Tour 1 Pegnitz-Pottenstein trails
- Length: 55.4 kilometres
- Uphill: 1162 metres in altitude
- Journey time: 5 hours
- Trail difficulty: 30% easy, 50% medium, 20% difficult
Tour description
The classic - one of the best trail tours in Franconian Switzerland. We have added a few new sections for this EMTB version. With almost 1200 metres in altitude and 56 kilometres in length, it has nothing to hide from alpine routes. In other words, you shouldn't be too wasteful with the battery, otherwise you could run out. Or you could put a charger in your rucksack. The tour starts on partly rocky, partly wooded trails above Pegnitz. After Püttlach, there is a steep, long climb, which is immediately rewarded with a winding, flowing descent into Ailsbachtal. Old hiking trails lead on to the viewpoint of Rabenstein Castle. After a short downhill pushing section, the route continues on root trails to Oberailsfeld and then on challenging single trails to Gößweinstein/Behringersmühle. The route then climbs up to the Hünerloh high plateau and finally to Pottenstein.
One of the highlights on the way back is the Jägersteig trail, which is around four kilometres long. Beware, the trail is challenging to ride in wet conditions as it is extremely slippery! The ride to the aviation memorial near Willenberg is much easier, before the rocky and rooty trails on the Diana rock near Pegnitz require concentration once again for the finale.
Tour 2: Flow and panoramic tour
- Length: 35.4 kilometres
- Uphill: 871 metres in altitude
- Journey time: 3.5 hours
- Trail difficulty: 30% easy, 60% medium, 10% difficult
Tour description
Great views, rustic refreshment stops - flow trail fans get their money's worth on this tour: from Pegnitz Schlossberg, the route leads along rooty paths towards Hollenberg. The route leads past small caves to the viewpoint on the former ramparts of the Hollenberg fortress. Partly on forest paths and partly on trails, the route winds its way into the romantic Püttlachtal valley and then up the Pottenstein ridge to the Himmelsleiter viewing tower. Trails along karst caves such as the Hasenloch lead back to the Püttlachtal valley. In Pottenstein, a gelato break at the Paletti ice cream parlour in the town centre on the main road is a must. The route continues along the Püttlach on narrow hiking trails to the Heiliger Steg bridge. This is a section that is best avoided at weekends if you don't want to get caught up in a slalom of hikers. During the week, however, you usually have a clear path here and can enjoy the winding track to the full. After an up and down on sometimes challenging trails via the villages of Hollenberg and Körbeldorf, the route climbs to the highest point in Franconian Switzerland: the Kleiner Kulm (626 m). It's worth taking your bike off for a moment and climbing up the viewing tower.
Refreshment tip: A must on the return journey to Pegnitz is a stop at the traditional Herold inn in Büchenbach with its own brewery (check opening times beforehand!).
Tour 3: Pottenstein trail mix
- Length: 33.2 kilometres
- Uphill: 881 metres in altitude
- Journey time: 3.5 hours
- Trail difficulty: 20% easy, 50% medium, 30% difficult
Tour description
This tour, some of which is technically challenging, digs deep into the trail box. It takes a lot of energy, but there are always worthwhile refreshment stops along the route.
Starting point of the tour: the car park on the St 2163 near Pottenstein. The route leads gently up and down towards Haselbrunn, where the first ramp finally begins. The path climbs steeply up to an idyllic plateau with a sparse pine forest. At the top, narrow hiking trails take over, winding through the forest to the Hohe Leite viewpoint and leading to Tüchersfeld with its pretty half-timbered houses. After a short detour on tarmac, the route returns to trails along the slope near the Püttlach to Behringersmühle. From there, the route climbs steeply up to the plateau above Gößweinstein. The following forest passage is worth a detour with a stop at the Schweigelberg forester's lodge. Downhill fans will love the subsequent trail into the Wiesent valley. The route then flows along the riverbank until the next ramp awaits on the opposite bank. Forest tracks lead via Moritz to the Pfaffensteig. The route is peppered with hairpin bends, steps and narrow passages and leads back down to Behringersmühle and finally to the high plateau near Hühnerloh. Finally, beautiful views of Pottenstein and its 1000-year-old castle await.
