Biking in the Odenwald: The 3 top trail tours in the Eberbach area guide
Matthias Rotter
· 28.07.2023
Odenwald: The 3 best MTB tours from Eberbach
Tour 1: All twelve
- Length: 42.3 kilometres
- Uphill: 1721 metres in altitude
- Trail share: 23 per cent
- Difficulty level: difficult
Tour description
The tour, which has been designated as an enduro circuit, is certainly not a coffee ride - but it zigzags across all 12 Bikeländ trail segments and also passes through the city a few times. So if your strength starts to wane, you can shorten or cancel this long tour and tackle the second part the next day. Given the really strenuous sawtooth profile, there's no shame in that. The fact is that it's not just the twelve climbs that will work your legs, but also the trail descents. Caution: The colour-coded difficulty levels must be taken seriously! The trails in Eberbach are really challenging. We would rate the easiest ones with two riding technique points, but the black segments with six (out of six).
Starting point Neuer Markt next to St Michael's Church, parking is available on the banks of the Neckar.
Highlights In addition to the challenging trails, it is above all the beautiful viewpoints that you pass during the tour. Especially those on the Itterberg and at the stone pyramids on the Breitenstein.
Key points All trails labelled black require very good riding skills. Even the entrances to the segments are often steep. Once you've got into it, it's not a good idea to stop. The sometimes sandy surface requires careful use of the brakes. Tight bends and blocked, rocky passages require quick decisions.
Retreat In addition to the opportunities in the city centre, Café Lutzki (at the end of the Coffee & Cream Trail) awaits you in the Pleutersbach district.
Tour 2: Katzenbuckel
- Length: 46 kilometres
- Uphill: 1148 metres in altitude
- Trail share: 1 per cent
- Difficulty level: medium
Tour description
When the locals talk about Monte Miau, they are of course referring to the Katzenbuckel. A very serious climb if you start from Eberbach. At 626 metres, the former volcanic vent is the highest mountain in the Odenwald. The tour corresponds to the Bikeländ route designated as a MTB tour circuit, but with the addition of a detour to Monte Miau. As a counterpoint to the trail-heavy Enduro tour, the focus of this tour is on experiencing nature. On the first half, you pass new viewpoints on the southern bank of the Neckar and the mystical Heiligkreuz church on the mountain. A long intermediate descent ends at the Rockenau lock, where you may be lucky enough to see a cargo ship passing through the locks. This is followed by a long ascent to the Katzenbuckel with a stopover at the pump track in Waldkatzenbach. At the end of the loop, the wave over the Scheuerberg takes some more energy.
Starting point Neuer Markt next to St Michael's Church, parking is available on the banks of the Neckar.
Highlights Before the final ascent to the Katzenbuckel, you pass the lake of the same name, a former quarry. At the top of the summit, you have to climb the spiral staircase to the platform of the viewing tower.
Key points None. All paths can be travelled without major difficulties.
Retreat The terrace of Villa Katzenbuckel at the foot of the volcanic chimney offers an outstanding panorama over the Odenwald
Tour 3: Neckar loop
- Length: 42.3 kilometres
- Uphill: 1206 metres in altitude
- Trail share: 15 per cent
- Difficulty level: medium
Tour description
At Hirschhorn, around nine kilometres downstream from Eberbach, the Neckar makes what is probably its craziest loop. Here, the river changes direction by more than 180 degrees and loops around the district of Ersheim. However, this tour saves the marvellous view of this natural spectacle until almost the end. Just as it should be for a highlight. Almost the entire route runs through the neighbouring state of Hesse. Although the 2-metre rule does not apply here, consideration for hikers is a matter of honour! Immediately after the start, the trail swings back up to the heights of the Odenwald, where the typical plateaus repeatedly offer beautiful panoramas. For example at the Rothenberg glider airfield. Another climb follows after crossing the idyllic Finkenbach valley. The trail descent to Hirschhorn can be bypassed on a gravel track if there are a lot of hikers on the road at weekends. Please also slow down on the wonderful panoramic trail around the loop!
Starting point Neuer Markt next to St Michael's Church, car park on the banks of the Neckar.
Highlights Originally a castle, Hirschhorn's landmark has been transformed into a palace from the Middle Ages to the present day.
Key points With the exception of the trail to Hirschhorn, all paths are rideable without any major difficulties. This one, on the other hand, requires a careful riding style. The lower you get, the steeper the slope becomes. There are hairpin bends and steps on the last third. On the Eberbach scale, the trail would be categorised as blue at the top and red at the bottom.
Retreat The coffee manufactory in Hirschhorn near the town hall attracts visitors with cakes, snacks and its own roastery.
