Walking routes in the Palatine Forest fall into two categories. The first are longer
walking routes, most of which are maintained by the
Palatine Forest Club
The Palatine Forest Club (german: Pfälzerwald-Verein) is a hiking club in the former Bavarian Palatinate, i.e. the southern part of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate and the Saarland county of Saarpfalz-Kreis. In 2011 it had 221 local ...
(german: Pfälzerwald-Verein), or ''PWV'', and which are linked to the national and international network of
long distance path
A long-distance trail (or long-distance footpath, track, way, greenway) is a longer recreational trail mainly through rural areas used for hiking, backpacking, cycling, horse riding or cross-country skiing. They exist on all continents exc ...
s. The second category are those local circular walks and
themed walking routes, some of which are of wider regional importance, and which are maintained by municipal authorities. The
Palatine Forest, as part of the
Palatine Forest-North Vosges Biosphere Reserve
The Franco-German Palatinate Forest-North Vosges Biosphere Reserve (german: Biosphärenreservat Pfälzerwald-Nordvogesen, french: Réserve de biosphère transfrontalière des Vosges du Nord-Forêt palatine) was created in 1998 as the first UNESCO t ...
, is an important conservation area. As a result, the Palatine Forest, the
bunter sandstone
The Buntsandstein (German for ''coloured'' or ''colourful sandstone'') or Bunter sandstone is a lithostratigraphic and allostratigraphic unit (a sequence of rock strata) in the subsurface of large parts of west and central Europe. The Buntsands ...
landscape of the
Palatine Forest Nature Park, the castles in the
Dahner Felsenland
The Dahner Felsenland, also referred to as the Dahn Rockland, is a landscape in the county of Südwestpfalz in the German federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. It is located in the middle section of the Wasgau, which in turn forms the southern ...
and the cross-border paths into
Alsace
Alsace (, ; ; Low Alemannic German/ gsw-FR, Elsàss ; german: Elsass ; la, Alsatia) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in eastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland. In 2020, it had ...
and the
Vosges
The Vosges ( , ; german: Vogesen ; Franconian and gsw, Vogese) are a range of low mountains in Eastern France, near its border with Germany. Together with the Palatine Forest to the north on the German side of the border, they form a single ...
make the region particularly popular with ramblers and walkers.
Long distance paths
This section lists those
long distance path
A long-distance trail (or long-distance footpath, track, way, greenway) is a longer recreational trail mainly through rural areas used for hiking, backpacking, cycling, horse riding or cross-country skiing. They exist on all continents exc ...
s that run through the Palatine Forest.
International long distance paths
The
Palatine Ways of St. James
The Palatine Ways of St. James (german: Pfälzer Jakobswege) are those sections of the Way of St. James in the Palatinate region of Germany and part of the historic pilgrimage route to the northwest Spanish town of Santiago de Compostela. It was ...
are two historic
pilgrimage routes
A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...
from
Speyer
Speyer (, older spelling ''Speier'', French: ''Spire,'' historical English: ''Spires''; pfl, Schbaija) is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany with approximately 50,000 inhabitants. Located on the left bank of the river Rhine, Speyer li ...
to
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The city has its origin in the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, as the destination of the Way of St ...
, signed by waymarks with a white scallop on blue field (German: ''Weiße Muschel auf blauem Grund''), the symbol of
Saint James. The historic, northern route ran along the
Speyerbach
The Speyerbach is a left tributary of the Rhine in the Palatinate part of Rhineland-Palatinate. In Speyer, the river split into ''Gießhübelbach'' and ''Woogbach''. The Woogbach changes its name to ''Nonnenbach'', then flows into Gießhübe ...
, through the
Frankenweide and the
Karlstal
The Karlstal is the valley of the Moosalb (Schwarzbach), Moosalb stream located near Trippstadt in the Palatine Forest in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. It is registered as a nature reserves of Germany, nature reserve - number 335  ...
valley towards the
Landstuhl Marsh, past the pilgrimage church in Vogelbach, via
Karlsberg to
Homburg and from there via
Hornbach Abbey
Hornbach Abbey (german: link=yes, Kloster Hornbach) is a former monastery founded around 741 in the historic town of Gamundias (today Hornbach) by Saint Pirmin, which soon became a Benedictine abbey. The most important neighbouring abbeys were B ...
to
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
. The present-day, less well known southern route runs partly along the
Klingbach stream, through the
Wasgau
The Wasgau (german: Wasgau, french: Vasgovie) is a Franco-German hill range in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate and the French departments of Bas-Rhin and Moselle. It is formed from the southern part of the Palatine Forest and the north ...
, and along the French border to Hornbach Abbey.
The
E8 European long distance path
The E8 European long distance path or E8 path is one of the European long-distance paths, leading 4,700 km (2,920 miles) across Europe, from Cork in Ireland to Bulgaria.
Route
After Ireland it crosses the Irish Sea into Wales and then in ...
from
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
to
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
runs through the state of
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate ( , ; german: link=no, Rheinland-Pfalz ; lb, Rheinland-Pfalz ; pfl, Rhoilond-Palz) is a western state of Germany. It covers and has about 4.05 million residents. It is the ninth largest and sixth most populous of the ...
from the north along the
River Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, sourc ...
to the
Donnersberg
The Donnersberg ("thunder mountain") is the highest peak of the Palatinate (german: Pfalz) region of Germany. The mountain lies between the towns of Rockenhausen and Kirchheimbolanden, in the Donnersbergkreis district, which is named after the m ...
hill, then via
Worms Worms may refer to:
*Worm, an invertebrate animal with a tube-like body and no limbs
Places
*Worms, Germany, a city
**Worms (electoral district)
*Worms, Nebraska, U.S.
*Worms im Veltlintal, the German name for Bormio, Italy
Arts and entertainme ...
in the
Odenwald
The Odenwald () is a low mountain range in the German states of Hesse, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.
Location
The Odenwald is located between the Upper Rhine Plain with the Bergstraße and the ''Hessisches Ried'' (the northeastern section ...
(
Hesse
Hesse (, , ) or Hessia (, ; german: Hessen ), officially the State of Hessen (german: links=no, Land Hessen), is a States of Germany, state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt. Two other major histor ...
). An alternative E8 southern route runs through the Palatine Forest, as follows:
* along the Nahegau-Wasgau-Vosges long distance path (white cross) from
Niederhausen an der Nahe via the Donnersberg and
Hochspeyer
Hochspeyer is a municipality in the Kaiserslautern (district), district of Kaiserslautern, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated in the Palatinate forest (Pfälzer Wald), approx. 10 km east of Kaiserslautern.
