Th e R en n st e i g T r a i F O R H I K E R S A N D C YC L I S T S l

This more relaxed section leads from the mountain ridges near Tambach-Dietharz to Oberhof. The stage starts at the Ebertswi- ese. Not far away from here, you will find the modern "Neue Ausspanne" Renn- steig house with a snack bar, sanitary facili- ties, a rest area and a bicycle repair station. From Nesselberg, it goes past the Krämerrod viewing point to the Weidensuhlswiese. If the flag is flying, the mountain rescue service will offer you a bite to eat here. The trail continues through dense forest over Sperrhügel, past the "Neuhöfer Wiese" to Wachsenrasen with the "Steinernes Häuschen" mountain hut. The "Hoher Schorn" viewing tower provides a fan- tastic view of Hohe Möst, Ruppberg and Her- DISTANCE 17.3 km | 344 m difference in altitude BUS & TRAIN Ebertswiese: Nesselhof bus 851 to Gotha Oberhof: bus 428/422 to Zella-Mehlis REFRESHMENT BREAKS Grillimbiss am Rennsteighaus "Neue Ausspanne", Gasthof Thüringer Hütte & Waldgasthof Schanzenbaude INFORMATION ABOUT THE STAGE Floh-Seligenthal tourist information www.floh-seligenthal.de | 03683 – 408 848 Oberhof tourist information www.oberhof.de | 036842 – 269 0 mannsberg. If your time and fitness allow, you are recommend- ed to turn off to Hohe Möst at the Gustav-Freytag-Stein. In the distance, the tower on Grosser Inselsberg rises up out of the forest. At the "Axel" mountain hut, you will find the roller skiing track belonging to the winter sports centre at the Grenzadler. The training and competition routes for the World Cup venue Oberhof run here. At the end of the stage, the "Thüringer Hütte" awaits you right next to the LOTTO Thüringen ARENA am Rennsteig and the Rennsteig house at the Grenzadler. Another tip: take advantage of the opportunity to go on an excursion to Oberhof. Oberhof is Germany’s Mecca for winter sports – world champions and Olympic gold medallists live here. There are also numerous ac- tivities on offer for you to experience, e.g. the indoor ski centre, the bike park and the golf climbing park. HIGHLIGHTS ON THE ROUTE Ebertswiese mountain lake (2 km detour), Hohe Möst (2.8 km detour from Gustav-Freytag-Stein), Oberhof sports facilities, Rennsteiggarten botanical garden, golf climbing park in Oberhof PLACES TO STAY Oberhof, Schneekopf/Schmücke (Gehlberg district of Suhl) Neue Ausspanne Ebertswiese Krämerrod Neuhöfer Wiesen Wachsenrasen Gustav-Freytag-Stein Grenzadler Oberhof Hoher Schorn hm 900 700 500 km 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 CYCLING ON THE RENNSTEIG TRAIL "I like riding through the land on the Rennsteig Trail…" – on two wheels too, the Rennsteig is regarded as a real classic that offers challenging climbs and is in no way inferior to tours in alpine terrain. Time and again, wonderful views compensate you for your effort and the whole of the cycling area around the mountain trail offers numerous possible combinations for relaxed and challenging day rides. The loops of the "Rennsteig Mountain Bike Cycle Trail" or the Rennsteig ladders will guide you through green valleys or to water-rich dams. RENNSTEIG FOR MOUNTAIN BIKER The ridge trail marked with the white "R" is popular with mountain bikers and e-mountain bikers. The leg- endary trail, which involves differences in altitude of more than 2,500 m along a length of 169.3 km between Hörschel and Blankenstein, is a real adventure. The first 40 kilometres are a real challenge for your calves, beginning gently and then with steep slopes as you ap- proach Grosser Inselberg (916 m). The constant chang- es with short, steep climbs and descents require good muscles and fitness over the entire distance. Nature scores points with magnificent vistas, for example to Wartburg Castle, which sits enthroned above the Thuringian Forest. The ground alternates between a firm forest floor with forest trails, and well-developed forest paths. Cyclists in good condition are able to ride the trail in two days. However, you should bear