The precinct If you follow the course of the Neckar from Heilbronn to Heidelberg, Eberbach lies at the northernmost bend of its valley. Where the Itter flows into the Neckar, a basin has formed into which the small town of 15,000 inhabitants nestles. The rivers here have dug deep into the southern Odenwald and modelled striking steep banks out of the sandstone. Just how striking can be measured on Eberbach's local mountain: At 626 metres, the Katzenbuckel is the highest mountain in the Odenwald and is 500 metres higher than the town. Not bad for a low mountain range. The recently officially opened home trails of the people of Eberbach wind their way down the slopes to the left and right of the Neckar, always within sight of the old town. The newly created "Bikeländ Eberbach" is reason enough to discover the south-eastern part of the Odenwald. Until now, this touring Eldorado has been somewhat overshadowed by the western Odenwald, where the densely populated Rhine plain ensures heavier bike traffic.
Info & the best addresses in the Eberbach MTB region
Arrival
By train: Located on the Neckar Valley railway line (Heidelberg - Heilbronn), Eberbach is easily accessible by train and S-Bahn (from Heidelberg/Mannheim). The Odenwaldbahn railway also ends in Eberbach, coming from the north from the Frankfurt/Hanau/Darmstadt area.
By car: Eberbach is a little off the main motorways: The A5 motorway in the Rhine Valley (Heidelberg exit), A81 to the east (Heilbronn - Würzburg) and A6 to the south (Heilbronn - Heidelberg). From the motorway, it takes just under an hour to drive via main roads. Distance from Stuttgart 100 km, from Frankfurt/M. 110 km, from Nuremberg 200 km.
Overnight stay
BIKE Tip: The Hotel Karpfen is located in the centre of the old town and still offers parking facilities. There is also a garage for bicycles (Alter Markt 1, Tel. 06271/806600)
Close to nature on the Neckar: Campers appreciate the Eberbach campsite opposite the old town. There are also two motorhome pitches: In der Au (for a fee with comfort) and Neckarlauer (free).
Further accommodation ranging from guesthouses to holiday flats is listed on the Eberbach town website.
Bike shop
Brands4sport, Friedrichsdorfer Landstr. 50, Tel. 06271/8066180
This is Eberberg's first port of call when it comes to bikes, spare parts and repairs. From the official opening of the trails in August, offers for guiding and riding technique training are also being planned.
Trail and bike parks
In addition to the 12 new Bikeländ trails, there are other fun playgrounds nearby:
- Bikepark Beerfelden with 9 trails and drag lift
- Flowtrails Mosbach with 3 routes
- Pump track and mini park in Waldkatzenbach on the Katzenbuckel
Also: On the website www.mtb-geo-naturpark.de you will find further GPS data for the trails in the western and northern Odenwald, including highlights such as Miltenberg, Michelstadt and Amorbach. Top: All destinations can be reached from Eberbach by public transport (S-Bahn or nature park bus with bike trailer).
Food & Drink
The centre of Eberbach is quite clearly laid out. Most of the shops and restaurants are lined up between Neuer Markt and the railway station. The best way to start a day of cycling is with an espresso in the "Bohne". Later, you can meet up at Oliva Garten, a mixture of restaurant and take-away (kebab, pizza, pasta dishes). An ice cream for dessert at Venezia opposite? Or you can roll through the alleyways to the local bakery, where you can enjoy coffee, cake and snacks with a view of the Neckar.
Heidelberg trip
Alternative programme in case it rains: In 30 minutes, you can whizz through the Neckar Valley to Heidelberg on the S-Bahn. There's plenty to see in the university town on the edge of the Rhine plain: For example, the "Old Bridge" spans the Neckar in several arches, there is a castle, a really pretty old town and legendary student pubs!
General information
Eberbach Tourism (Town Hall), Leopoldsplatz 1, 69412 Eberbach, Tel. 06271/87-242
Area report: Mountain biking in Eberbach
There it is: Dicranum viride, the green broom moss. Timo gently strokes his finger over the fluff growing at eye level on the bark of a mighty beech tree. So far, so beautiful. The problem is that the tree is right next to the Lumberjack, one of twelve trails that Timo and his team have spent years modelling in the woods around Eberbach. And of course, the rare plant has not escaped the eagle eyes of the nature conservation authority. "We had to walk the trails umpteen times together with the forestry and nature conservation representatives," says Timo. "Every stone was inspected, every root and every bush." And now there's the matter of the moss on the Lumberjack, just a few weeks before the official opening of the trails. But Timo will find a solution for that too. Timo, the problem solver. The go-getter. The doer of Eberbach.