Hochspeyer was the se ...
to
Johanniskreuz
Johanniskreuz is a tiny hamlet in the middle of the Palatine Forest in Germany and belongs to the municipality of Trippstadt in the district of Kaiserslautern in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate.
Geography
Location
Johanniskreuz lies in ...
, and
* along the red cross trail from Johanniskreuz over the
Eschkopf and
Edenkoben
Edenkoben () is a municipality in the Südliche Weinstraße district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It lies approximately halfway between Landau and Neustadt an der Weinstraße. Edenkoben is one of the towns situated along the German Wine R ...
to Speyer.
[Naturpark Pfälzerwald, Wander- und Erlebniskarte 1:50,000, .]
The international Nahegau-Wasgau-Vosges long distance path is waymarked by a white cross and runs from
Niederhausen an der Nahe over the Donnersberg, the Schorlenberg, via Hochspeyer and
Waldleiningen
Waldleiningen is a municipality in the district of Kaiserslautern, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous countr ...
to Johanniskreuz (to here it is part of the southern branch of the E8 European long distance path). From Johanniskreuz, the trail runs via
Leimen and
Münchweiler an der Rodalb
Münchweiler an der Rodalb is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, and belongs to the municipal association of Rodalben. The primary industry of the village was that of a shoe manufacturer. It lies on Strasse ...
to
Pirmasens
Pirmasens (; pfl, Bärmesens (also ''Bermesens'' or ''Bärmasens'')) is an independent town in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, near the border with France. It was famous for the manufacture of shoes. The surrounding rural district was called ''Lan ...
. Heading for France, the route then runs via Pirmasens-Erlenbrunn, the Palatine Forest Club hut of ''Drei Buchen'',
Eppenbrunn, the
Altschlossfelsen rocks and then over the border to
Bitche
Bitche ( , ; German and Lorraine Franconian: ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Moselle (department), Moselle Departments of France, department, administrative regions of France, administrative region of Grand Est, northeastern France. It ...
and
Wingen-sur-Moder
Wingen-sur-Moder (; german: Wingen an der Moder; Rhine Franconian: ''Winge'') is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. The name, literally translated as "Wingen on the Moder", is often shortened to ''Wingen'' ...
in France.
The international Donnersberg-Donon long distance path is waymarked by a red bar and runs from
Bad Kreuznach
Bad Kreuznach () is a town in the Bad Kreuznach district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is a spa town, most well known for its medieval bridge dating from around 1300, the Alte Nahebrücke, which is one of the few remaining bridges in th ...
through the Donnersberg area and Palatine Forest to the
Donon
Mont Donon is the highest peak in the northern Vosges. It is a Category 2 climb in the Tour de France.
On Donon, there is an 80 metre tall lattice tower for TV transmission. Its TV transmission antennas are covered by a polymeric cylinder, which ...
in Alsace. Its route through the Palatine Forest takes it via
Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern (; Palatinate German: ''Lautre'') is a city in southwest Germany, located in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate at the edge of the Palatinate Forest. The historic centre dates to the 9th century. It is from Paris, from Frankfur ...
, the
Aschbacherhof,
Trippstadt
Trippstadt is a municipality in the district of Kaiserslautern, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country i ...
, past
Oberhammer and
Leimen to the ruins of
Gräfenstein Castle
Gräfenstein Castle (german: Burg Gräfenstein) is a ruined rock castle about east of the village of Merzalben in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. It is in the county of Südwestpfalz within the Palatine Forest and is often called ''Mer ...
. From there it continues via
Hinterweidenthal
Hinterweidenthal is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.
References
Municipalities in Rhineland-Palatinate
Palatinate Forest
South Palatinate
Südwestpfalz
{{Südwestpfalz-geo-stub ...
and the
Neudahn Castle
The rock castle of Neudahn, in the southwestern Palatine Forest in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, is located at the northern end of an elongated ridge near the town of Dahn. The heart of the castle is situated on one of the sandstone r ...
ruins, through
Dahn
Dahn is a municipality in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated in the Palatinate Forest, approximately 15 km southeast of Pirmasens, and 25 km west of Landau. It is part of the ''Verbandsgemeind ...
,
Bruchweiler
Bruchweiler is an '' Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Birkenfeld district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' Herrstein-Rhaunen, ...
and
Rumbach
Rumbach is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe af ...
to the French border at the Emperor William Rock (''Kaiser-Wilhelm-Stein''). The trail is designated as
GR 53 on the French side and runs in several stages through the Alsace to the summit of the Donon.
The international Staudernheim-Soultz-sous-Forêts long distance path is signed with a blue bar and heads from
Staudernheim on the
River Nahe, through the
Palatinate to
Soultz-sous-Forêts
Soultz-sous-Forêts () is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Grand Est in north-eastern France.
It is the site of the European Hot Dry Rocks energy research project.
Notable people
* George Abert, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
...
in Alsace.
The international Pirmasens-Belfort long distance path is waymarked by a yellow bar and runs Pirmasens to
Belfort
Belfort (; archaic german: Beffert/Beffort) is a city in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in Northeastern France, situated between Lyon and Strasbourg, approximately from the France–Switzerland border. It is the prefecture of the Territo ...
south of the Vosges. Details of the various stages of the route are given below.
National long distance paths
The
Saar-Rhine-Main long distance path (''Fernwanderweg Saar-Rhein-Main'') is signed with a yellow cross and runs through the Palatine Forest and
Rhenish Hesse
Rhenish Hesse or Rhine HesseDickinson, Robert E (1964). ''Germany: A regional and economic geography'' (2nd ed.). London: Methuen, p. 542. . (german: Rheinhessen) is a region and a former government district () in the German state of Rhineland- ...
to the
River Main
The Main () is the longest tributary of the Rhine. It rises as the White Main in the Fichtel Mountains of northeastern Bavaria and flows west through central Germany for to meet the Rhine below Rüsselsheim, Hesse. The cities of Mainz and Wies ...
, more specifically from
Homburg via
Höheinöd
Höheinöd ( pfl, Hehäned) is a municipality in the Südwestpfalz district of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the Waldfischbach-Burgalben
Waldfischbach-Burgalben ( pfl, Waldfischbach-Bojalwe) is a municipality in the Südwestpfalz ...
,
Waldfischbach
Waldfischbach-Burgalben ( pfl, Waldfischbach-Bojalwe) is a municipality in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the western edge of the Palatinate forest, approx. 10 km northeast of Pirmasens. Waldf ...