in mind that this is comparable with a stage of the TOUR Transalp. If you would like to plan more relaxed stag- es with time to enjoy cultural and culinary highlights along the route, you are recommended to take three to four days to complete the trail. After all, the route leads through three nature parks, over mountain peaks with tradition-steeped mountain buildings, past ex- citing historic squares or special sports facilities such as in Oberhof, which merit a break from your cycling. The Thuringian Forestry Law allows the use of solid and surfaced paths, which means that biking is possible on most of the Rennsteig Trail. Mutu- al respect and getting one another’s attention early ensures that the users of the trail can co-exist without stress. Starting from the Grenzadler – the Olympic base for German winter athlets – the route goes past the Schanzenbaude inn and contin- ues via Stein 16, a boundary stone from 1734, and an attractive mountain hut towards the Rennsteiggarten, one of the biggest and most biodiverse alpine gardens in Germany. If you follow the Rennsteig to the Suhler Auss- panne, you will soon reach the Rennsteig Trail’s highest elevation beneath the Grosser Beer- berg – Thuringia’s highest mountain at 983 m. Plänckner’s Lookout, named after the Renn- steig pioneer Julius von Plänckner (1829), of- fers one of the most attractive views. If you have enough time, it is worth taking a detour to Schneekopf with its panoramic view of the DISTANCE 19.8 km | 249 m difference in altitude BUS & TRAIN Oberhof: bus 428/422 to Zella-Mehlis Along the Rennsteig Trail: SNG R line from Rondell to Schmücke; from Schmücke on to Rennsteig-Kreuzung (with a change) REFRESHMENT BREAKS Suhler Hütte, Schmücke, Rennsteig train station, Waldhotel Rennsteighöhe INFORMATION ABOUT THE STAGE Oberhof tourist information www.oberhof.de | 036842 – 269 0 Frauenwald tourist information www.frauenwald.info | 036782 – 619 25 Thuringian Forest. Typical food of the region is available here, for example at the Suhler Hütte mountain hut and at the Schmücke. 700 metres further on is the Herbert Roth Monument, which commemorates the man who wrote the Rennsteiglied, a well- known song about the Rennsteig Trail. Between Mordfleck and Rennsteig-Kreuzung, not far from the Rennsteig train station with a place to get a bite to eat, there is a beautiful section of the trail with narrow paths and delightful places to pause for a breather. Slightly to the south of the Renn- steig Trail is Schmiedefeld with the Thuringian Forest UNESCO Biosphere Reserve information centre and a Rennsteig house. The final kilometres of the stage lead past Waldhotel Rennsteighöhe and the bunker museum to the little settlement of Allzunah. You will find further accommodation options in nearby Frauenwald. HIGHLIGHTS ON THE ROUTE Pfanntalsteich (1.3 km detour from Rondell), Plänckner’s Lookout, Schneekopf (2.8 km detour) PLACES TO STAY Schmiedefeld am Rennsteig, Frauenwald, Allzunah, Neustadt am Rennsteig Oberhof Rennsteig- garten Plänkners Aussicht Schmiedefeld a.R. Mordfleck Bahnhof Rennsteig Allzunah hm 900 700 500 km 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 This section of the Rennsteig leads through the idyllic Thuringian Highlands. From Spechtsbrunn, it goes through the forest to Kalte Küche. At the present-day transport hub, formerly a trading route to Nuremberg, you will now find the "Kalte Küche" nature park information centre along with the Rennsteig snack bar. The subsequent sections enable you to experience history up close. The Rennsteig Trail crosses the border to Bavaria mul- tiple times. Since 28 April 1990, it has once again been possible to hike the whole of the Rennsteig Trail. Before that, the division of Germany meant that the Rennsteig Trail did not start in Hörschel, but in Clausberg to the west of Eisenach. In those days, the end of the Rennsteig Trail was in Ern- stthal, rather than Blankenstein, with the result DISTANCE 19.2 km | 197 m difference in