwald loop, the hiker reaches the edge of Zell via a charming hollow path. After a short glance at the vineyards on the Ebersberg above the village, whose Keuper soils provide ideal conditions for the vines but whose steep slopes require a lot of manual work, you cross the main road and soon enter the romantically wild Marsbach valley. Following the path uphill, you sometimes feel as if you are in a completely different, enchanted world, until back at the playground the seating areas invite you to a final picnic.