, the Hundsweiher Sawmill and the
Schwarzbachtal to Johanniskreuz. From there it continues through
Elmstein
Elmstein is an ''Ortsgemeinde'' – a Municipalities of Germany, municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Dürkheim (district), Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Ge ...
, along the
Helmbach to
Erfenstein, then via
Lambrecht to the Palatine Forest Club hut of ''Lambertskreuz''. The last stage of the path within the Palatine Forest runs over the
Hardenburg,
Altleiningen
Altleiningen is an ''Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Geography
Location
The municipality lies at an e ...
and
Eisenberg to Rhenish Hesse, and there via
Alzey
Alzey () is a ''Verband''-free town – one belonging to no ''Verbandsgemeinde'' – in the Alzey-Worms district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the fifth-largest town in Rhenish Hesse, after Mainz, Worms, Germany, Worms, Ingelheim am Rhein ...
to
Wörth am Main
Wörth am Main (officially '; ) is a town in the Miltenberg district in the ''Regierungsbezirk'' of Lower Franconia (''Unterfranken'') in Bavaria, Germany. It has a population of around 4,700.
Geography
Location
Wörth am Main lies on the le ...
.
The Franconia-Hesse-Palatinate long distance path (''Fernwanderweg Franken-Hessen-Kurpfalz'') runs from
Aschaffenburg
Aschaffenburg (; South Franconian: ''Aschebersch'') is a town in northwest Bavaria, Germany. The town of Aschaffenburg is not part of the district of Aschaffenburg, but is its administrative seat.
Aschaffenburg belonged to the Archbishopric ...
via Speyer and finally through the Palatine Forest, waymarked with a red cross, to
Lichtenberg Castle. Its route through the Forest goes fromd
Edenkoben
Edenkoben () is a municipality in the Südliche Weinstraße district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It lies approximately halfway between Landau and Neustadt an der Weinstraße. Edenkoben is one of the towns situated along the German Wine R ...
,
Naturfreunde
Friends of Nature (international abbreviation: NFI, for German: Naturfreunde International) is a non-profit organisation with a background in the social democratic movement, which aims to make the enjoyment of nature accessible to the wider commun ...
haus ''Sauermilchtälchen'', via
Taubensuhl and the
Eschkopf to Johanniskreuz (to this point it is part of the southern branch of the E 8 European long distance path). From Johanniskreuz it continues to the
Oberhammer and through the
Karlstal
The Karlstal is the valley of the Moosalb (Schwarzbach), Moosalb stream located near Trippstadt in the Palatine Forest in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. It is registered as a nature reserves of Germany, nature reserve - number 335  ...
valley to the Friends of Nature house (''Naturfreundehaus'') of ''Finsterbrunnertal'', then runs past the
Gelterswoog
Kaiserslautern (; Palatinate German: ''Lautre'') is a city in southwest Germany, located in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate at the edge of the Palatinate Forest. The historic centre dates to the 9th century. It is from Paris, from Frankfur ...
to
Landstuhl
Landstuhl () is a town in the Kaiserslautern district of Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. It is the seat of ''Verbandsgemeinde Landstuhl'', a kind of "collective municipality." Landstuhl is situated on the north-west edge of the Palatinate F ...
. Passing Kusel the path finally reaches Lichtenberg Castle.
Saar-Rhine trails
These two trails run from
Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken (; french: link=no, Sarrebruck ; Rhine Franconian: ''Saarbrigge'' ; lb, Saarbrécken ; lat, Saravipons, lit=The Bridge(s) across the Saar river) is the capital and largest city of the state of Saarland, Germany. Saarbrücken is S ...
through the Palatine Forest to the River Rhine near
Wörth.
The green bar footpath in the Palatine Forest runs from Zweibrücken-
Niederauerbach via
Contwig,
Walshausen
Walshausen is a German village in the Zweibrücken-Land municipality, in the Südwestpfalz district in the Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate ( , ; german: link=no, Rheinland-Pfalz ; lb, Rheinland-Pfalz ; pfl, Rhoilond-Palz) is a w ...
, and
Bottenbach to
Kröppen. From there it goes via
Eppenbrunn and
Ludwigswinkel
Ludwigswinkel is a municipality in the district of Südwestpfalz of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, very close to the French border. The nearest large town is Pirmasens
Pirmasens (; pfl, Bärmesens (also ''Bermesens'' or ''Bärmasen ...
,
Petersbächel and
Schönau to
Nothweiler
Nothweiler is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe ...
, before finally passing through
Bobenthal
Bobenthal is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe a ...
heading for
Sankt Germanshof on the French border. The route continues further via
Schweigen-Rechtenbach towards
Bienwald
The Bienwald is a large forested area in the southern Pfalz region of Germany near the towns of Kandel and Wörth am Rhein. The western edge defines the eastern extent of the Wissembourg Gap, a corridor of open terrain between the Bienwald and ...
.
The path waymarked by a black dot on a white bar runs from
Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken (; french: link=no, Sarrebruck ; Rhine Franconian: ''Saarbrigge'' ; lb, Saarbrécken ; lat, Saravipons, lit=The Bridge(s) across the Saar river) is the capital and largest city of the state of Saarland, Germany. Saarbrücken is S ...
(Schafbrücke) through the Palatine Forest into the
Anterior Palatinate
The Palatinate (german: Pfalz; Palatine German: ''Palz'') is a region of Germany. In the Middle Ages it was known as the Rhenish Palatinate (''Rheinpfalz'') and Lower Palatinate (''Unterpfalz''), which strictly speaking designated only the wes ...
as far as
Rülzheim
Rülzheim is a municipality in the district of Germersheim, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated approximately 10 km south-west of Germersheim.
Rülzheim is the seat of the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' ("collective municipality") Rülzh ...
. Its course through the Forest goes from
Landstuhl
Landstuhl () is a town in the Kaiserslautern district of Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. It is the seat of ''Verbandsgemeinde Landstuhl'', a kind of "collective municipality." Landstuhl is situated on the north-west edge of the Palatinate F ...
, via the
Gelterswoog
Kaiserslautern (; Palatinate German: ''Lautre'') is a city in southwest Germany, located in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate at the edge of the Palatinate Forest. The historic centre dates to the 9th century. It is from Paris, from Frankfur ...
and Kaiserslautern, continuing on the historic mountain road past Hochspeyer to
Frankenstein
''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific ex ...
, through the
Jägertal valley to
Bad Dürkheim
Bad Dürkheim () is a spa town in the Rhine-Neckar urban agglomeration, and is the seat of the Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Geography
Location
Bad Dürkheim lies at the edge of Palatinate Forest on the German Wine ...