altitude BUS & TRAIN Spechtsbrunn: bus 706 to Sonneberg (infreq.) Brennersgrün: bus 610 to Wurzbach (infreq.), alternatively to Lehesten, changing from bus to train there REFRESHMENT BREAKS Rennsteig-Imbiss, Hotel Rennsteig, "Fiedler" café (Steinbach am Wald) INFORMATION ABOUT THE STAGE Sonneberg tourist information www.sonneberg.de | 03675 – 702 711 Ludwigstadt tourist information www.ludwigstadt.de | 09263 – 974 541 that the trail was only 120 km long at that time. The proximity to the border made these areas of the Rennsteig Trail unreachable. These sections were not even marked on the maps. This also resulted in an incomparable, largely untouched natural landscape: the Green Belt. Before Steinbach am Wald, the original Rennsteig Trail runs on an asphalted track parallel to Frankenwaldhochstrasse, a main road. Here, hikers are particularly recommended to switch to the alterna- tive route, which leads through wild and romantic sections and is accompanied by a blue R. The Rennsteig Trail’s most attractive bor- der stones, which are adorned with a coat of arms, can be found in Bavarian territory, between Steinbach am Wald and Brennersgrün. Day trippers are recommended to visit the technical monument "Le- hesten historic slate mine". In the final kilometres of the stage, the Rennsteig Trail follows the former border between East and West Germany, past the source of the Loquitz river. Tip: stop for a cof- fee break or stay overnight in the Brennersgrün Rennsteig house. HIGHLIGHTS ON THE ROUTE Schönwappenweg, technical monument "Lehesten historic slate mine" (4 km detour) PLACES TO STAY Steinbach am Wald, Brennersgrün Spechtsbrunn Naturparkinfozentrum Rennsteigpark Roter Turm Dreiwappenstein Martin-Luther- Gedenktafel Brenners- grün hm 800 600 400 km 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 The final stage of the Rennsteig Trail leads through the dense forest of the Thuringian Highlands / Upper Saale Nature Park down to the banks of the Saale, which is still narrow here, towards Grumbach and on to Rodacher- brunn. This is where the source of the river Ro- dach, which pours into the Main shortly before Lichtenfels, is located. Going past a disused diabase stone quarry, you will soon reach the village of Schlegel. Interesting fact: diabase is used as the umbrella term for various basalt rocks that are particularly used in the construc- tion of roads due to their high compressive strength and frost resistance. And Schlegel is where you will find the oldest apple tree in the Thuringian Forest, which, at an age of almost DISTANCE 20.8 km | 88 m difference in altitude BUS & TRAIN Brennersgrün: bus 610 to Wurzbach (infreq.), al- ternatively to Lehesten, changing from bus to train there | Blankenstein: connection to railway REFRESHMENT BREAKS Altvater Tower, Rennsteig pizzeria "Pizzeria La Famiglia", "Am Rennsteig" café and guest- house, Wanderstützpunkt Blankenstein INFORMATION ABOUT THE STAGE Ludwigstadt tourist information www.ludwigstadt.de | 09263 – 974 541 Blankenstein tourist information blankenstein-am-rennsteig.de | 036642 – 295 33 400 years old, has even been listed as a natural monument. Over Krähenhügel, the Rennsteig Trail continues to the place where the old trading routes intersected (Wegspinne). From there, it is not far to the destination. Shortly before you enter Blankenstein, you will pass the Rennsteig well. The "Rennsteig und Mee(h)r" museum, which is located right outside the gates of the Mercer Rosenthal paper factory, has a focus on history – with exhibitions about the region from the Middle Ages to the modern era, about the factory, and about the division of Germany. And then you have suddenly made it to the end: Germany’s most famous mountain hiking trail ends in Blankenstein, on the Selb- itz bridge next to Selbitzplatz. It is now time to throw the lucky charm out of stone from the Werra that has accompanied you for days into the Selbitz. A liberating moment that is dominat- ed by joy about the many