Area information Franconian Switzerland
Arrival
By public transport: by train to Pegnitz; from there by bus to Pottenstein if necessary. www.bahn.de; by car: from the south on the A9 Munich - Nuremberg - Pegnitz; from Frankfurt: A3 - Würzburg - Nuremberg - A9 Pegnitz; from the north: A9 Leipzig - Pegnitz
Accommodation
There are guesthouses and hotels in almost every town in Franconian Switzerland. The choice is huge. Detailed information is available from the tourist organisations (see Info). Hotel Schwan, Pottenstein, tel. 09243/9810, hotel-schwan-pottenstein.de; Landhotel Bauernschmitt, Pottenstein/Kirchenbirkig, tel. 09243/9890, landhotel-bauernschmitt.com
Retreat
Held Bräu, Oberailsfeld (Tour 1), tel. 09242/295, www.held-braeu.de; Brauerei Gasthof Herold, Büchenbach (Tour 2), tel. 09241/3311, beckn-bier.de; Forsthaus Schweigelberg, no parking facilities, call for opening times and reservations (tours 1 and 3), tel. 0911/761348, forsthaus-schweigelberg.de; Gasthof Zur Behringersmühle, (tours 1 and 3), tel. 09242/205, zurbehringersmuehle.de;
And don't miss it: Paletti ice cream parlour in Pottenstein!
Bike shops
Bike Franken, Pegnitz, Tel. 0157/37258598, bikefranken.de; Cube Store Erlangen; Tel. 09131/4091400, multicycle.de
General information
All important information on activities and accommodation in the region: Franken Tourismus, Tel. 0911/941510, frankentourismus.de; Fränkische Schweiz tourist information centre, Tel. 09191/861054, fraenkische-schweiz.com
Other sporting activities in the outdoor paradise of Franconian Switzerland
Franconian Switzerland is an outdoor paradise. In addition to fine trails, there are plenty of other sporting alternatives:
Climbing paradise: Franconian Switzerland is one of the best developed climbing areas in the world. From beginners to professionals, there are routes to suit everyone. The approaches to the climbing crags are usually very short and can often be reached by bike or on hiking trails. Courses are available from Pro Alpin, www.bergsportschule.com
River adventure: The Franconian region is also a treasure trove for water sports enthusiasts. On particularly hot days - or when your legs need a day off - canoe and kayak tours on the Wiesent river provide refreshment and an exciting change of perspective. Boats, transfers and everything else you need are available from hire stations. www.kajak-mietservice.de
Excursion into the underworld: Franconian Switzerland not only offers impressive rock formations above ground. Around 1000 caves provide fascinating insights into a mystical underworld. The Devil's Cave in Pottenstein is one of the largest stalactite caves in Europe - with underground domes and halls full of stalactites and stalagmites. www.pottenstein.de
Kids & Co: The Pottenstein adventure rock provides fun with a summer toboggan run, trampoline facility, skywalk, tree climbing trail, climbing tower and much more. sommerrodelbahnen-pottenstein.de
The report on the Franconian Switzerland area guide
"Allmächd!" Now it's getting tight. Behind the trail bend, a rock face suddenly emerges from the forest. Right, left? Which way? Ah, straight ahead! Moments later, my guide disappears into a dark hole that opens up in the rocks. Don't panic! Two or three seconds later it's light again. Such moments of surprise are typical of the limestone karst mountains of Franconian Switzerland. The journey through the darkness at the Schlupflochfelsen rock in the Ailsbach valley near Rabenstein Castle is just a small taste of what Franconian Switzerland has to offer in terms of the underworld. A little further on in the Ludwig Cave, a gigantic hall with natural stone walls opens up behind a crack in mystical light. King Ludwig of Bavaria, who is known to have had a weakness for extravagant staging, is said to have dined here in 1830 by candlelight.