, before heading along the
Haardt
The Haardt () is a range of wooded, sandstone hills in the state of Rhineland Palatinate in southwestern Germany. The range is some long and lies within the Palatinate Forest (''Pfälzerwald''). Its highest point is the Kalmit, near Maikammer
...
to
Bad Bergzabern, and then finally east via the
Bienwald
The Bienwald is a large forested area in the southern Pfalz region of Germany near the towns of Kandel and Wörth am Rhein. The western edge defines the eastern extent of the Wissembourg Gap, a corridor of open terrain between the Bienwald and ...
to
Rülzheim
Rülzheim is a municipality in the district of Germersheim, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated approximately 10 km south-west of Germersheim.
Rülzheim is the seat of the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' ("collective municipality") Rülzh ...
.
Regional paths
This section lists the
walking routes of the Palatine Forest region.
Walking network of the Palatine Forest
Paths through Johanniskreuz (waymark: coloured cross)
In addition to the long distance paths waymarked by a white cross, red cross and yellow cross, all other paths in the Palatine Forest that are marked with a cross pass through the hamlet of Johanniskreuz (the name means "St John's Cross"):
Blue cross: from Niederhausen on the
River Nahe via Kaiserslautern to Johanniskreuz, then via the
Weißenberg
Weißenberg (German) or Wóspork (Upper Sorbian) is a town in the district of Bautzen, in Saxony, Germany. The Upper Lusatian town has approximately 3100 inhabitants and is part of the recognized Sorbian settlement area in Saxony.
Geography
W ...
mountain and
Bad Bergzabern to
Sankt Germanshof.
Green cross: from
Freinsheim
Freinsheim (; Palatine German: Fränsem) is a town in the Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. With about 5,000 inhabitants, it is among the state's smaller towns. It is also the seat of the like-named ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a ...
via
Weidenthal
Weidenthal is an ''Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Geography
Location
The municipality lies in the mi ...
to Johanniskreuz, then via
Münchweiler an der Rodalb
Münchweiler an der Rodalb is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, and belongs to the municipal association of Rodalben. The primary industry of the village was that of a shoe manufacturer. It lies on Strasse ...
and
Pirmasens-Ruhbank to the
Erlenkopf hill.
Green and yellow cross: from
Oberbexbach
Bexbach () is a town in the Saarpfalz district, in Saarland, Germany. It is situated on the river Blies, approximatively 6 km east of Neunkirchen, and 25 km northeast of Saarbrücken. The Saarländisches Bergbaumuseum (Saarland Mining ...
via
Schopp
Schopp is a municipality in the district of Kaiserslautern, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany. Schopp station lies on the Biebermühl Railway.
History
The place was first mentioned in documents in 1345. In the Middle Ages Schopp, tog ...
and
Trippstadt
Trippstadt is a municipality in the district of Kaiserslautern, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country i ...
to
Johanniskreuz
Johanniskreuz is a tiny hamlet in the middle of the Palatine Forest in Germany and belongs to the municipality of Trippstadt in the district of Kaiserslautern in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate.
Geography
Location
Johanniskreuz lies in ...
, via
Iggelbach and
Neustadt an der Weinstraße
Neustadt an der Weinstraße (, formerly known as ; lb, Neustadt op der Wäistrooss ; pfl, Naischdadt) is a town in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. With 53,300 inhabitants , it is the largest town called ''Neustadt''.
Geography
Location
T ...
to
Ludwigshafen-Rheingönheim.
West Palatinate Way (waymark: coloured W)
On the
West Palatinate Way, waymarked with a coloured letter ''W'', the Association for the Promotion of Tourism in the West Palatinate (''Verein zur Förderung des Tourismus in der Westpfalz'') used to offer guided tours with luggage transfer. Both this service and its waymarking have not been maintained since 2009.
Die Rheinpfalz
''Die Rheinpfalz'' is a German–language regional newspaper based in Ludwigshafen, Germany. The paper is one of the leading newspapers which serve the state of Rhineland-Palatinate.
History and profile
''Die Rheinpfalz'' was first published in ...
, Südwestdeutsche Zeitung: ''Hat sich das „W“ totgelaufen?'', 3 April 2009
Waymark: coloured bars
Green and blue bars: this route runs from Göllheim to Eppenbrunn. Its waypoints include Alsenborn, Frankenstein, Schwarzsohl Hut (PWV), Breitenstein, Eußerthal, Rinnthal, Schwanheim and Erfweiler.
Green and white bars: starting at Wasener Kreuz (west of Hertlingshausen, on the A6 motorway) this route runs through Lambertskreuz, Neidenfels, Esthal, Breitenstein, Forsthaus Heldenstein and St. Martin.
White and blue bars: called the Alsenz Valley Trail, this path runs from
Bad Münster am Stein
Bad or BAD may refer to:
Common meanings
*Evil, the opposite of moral good
* Erroneous, inaccurate or incorrect
*Unhealthy, or counter to well-being
*Antagonist, the threat or obstacle of moral good
Acronyms
* BAD-2, a Soviet armored trolley ...
via
Rockenhausen
Rockenhausen is a town in the Donnersbergkreis, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the river Alsenz, approx. north of Kaiserslautern.
Rockenhausen is the seat of the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' ("collective municipality") Nordpfälzer ...
to the
Palatine Forest, and then runs via
Alsenborn and Hochspeyer to the Palatine Forest Club hut of
Forsthaus Schwarzsohl. From there it continues to Helmbach, through the
Dörenbach valley to
Eußerthal
Eußerthal is a municipality in the Südliche Weinstraße district of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Eur ...
, and via
Annweiler
Annweiler am Trifels (), or Annweiler is a town in the Südliche Weinstraße district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the river Queich, 12 km west of Landau. Annweiler am Trifels station is on the Landau–Saarbrücken ...
and
Waldrohrbach to
Klingenmünster
Klingenmünster is a municipality in Südliche Weinstraße district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous count ...
. From here the trail passes through
Gleiszellen, runs past the ''Silzer Linde'', and the Palatine Forest Club hut of ''Hirzeck'' on the French border to St. Germanshof.
White and blue bars: the second route with this waymark is further east in the Palatine Forest. The starting point os Battenberg. Running past the Hardenburg castle,
Eckkopf (west of Deidesheim), with a branch to the Stabenberg mountain, and Weinbiet to
Neustadt an der Weinstraße
Neustadt an der Weinstraße (, formerly known as ; lb, Neustadt op der Wäistrooss ; pfl, Naischdadt) is a town in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. With 53,300 inhabitants , it is the largest town called ''Neustadt''.