Steep and winding: the Lumberjack Trail
We get back on the saddles. Local Sascha, who has also been involved in the Bikeländ project from the very beginning, is also part of the party. I have to admit, the break with the biological excursion was just what I needed. Because this lumberjack is a wild chap. Or rather, a tough opponent. Steep, winding, unpredictable and sometimes bumpy and blocked. At least of a character that I wouldn't necessarily have expected in a German low mountain range. Just let it roll? Nope. It is advisable to always be alert and choose your line with foresight. The constant concentration costs almost as much energy as the ascent. A few tight hairpin bends follow, as expected quite tricky, into a damn sloping traverse, just don't slip now, and with a violent leap the Lumberjack spits us out on a forest path. "I know, the angle at the end is pretty direct," Timo comments on the plunge. "We'll have to change that too." Wow, what a plank. And for a trail with a red signet! "Eberbach red," Sascha comments on my questioning look. "So more of a dark red." Timo confirms: "You'll hardly find any really easy trails here. We've also made that clear on the Bikeländ website." So if you come to Eberbach, you can expect some challenges even on the three blue trails. "You can see for yourself," promises Sascha. "We'll show you the Captain Hiob Trail." So back up the Itterberg. For a biker like Timo, the 220 metres in altitude are child's play. Okay, the world-class triathlete has now ended his active career. But nine Ironman victories and 14 participations in the most famous of all triathlons in Hawaii have left their mark on his fitness. He is also still in the saddle almost every day as a coach and training expert for up-and-coming triathletes. Almost. Because as if his sports programme wasn't enough, he has also set himself the task of bringing the beauty of his home on the Neckar closer to the world. His first project, the Neckarsteig hiking trail, was named Germany's most beautiful hiking trail in 2018. And now the Bikeländ project, which has many more hurdles to overcome. After all, we are in Baden-Württemberg, where it is well known that paths less than two metres wide are taboo for bikers.
There is even talk of Lake Garda level on the net
It is late afternoon when we are back on the Itterberg. The setting sun bathes the Eberbach basin in golden light. No sound can be heard, just a woodpecker hammering on a tree nearby. "Now you know what I mean," says Timo and circles his outstretched arm. Scheuerberg, Hebert, Bocksberg, Böserberg. The little town is literally surrounded by steep slopes. The names of the trails are no less promising: Bock'n Roll, Coffee and Cream, Neckarcoaster, Woody, to name but a few. But for now, let's take a closer look at Captain Job. Seconds later, the two locals have disappeared into the undergrowth. The trail actually winds its way through the trees, inviting us to step on the gas. I almost got overconfident. Then the first steep section, oops, just gone well. Adrenalin shoots into my blood and sharpens my focus. Good, because the following bends are not without their challenges. Blue? That would be a laugh. So, I take the next chicane with vigour and keep going until the end. There you go, it works! Sascha and Timo just look at each other. "Maybe dark blue after all," says Sascha, grinning mischievously.
The next morning we have an appointment with Frieder. The job is trail maintenance. A pickaxe, shovel and hedge trimmer are on the back of the van. Frieder knows his way around tools, because in real life the hobby freerider is a sought-after specialist in forestry and traffic safety in the forest. His company's machinery reads like the equipment from Terminator 3: felling grapple, rootstock cutter, short-tail excavator. But for the construction of the Eberbach trails, the big equipment remained in Frieder's garage. "Every metre of trail is pure manual work," Timo emphasises, because the exclusive use of the natural conditions on site was a requirement of the authorities and is also Timo's philosophy. "You won't find any artificial structures, ladders or jumps on our trails," he continues. Timo collects a dozen football-sized stones from the surrounding area to support the course. Plus some dead wood. The two of them use the material to reinforce a bend where holes have formed. All the bikers from the local clubs have been physically involved during the months-long construction phase. Two sponsors are responsible for each of the twelve trails and have to check their sections. Minor damage is repaired immediately, while Frieder and Timo are called in for major problems. After two hours, the job is done and we treat ourselves to a coffee in the centre of Eberbach. Narrow alleyways, lots of half-timbered houses, the Powder Tower on the banks of the Neckar and fragments of the old town wall. At just under 70 centimetres, the Amalienpforte is such a narrow alleyway that not even the handlebars of our bikes fit through. In the Middle Ages, the gap was used to ventilate the Fischergasse behind it. Probably for good reason. I prefer the smell of freshly brewed espresso. Timo reads me a few Instagram comments from bikers who have already ridden the trails. The feedback is consistently positive. They praise the good work of the Eberbach team, even talking about Lake Garda standards. Well, if that's not an honour.
Timo has got a few mates together again for the evening. They include brothers Steven and Marvin Kaufmann from neighbouring Waldkatzenbach on the Katzenbuckel. As professional enduro racers, they have channelled all their experience into building the trail. The trail we are travelling to bears witness to this: One-Armed Bandit. Even a serious arm injury couldn't stop Marvin from continuing to work on the line with his remaining arm. Of course, it turned out to be a black trail, which scares me a bit now, as the red Lumberjack had already cost me nerves. But somehow I keep up with the others until Timo stops at a special rock. A monstrous, wedge-shaped sandstone block, heavily mossy on the sides. Perhaps a remnant from an old quarry? In any case, a natural obstacle that can now be used as a jump ramp. "And thank goodness the stone isn't green broom moss," Timo sighs with relief.