Franconian Switzerland is much more modest when it comes to summit rankings. Compared to the "real" Switzerland with mountain icons such as the Matterhorn (4478 m) or the 4634 metre-high Dufourspitze, the peaks in the triangle of countryside between Nuremberg, Bamberg and Bayreuth seem like dwarfs. The highest point of the "Fränggische", as the locals call it for short, is the Kleine Kulm at 626 metres. Many of the wooded ridges remain below the 600 metre altitude mark. Nevertheless, the landscape offers a hint of the Alps. Like wild cliffs, bizarre Jura rocks rise up into the sky from the valleys - impressive eye-catchers. And the region has something else in common with "big" Switzerland. A German dialect with a preference for diminutives, i.e. for small things. The Franconian swaps his favourite Swiss syllable -li for -la. For example, he packs a "Weggla" in his bike rucksack as a rescue against hunger pangs. With almost no hard consonants, the Franconian chatter flows along as comfortably as the Püttlach, the Pegnitz and the flow trails along the many other little rivers in the hilly landscape.
MTB trails in Franconia: "Every tour here is also a nature experience"
I set off on our first tour with Daniel Götz and his girlfriend Tina "Inallerherrgoddsfrüh". Now the path climbs up a ramp and the morning sun makes the rocks and pine trees scattered across the rough grassland glow a pastel orange colour - almost like sunrise on a mountain pasture. "Every tour here is also a nature experience," says Daniel. The 33-year-old runs the bike shop "Bike Franken" in Pegnitz and spends almost every free minute on the trails west of his home town. But after a few more metres in altitude through the forest, he also has to pull his smartphone out of his pocket. Daniel nods in satisfaction: "Okay, we're in the right place!" Even for locals, it is not always easy to keep track of the labyrinth of tracks, hiking trails and cart paths. No wonder with the constant changes in direction of trails, rivers and streams. Fast, flowing sections alternate with root passages, sporty climbs with high-percentage descents. It's easy to lose your bearings. Or, as Daniel says, broaden your horizons:
The many trails are a constant invitation to discover new routes. Boredom is not an option in our region.
The steep ramps that keep appearing out of nowhere make sure of that. "With an e-bike, you have a clear advantage," grins Daniel and switches to turbo mode for the next incline.
Franconian Switzerland is internationally recognised as one of the best developed sport climbing areas in the world. Around 800 crags with a total of around 12,000 climbing routes are home to both amateur and world-class athletes. In the land of cracks, chimneys, edges, overhangs, beer handles and finger holes in the rock, redpoint climbing has its roots, characterised by the local sport climbing pioneer Kurt Albert. Climbing skills are also an advantage for us on the ascent to the cyclists' rock near Oberailsfeld. A hollow path leads steeply through the forest until the landscape at the top - similar to a table mountain - becomes much flatter again. For over 100 years, the figure of the cyclist Claudius and his bicycle have been enthroned on one of the rocks high above the Ailsbach stream. One legend claims that Claudius fell off the rock in foolhardy infatuation when he tried to catch a butterfly for his beloved on his bike. According to another tale, Claudius was simply set up as a signpost to a village inn in the valley in those days. And indeed, a now fairytale trail along the Ailsbach stream leads us straight to the Brauereigasthof Held brewery inn. "Almost every village here has its own brewery," explains Tina. Unfortunately, the inn is closed today. Nevertheless, there is no shortage of fuel. There is a vending machine in the pub garden. Whether Kellerbier or Zwickelbier, almost all beers in Franconia have had one thing in common for 300 years: they tend to be of the hearty variety. Dark, earthy, almost like bread, but not as sweet as bock beer. In the meantime, the network of breweries and hiking trails has developed into a real branch of tourism: the marketing invention is called "beer trails".
Perhaps this is also the reason why there is a noticeably relaxed atmosphere on these trails. During the week, you practically have the forest to yourself; at weekends, the trails are peacefully shared with hikers. There is not yet a designated route network for mountain bikers, but there are no official bans either. "Except for a few trails in the nature reserves, which are labelled accordingly," adds Daniel. Bikers voluntarily avoid hotspots such as the narrow paths along the Püttlach at weekends. Otherwise, there have not yet been any major conflicts of interest in the region. "Trail sharing! As practised in some Swiss cantons," interjects Tina. "Free lane for bikers, with the exception of justified restrictions." They both laugh, but they know that this is a fragile state of affairs: "You just have to realise: The trails don't belong to us alone." Hikers are given way at narrow sections, a friendly greeting - the bike scene in Franconian Switzerland has done well with this so far. "Enviable!", I think. "Who doesn't do it on their own doorstep?"