Geography
Location
T ...
, Haßloch, Germersheim before ending in Wörth am Rhein.
White and red bars: one path with this waymark runs from the Palatine Forest to Speyer on the Rhine. Its waypoints are Kaiserslautern, Waldleiningen, Schwarzsohl, Esthal, Erfenstein, Hellerplatz, Neustadt an der Weinstraße, Ordenswald/Haßloch, Fronmühle and Speyer.
White and red bars: another route with this waymark begins in the Krumbachtal valley, runs to Bad Dürkheim, continues along the edge of the Haardt mountains, before passing Heidenlöcher, St. Michael's Chapel near Deidesheim and Gimmeldingen before reaching Neustadt.
Blue and yellow bars: This path, which runs from
Lauterecken
Lauterecken () is a town in the Kusel district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the seat of the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' Lauterecken-Wolfstein, to which it also belongs. Lauterecken bears the nickname ''Veldenzstadt'', after the comital family t ...
through the North Palatine Uplands to the Palatinate Forest, then passes through
Otterberg
Otterberg is a town in the district of Kaiserslautern in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate with about 7,350 (as of 6/2006) inhabitants. It is situated approximately north of Kaiserslautern.
Otterberg is the seat of the ''Verbandsgemeinde ...
and the
Eselsfürth heading for Hochspeyer; from here it goes via
Waldleiningen
Waldleiningen is a municipality in the district of Kaiserslautern, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous countr ...
and the
Mückenwiese to
Speyerbrunn in the
Elmstein valley. It then continues along the
Erlenbachs stream to
Hofstätten and the ''Annweiler Forsthaus'', then via
Wilgartswiesen
Wilgartswiesen is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.
Geography
The municipality lies in the southern part of the Palatine Forest, the German part of the Wasgau, in the middle of the Palatine Fo ...
and
Hauenstein
Hauenstein is a municipality in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated in the Palatinate forest, approximately 20 km east of Pirmasens, and 20 km west of Landau.
Hauenstein is the seat of the ''Ver ...
to the Palatine Forest Club hut of ''Dicke Eiche''. Finally it goes via
Erlenbach bei Dahn
Erlenbach bei Dahn is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.
Above the village is Berwartstein Castle on one side of the Erlenbach stream and the outwork Little France
Little France is a suburb of ...
and
Reisdorf
Reisdorf () is a commune and small town in eastern Luxembourg, on the river Sauer
The Sauer (German and Luxembourgish, , ) or Sûre ( French, ) is a river in Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany. A left tributary of the Moselle, its total length ...
on the French border to St. Germanshof.
White and green bars: the path runs from the
Obere Eselsmühle mill via
Enkenbach-Alsenborn
Enkenbach-Alsenborn is a municipality in the district of Kaiserslautern, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the northern edge of the Palatinate forest, approx. 10 km north-east of Kaiserslautern. Enkenbach-Alsenborn is also ...
,
Diemerstein and
Frankenstein
''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific ex ...
to
Weidenthal
Weidenthal is an ''Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Geography
Location
The municipality lies in the mi ...
. It continues via the
Goldbrunnen,
Esthal
Esthal is an ''Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Geography
Location
The municipality lies on a plateau ...
and
Erfenstein to the
Palatine Forest Club
The Palatine Forest Club (german: Pfälzerwald-Verein) is a hiking club in the former Bavarian Palatinate, i.e. the southern part of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate and the Saarland county of Saarpfalz-Kreis. In 2011 it had 221 local ...
hut of ''Totenkopf''. It then makes its way through the
Hüttenhohl to the summit of the
Kalmit
The Kalmit is the highest peak in the Palatinate Forest and the second highest (after the Donnersberg) in the Palatinate region of Germany. It is and located south of the town of Neustadt an der Weinstraße.
The mountain attracts many tourists ...
which, at 673 metres, is the highest mountain in the Palatine Forest (with a manageed Palatine Forest Club hut), before descending from the
Haardt
The Haardt () is a range of wooded, sandstone hills in the state of Rhineland Palatinate in southwestern Germany. The range is some long and lies within the Palatinate Forest (''Pfälzerwald''). Its highest point is the Kalmit, near Maikammer
...
mountains to
Maikammer
Maikammer ( pfl, Maikomma) is a municipality in the Südliche Weinstraße district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the German Wine Route, approx. 5 km south of Neustadt an der Weinstraße. Maikammer is the seat of the ''V ...
.
Green and red bars: the path from
Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern (; Palatinate German: ''Lautre'') is a city in southwest Germany, located in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate at the edge of the Palatinate Forest. The historic centre dates to the 9th century. It is from Paris, from Frankfur ...
into
Leininger Land heads initially eastwards past
Hochspeyer
Hochspeyer is a municipality in the Kaiserslautern (district), district of Kaiserslautern, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated in the Palatinate forest (Pfälzer Wald), approx. 10 km east of Kaiserslautern.
Hochspeyer was the se ...
and through
Fischbach to
Frankenstein
''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific ex ...
, then turns north via
Hertlingshausen, past
Altleiningen
Altleiningen is an ''Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Geography
Location
The municipality lies at an e ...
and
Altleiningen Castle as far as
Kleinkarlbach
Kleinkarlbach is an ''Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Geography
Location
The municipality is a winegr ...
, below
Neuleiningen Castle
Neuleiningen Castle is a ruin on the eastern edge of the Palatinate Forest in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany in the municipality of Neuleiningen in the Bad Dürkheim district.
It was built in 1238-41 by Count Frederick III of L ...
.
Blue and red bars: the footpath starts in Kirchheimbolanden and runs via Elmstein, Iggelbach, Hofstätten, Hermersberger Hof and Hinterweidenthal toPirmasens.
Yellow and red bars: One of these waymarked paths is unusual in that it does not begin (or end, depending on your viewpoint) in a settlement, but on the B 48 federal road in Wellbachtal. Its route takes it through Wilgartswiesen, Hauenstein, Dahn, Schindhard, past the ruins of
Lindelbrunn Castle
Lindelbrunn Castle (german: Burg Lindelbrunn) (also called Lindelbol, Lindelbronn or Lindelborn) is the medieval ruin of a rock castle near the village of Vorderweidenthal in the county of Südliche Weinstraße in the German state of Rhineland-P ...
, through Silz and
the ruins of Landeck, out of the Palatine Forest into the Anterior Palatinate to Rülzheim.
Yellow and red bars: the other route with this waymarking begins at Lichtenberg Castle, heading for Wallhalben. It then runs via Thaleischweiler-Fröschen, Burgalben, along the valley of Schwarzbachtal, over the Eschkopf, through
Elmstein
Elmstein is an ''Ortsgemeinde'' – a Municipalities of Germany, municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Dürkheim (district), Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Ge ...
, Esthal and Mainzertal (on the B 39 federal road), and past the Drachenfels before finishing in Wachenheim.
Red and white bars: beginning in Niederwürzbach the route passed through Erfweiler, Hauenstein, Hermersberger Hof, Eußerthal, Dernbach and Gleisweiler before ending in Böchingen.
Yellow bar: the walk begins near Blieskastel and runs through Contwig, Leimen (Pfalz), Hofstätten, Taubensuhl (Landau Municipal Forest), Eußerthal and Annweiler before reaching Germersheim am Rhein.
Yellow bar: the second path with this waymark in the
Palatine Forest is part of the Pirmasens-Belfort long distance path and is located further south in the Palatine Forest. Its westernmost point is the town of
Pirmasens
Pirmasens (; pfl, Bärmesens (also ''Bermesens'' or ''Bärmasens'')) is an independent town in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, near the border with France. It was famous for the manufacture of shoes. The surrounding rural district was called ''Lan ...
. It then heads for Dahn, Busenberg, Erlenbach (near Dahn), Birkenhördt, Bad Bergzabern, Schweigen-Rechtenbach, Weißenburg/Wissembourg (F) and ends in
Belfort
Belfort (; archaic german: Beffert/Beffort) is a city in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in Northeastern France, situated between Lyon and Strasbourg, approximately from the France–Switzerland border. It is the prefecture of the Territo ...
.
Yellow bar: the third path with this waymarking runs from Glanbrücken to Eiswoog, Frankenstein, Friedrichsbrunnen, Lambertskreuz and Wachenheim.
Red bar: another sign used on several paths. For the first one, see above in the section on international long distance paths. The second one is a very short trail starting at Lambertskreuz, then running via Neidenfels, Lambrecht and Hellerplatz to Breitenstein.
Red bar: the third route begins in Neuleiningen, crosses Bad Dürkheim and Wachenheim, continues along the edge of the
Haardt
The Haardt () is a range of wooded, sandstone hills in the state of Rhineland Palatinate in southwestern Germany. The range is some long and lies within the Palatinate Forest (''Pfälzerwald''). Its highest point is the Kalmit, near Maikammer
...
to Neustadt an der Weinstraße, St. Martin, Frankweiler and Siebeldingen.
Blue bar: branching off the above long distance path with this marking, it is a short stretch from ''Drei Buchen'' ("Three Beeches") to Burrweiler an der Weinstraße.
Waymark: coloured dots
Blue dot: from
Hauptstuhl
Hauptstuhl is a municipality in the district of Kaiserslautern, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country i ...
via
Martinshöhe
Martinshöhe is a municipality in the district of Kaiserslautern, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country ...
and
Wallhalben
Wallhalben is a municipality in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated approximately 15 km northwest of Pirmasens, and 15 km northeast of Zweibrücken.
Until 1 July 2014, when it became part of the ...
to
Steinalben
Steinalben ( pfl, Stääalwe) is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany and belongs to the municipal association Waldfischbach-Burgalben
Waldfischbach-Burgalben ( pfl, Waldfischbach-Bojalwe) is a munic ...
; then from here via
Heltersberg
Heltersberg ( pfl, Helderschberg) is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany and belongs to the municipal association Waldfischbach-Burgalben
Waldfischbach-Burgalben ( pfl, Waldfischbach-Bojalwe) is a ...
to
Leimen.
Blue dot: from
Neustadt-Diedesfeld through the Klausental valley up to the
Hahnenschritt on the
Kalmit
The Kalmit is the highest peak in the Palatinate Forest and the second highest (after the Donnersberg) in the Palatinate region of Germany. It is and located south of the town of Neustadt an der Weinstraße.
The mountain attracts many tourists ...
.
Blue dot: from Lindenberg via Weinbiet to Neustadt.
Yellow dot: from
Helmbach (Elmstein) to the
Helmbachweiher
The Helmbachweiher is a lake in the central Palatine Forest in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. It lies near the Helmbach (Speyerbach), Helmbach stream about two kilometres from its confluence with the Speyerbach on the forest estates of t ...
, then to the
Hornesselwiese and on to the end of the route on the Taubensuhl.
Yellow dot: from
Kettrichhof along the ''Hohe Straße'' ("High Road") to
Lemberg
Lviv ( uk, Львів) is the largest city in Western Ukraine, western Ukraine, and the List of cities in Ukraine, seventh-largest in Ukraine, with a population of . It serves as the administrative centre of Lviv Oblast and Lviv Raion, and is o ...
, past the ''Maiblumenfels'' and the annex of
Salzwoog to
Hinterweidenthal
Hinterweidenthal is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.
References
Municipalities in Rhineland-Palatinate
Palatinate Forest
South Palatinate
Südwestpfalz
{{Südwestpfalz-geo-stub ...
. From there via ''Vier Buchen'' and ''Winterkirchel'' to the PWV hut of ''Dicke Eiche'' ("Fat Oak") and then to
Erfweiler
Erfweiler is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany. It is a state-recognised resort.
Geography Location
Erfweiler lies in the German part of the Wasgau, as the southern end of the Palatine Fores ...
. Finally it goes via
Dahn
Dahn is a municipality in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated in the Palatinate Forest, approximately 15 km southeast of Pirmasens, and 25 km west of Landau. It is part of the ''Verbandsgemeind ...
and the ''Napoleonsfelsen'' rocks to
Fischbach.
Red dot: the path from
Hertlingshausen (
Carlsberg Carlsberg may refer to:
Places
* Carlsberg (district), a district in Copenhagen, Denmark
** Carlsberg station, its train station
* Carlsberg, Germany, a municipality in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
* Carlsberg Fjord, Greenland Other uses
* Carlsbe ...
) along the
Haardt
The Haardt () is a range of wooded, sandstone hills in the state of Rhineland Palatinate in southwestern Germany. The range is some long and lies within the Palatinate Forest (''Pfälzerwald''). Its highest point is the Kalmit, near Maikammer
...
to the French border runs via
Kieskautberg and
Rahnfels to
Bad Dürkheim
Bad Dürkheim () is a spa town in the Rhine-Neckar urban agglomeration, and is the seat of the Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Geography
Location
Bad Dürkheim lies at the edge of Palatinate Forest on the German Wine ...
, then from
Wachenheim
Wachenheim an der Weinstraße (formerly called ''Wachenheim im Speyergau'') is a small town in the Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, roughly 1 km south of Bad Dürkheim and 20 km west of Ludwigshafen. It is known ...
via the
Heidenlöcher
''Heidenlöcher'' is a 1986 Austrian drama film directed by Wolfram Paulus. It was entered into the 36th Berlin International Film Festival.
Cast
* Florian Pircher as Santner
* Albert Paulus as Ruap
* Helmut Vogel as Jacek
* Matthias Aichho ...
to
Deidesheim
Deidesheim ( pfl, Daisem) is a town in the Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany with some 3,700 inhabitants.
The town lies in the northwest of the Rhine-Neckar urban agglomeration and since 1973 it has been the seat of the ''V ...
, and through the Mühltal valley up to the
Stabenberg. From there through the Benjental and over the
Weinbiet (
Palatine Forest Club
The Palatine Forest Club (german: Pfälzerwald-Verein) is a hiking club in the former Bavarian Palatinate, i.e. the southern part of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate and the Saarland county of Saarpfalz-Kreis. In 2011 it had 221 local ...
or PWV hut) past the ruins of
Wolfsburg Castle
The Wolfsburg is medieval lowland and water castle in North Germany that was first mentioned in the records in 1302, but has since been turned into a Renaissance ''schloss'' or palace. It is located in eastern Lower Saxony in the town of Wolfsbur ...
to
Neustadt an der Weinstraße
Neustadt an der Weinstraße (, formerly known as ; lb, Neustadt op der Wäistrooss ; pfl, Naischdadt) is a town in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. With 53,300 inhabitants , it is the largest town called ''Neustadt''.
Geography
Location
T ...
. From the
central station
Central stations or central railway stations emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century as railway stations that had initially been built on the edge of city centres were enveloped by urban expansion and became an integral part of the ...
the path runs over the Nollen Saddle up to the
Hohe Loog and then on to the
Kalmit
The Kalmit is the highest peak in the Palatinate Forest and the second highest (after the Donnersberg) in the Palatinate region of Germany. It is and located south of the town of Neustadt an der Weinstraße.
The mountain attracts many tourists ...
(673 m), past the ruins of
Kropsburg to the Palatine Forest Club hut of ''Hüttenbrunnen''. The route then runs past the ruinos of
Rietburg
The Rietburg is a ruined hillside castle on the edge of the Palatinate Forest above the village of Rhodt unter Rietburg, Rhodt in the county of Südliche Weinstrasse in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate.
The remains of this castle are loca ...
, via
Weyher Weyher is a surname. Notable persons with that name include:
* Harry F. Weyher Jr. (1921–2002), American lawyer
*Hein-Peter Weyher (born 1935), German Navy officer
*Kurt Weyher (1901–1991), German admiral
*Ruth Weyher (1901-1983), German actres ...
, through the
Modenbach valley, to ''
Drei Buchen'' and
Ramberg. Passing the ruins of
Ramburg, the Palatine Forest Club huts – the ''Böchinger Hut'' and ''Siebeldinger Hut'' – the path climbs the
Almersberg, and drops again into the Wellbach valley to
Rinnthal. Via the ''Buchholzfelsen'' and
Spirkelbach it continues to
Hauenstein
Hauenstein is a municipality in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated in the Palatinate forest, approximately 20 km east of Pirmasens, and 20 km west of Landau.
Hauenstein is the seat of the ''Ver ...
, past the ''Kreuzfelsen'' rocks to the PWV's hut Wasgau Hut. Finally the "red dot" trail runs via
Darstein, the ''Lindelbrunn'' Hut,
Lauterschwan, the ''Hirzeck'' Hut, to
Bobenthal
Bobenthal is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe a ...
and then through the Klaffental valley to the border crossing of Kehlingen (Petit Wingen).
White dot: this waymark is found where link paths have been established between the main routes and walking trails. It is possible to switch to another route. These signs are, however, rather uncommon.
Certified paths
The Palatinate Tourist Office worked in cooperation with the Association of German Mountain and Hiking Clubs (''Deutscher Wanderverband'') on the routes for three
certified paths which were opened in April 2011, two of which run through the Palatine Forest:
* The
Palatine Wine Path (''Pfälzer Weinsteig'', 153 km, ten one-day stages) runs from north to south from
Neuleiningen
Neuleiningen is an ''Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Geography
Location
On a foothill near the northe ...
along the
Haardt
The Haardt () is a range of wooded, sandstone hills in the state of Rhineland Palatinate in southwestern Germany. The range is some long and lies within the Palatinate Forest (''Pfälzerwald''). Its highest point is the Kalmit, near Maikammer
...
mountains to
Schweigen-Rechtenbach.
* The
Palatine Forest Path (''Pfälzer Waldpfad'', 142 km, nine one-day stages) runs from
Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern (; Palatinate German: ''Lautre'') is a city in southwest Germany, located in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate at the edge of the Palatinate Forest. The historic centre dates to the 9th century. It is from Paris, from Frankfur ...
through the
Palatine Holzland and the
Wasgau
The Wasgau (german: Wasgau, french: Vasgovie) is a Franco-German hill range in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate and the French departments of Bas-Rhin and Moselle. It is formed from the southern part of the Palatine Forest and the north ...
also to Schweigen-Rechtenbach.
Themed walks
* ''Baumwipfelpfad'' ("Treetop Path") – at the Fischbach Biosphere House. The path, for which a fee is payable, runs through the trees and treetops at heights of up to 35 metres for a distance of 270 metres. Nearby there is a Water Experience Way (''Wasser-Erlebnis-Weg'').
*
Waterway trail on the Moosalbe (''Gewässerwanderweg an der Moosalbe'') – this is one of seven walks on the subject of
water engineering
Hydraulic engineering as a sub-discipline of civil engineering is concerned with the flow and conveyance of fluids, principally water and sewage. One feature of these systems is the extensive use of gravity as the motive force to cause the mov ...
in Rhineland-Palatinate. The way runs for over 33 km along the
Moosalbe and Hirschalbe streams. Information provided by the Ministry for the Environment and Forests at various waypoints covers the topics of:
:*Mills, weirs and springs,
:*Springs, water structures and ecosystems.
* ''Rätselhafte Zeitzeichen'' – historical themed walk by the
municipal authorities of Enkenbach-Alsenborn and Hochspeyer, with the following sections:
:* Hochfelsweg ("High Rock Way") (12 km)
:* Keltenweg ("Celtic Way" and Römerweg ("Roman Way") (9 km)
:* Mönchsweg ("Monk's Way") I (12 km) und Mönchsweg II (14 km)
:* Schanzenweg ("Fieldwork Way") (13 km)
:* Sonnwendweg ("Solstice Way") (9 km)
* ''Skulpturenweg Rheinland-Pfalz'' ("Rhineland-Palatinate Sculpture Way") – this
sculpture walk is planned in future to run through the whole of Rhineland-Palatinate. It currently comprises local sections.
These are found in the Palatine Forest at:
:*Schweinstal,
Krickenbach,
Queidersbach
Queidersbach is a municipality in the district of Kaiserslautern, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.
Geography
The municipality is located 10 km southwest of Kaiserslautern in a natural meadow valley on the western edge of the Pa ...
:*
Trippstadt
Trippstadt is a municipality in the district of Kaiserslautern, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country i ...
,
Stelzenberg
:*Trippstadt,
Johanniskreuz
Johanniskreuz is a tiny hamlet in the middle of the Palatine Forest in Germany and belongs to the municipality of Trippstadt in the district of Kaiserslautern in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate.
Geography
Location
Johanniskreuz lies in ...
* ''Spurensuche'' ("Tracking") – four forest history walks in the Johanniskreuz forest district:
:Footpath (''Weg'') 1 (yellow, 21 km, 21 stations) via Lauberhof, Karlstal and Meiserhof.
:Footpath 2 (red, 14.5 km, 21 stations) via Erlenbach and Eschkopf.
:Footpath 3 (blue, 19.5 km, 21 Stations) via Dämmchen, Mückenwiese and Speyerbrunn.
:Footpath 4 (green, 19 km, 22 Stations, not from Johanniskreuz, but Trippstadt) via Antonihof and Aschbacherhof.
*The ''Rodalber Felsenweg'' ("Rodalb Rock Way", circular path, 43.305 km, 5 stages are recommended that increase the total length, including approach and departure routes to 61.9 km) was laid out by the Palatinate Forest Club and the municipalities of
Rodalben in the early 1990s. It snakes through various side valleys around Rodalben and passes 26 bizarre rock formations of
bunter sandstone
The Buntsandstein (German for ''coloured'' or ''colourful sandstone'') or Bunter sandstone is a lithostratigraphic and allostratigraphic unit (a sequence of rock strata) in the subsurface of large parts of west and central Europe. The Buntsands ...
that are typical of the region. In 2007 it was elevated by the German Rambling Association to a certified trail.
*The ''Brunnenwanderweg'' ("Fountain Trail") near
Heltersberg
Heltersberg ( pfl, Helderschberg) is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany and belongs to the municipal association Waldfischbach-Burgalben
Waldfischbach-Burgalben ( pfl, Waldfischbach-Bojalwe) is a ...
: the trail was opened in 2009 and is 40.3 km long, has 64 theme-related stations and in the area around the village of Heltersberg. The 30 or so voluntary renovated fountains form the highlight of the path; other features include near-natural, unique mixed woods and bizarre rock formations (crags and blockfields). The cultural historic background to the trail is documented on detailed information boards and a guide brochure.
Local footpaths
Many villages and municipalities in the Palatine Forest have marked out local footpaths. These circular routes are usually waymarked with numbers and are of short to medium length, mainly used by local people. The care of these circular walks (waymarking, clearing) has been very neglected in recent years due to lower demand and tighter budgets. As a result, some can only be located with the aid of
topographic map
In modern mapping, a topographic map or topographic sheet is a type of map characterized by large- scale detail and quantitative representation of relief features, usually using contour lines (connecting points of equal elevation), but historic ...
s.
Common waymarking systems
Since the foundation of the Palatine Forest Club and the
Vosges Club
The Vosges Club (french: Club Vosgien, officially the ''Fédération du Club Vosgien'', german: Vogesenclub) is a French rambling organization that covers the Vosges Mountains in the regions of Alsace, eastern Lorraine and the northeastern part ...
(French: ''Club Vosgien'') about 100 years ago, both rambling clubs have used almost identical waymarking systems. As a result, not only are cross-border walks made very easy but it also supports the fact that the Palatinate Forest and the Vosges form a single unit from both a geomorphological and a topographical perspective, and should therefore really only be viewed as two halves of an overarching mountain range on the left bank of the Rhine.
Markierungssystem des Vogesenclubs (Fr: Club Vosgien)
Website des Club Vosgien. Retrieved 11 April 2011
Literature
* Klaus Frölich:'' Natur und Kultur an den Wanderwegen des PWV, Teil I : Kreuzmarkierungen.'' In: Pfälzerwaldverein (Hrsg): ''Wanderführer, Broschüren usw..'' Selbstverlag Neustadt/W. 2006.
* Klaus Frölich: ''Burgenwanderweg – Teil II.'' In: Pfälzerwaldverein (Hrsg): ''Wanderführer, Broschüren usw..'' Selbstverlag Neustadt/W. o. J.
* Pfälzerwaldverein (Hrsg): ''Zabernweg-Führer, Wanderweg zwischen Rheinzabern – Bad Bergzabern – Saverne (170 km).'' Selbstverlag Neustadt/W. o. J.
* Kurt Reh: ''Der Pfälzerwald - eine Einführung in Landschaft und Namengebung.''In: Michael Geiger u. a. (Hrsg): ''Pfälzische Landeskunde, Beiträge zu Geographie, Biologie, Volkskunde und Geschichte. Bd. 1''. Selbstverlag, Landau/Pf. 1981, S. 379-388.
* Susanne Rieß-Stumm: ''Pfälzer Jakobswege.'' 9. Auflage. Kuntz Verlag, Gleishorbach 2009, .
* Barbara Christine Titz, Jörg-Thomas Titz: ''Pfälzerwald und Deutsche Weinstraße: 50 ausgewählte Tal- und Höhenwanderungen der Region Leiningerland, Haardt, Weinstraße und Pfälzerwald.'' 4. Auflage. Bergverlag Rother, Oberhaching 2009, .
External links
Website des Pfälzerwaldvereins
Wanderportal Pfalz
Landesamt für Vermessung und Geobasisinformation Rheinland-Pfalz
Website des Naturpark/Biosphärenreservates Pfälzerwald
- Rheinland-Pfalz Tourismus GmbH
References
{{coord missing, Rhineland-Palatinate
Buildings and structures in Rhineland-Palatinate
Culture of the Palatinate (region)
Palatinate Forest