experiences in the past few days and pride with regard to the distance you have covered! HIGHLIGHTS ON THE ROUTE Thuringia’s oldest apple tree in Schlegel, "Rennsteig & Mee(h)r" museum PLACES TO STAY Blankenstein, Bad Lobenstein Brennersgrün Steinbruch Rennsteigbrunnen Am Beerholz Blankenstein hm 700 500 300 km 0 Napoleonslinde Wegspinne 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 RENNSTEIG LADDERS HER(R)BERGSKIRCHEN 44 connecting routes, known as the Rennsteig ladders, enable you to explore the magnificent tributary valleys of the Rennsteig Trail. The access routes, each with a local and a Rennsteig portal, depending on where you are, invite you to take a hike. At the portals, which have a uniform Rennsteig design and consist of an oak pillar, a bench and an information board, you will find impor- tant information about the route and the destination. The Rennsteig ladders are consistently marked with a yellow R on a white background. The network of Renn- steig ladders covers the whole length of the Rennsteig Trail, from Eisenach to Bad Lobenstein, both to the north and to the south of the trail. The length of the hiking routes ranges between 1.6 km and 16.9 km. Due to the varying altitudes, there are different levels of difficulty from easy to challenging. www.tourenportal-thueringer-wald.de/en FAMILIES ON THE RENNSTEIG TRAIL The Rennsteig Trail offers exciting nature experiences specifically for families. The motto is always: it is all about the journey. With a little luck, you will encounter interest- ing inhabitants of the biosphere reserve here, such as the bagworm moth, the ghost moth or the swallowtail but- terfly. These are all species of lepidoptera that live here in the Thuringian Forest. Walking the whole length of the Rennsteig Trail with your family is only recommended for families with older children or teenagers who are expe- rienced hikers. towards Grosser Beerberg, to Plänckner’s Lookout. Here you are recommended to enjoy a large picnic with won- derful views. After a few more kilometres of hiking, the Suhler Hütte inn offers food and drink, before you head off through magnificent forests, mainly downhill, to reach your destination. The "Alte Tränke" restaurant is perfect for a final longer rest, as the children can have a great time playing in the water here, before you reach your destina- tion for the day, the Rennsteig train station. Here you can recharge your batteries once again with a hearty snack. Stage 4 from the Grenzadler in Oberhof to the Rennsteig railway station is a wonderfully family-friendly section of the Rennsteig Trail with moderate ascents and fan- tastic places to stop for a rest. The almost 20 km-stage leads through the oldest forest biosphere reserve in Ger- many, the Thuringian Forest Biosphere Reserve. Right at the beginning of the route, the "Wanderschuh" (hiking boot) adventure playground at the Grenzadler in Ober- hof generates anticipation for the hike in a fun way. The trail continues via the highest point of the Rennsteig Trail Hiking through the Thuringian Forest is refresh- ing and regenerating – but it also makes you tired at the end of the day. In Tambach-Dietharz, Neustadt am Rennsteig and Spechtsbrunn, it has recently become possible to sleep peaceful- ly in the local church. Every year from April to the end of September, the Her(r)bergskirchen in the Thuringian Forest provide sleeping ac- commodation, from a pallet bed to a comfort- able double bed – high up on the tower or with a direct view into the nave. The simple design of the church hall soothes the body and spirit. Sanitary facilities are available in some cases. www.herrbergskirchen.org USEFUL INFORMATION RENNSTEIG IN FIGURES: ƒ Length: 169.3 km ƒ Altitudes: from 196 m to 972 m above sea level ƒ Total ascent/descent: 3,083 m / 2,859 m GUT RUNST "Gut Runst!" is the obligatory Rennsteig greating that was officially introduced by the Rennsteig Association on 4 June, 1900. ORIGINS OF THE RENNSTEIG TRAIL This ridge trail was not created artificially, but is a trail that evolved historically. According to land registry doc- uments, there were once 1,007 border stones testifying to this, of which only around 800 are still there. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RENNSTEIG TRAIL First mentioned in the documents as "Rynnestig" in 1330, walked in its entirety by Julius von Plänckner in 1829 and only not completely passable for a 40-year period because of the former border between East and West Germany, the Rennsteig Trail can proudly be described as the mother of all German long-distance hiking trail. WAYMARKING The trail is marked with the traditional white R, known as the "Mareile" throughout, supplemented by the "Rennsteig" signposts. Between Zollhaus and Stein- bach am Wald in Stage 7, the alternative route is rec- ommended. THE RIGHT DIRECTION Tradition states that hikers should walk towards Hör- schel in even years, as the Rennsteig Rules published by the Rennsteig Association stipulate – and in the other direction in odd years. STAGE PLANNING Athletes can complete the Rennsteig Trail in 5 to 6 days. People hiking for pleasure generally need around 8 to 10 days. The stages shown on this map are non-binding suggestions with a focus on stages of similar lengths and connections to the local pub- lic transport network. You can use the elevation pro- files to estimate your performance and calculate for yourself how many kilometres you will cover per day. CLIMATE AND HIKING SEASON Due to its location on the ridge of the Thuringian For- est, the Rennsteig Trail frequently represents a me- teorological divide. The south-western side achieves higher levels of precipitation than the north-eastern side, which has a more continental climate. The aver- age temperatures range between –4°C (January) and 20°C (August). Therefore, the best time for hiking and cycling the trail is between March and October. RENNSTEIG CYCLE TRAIL With a length of 198 km, the official Rennsteig Cycle Trail – marked green on the map – is almost at the 200 km-mark, and around 65 % of the route is the same as that of the original Rennsteig Trail. The flatter pro- file and the largely surfaced path structure is suitable not only for mountain bikers, but also for gravel bikers and touring cyclists in a good condition. Combinations of this trail and the mountain trail are possible, but these sometimes entail steep slopes and even sec- tions where you have to get off your bike and push for a short time. In isolated cases, there may also be areas of the trail that are slightly eroded because of forestry work. In such areas, you need to cycle carefully and, above all, at a reduced speed. ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD There is a variety of accommodation available to cy- clists, with a choice between managed mountain huts, guesthouses and hotels – including certified bed+bike establishments. Equipped with two water bottles, you can enjoy a perfect experience of the route! OUR STAGE SUGGESTIONS 2 days – sporty: ƒ Hörschel – Schmiedefeld am Rennsteig/ Frauenwald (95 km) ƒ Blankenstein (100 km) 3 days – ambitious: ƒ Hörschel – Oberhof (70 km) ƒ Masserberg/Friedrichshöhe (50 km) ƒ Blankenstein (75 km) 4 days – enjoyable: ƒ Hörschel – Inselsberg/Ebertswiese (40 km) ƒ Schmiedefeld a.R./Frauenwald (45 km) ƒ Neuhaus am Rennweg (40 km) ƒ Blankenstein (65 km) ORGANISED TOURS OUR RENNSTEIG SPECIALISTS Plan your tour – on foot or on a bike – with selected Rennsteig experts. Whether you opt for a day tour or a stage tour, a tour with or without luggage, or an individual or group tour, you can benefit from their years of know-how. CYCLING TravelButler – cycling in Thuringia www.radfahren-in-thueringen.info Hotel Grüner Baum, Schmiedefeld am Rennsteig www.gruener-baum-schmiedefeld.de Rennsteig Bike Tour www.rennsteig-bike-tour.de Thüringer Bike Abenteuer www.tba-bike.de WANDERN Hiking in Thuringia, Eisenach www.wandern-in-thueringen.info Kleins Wanderreisen www.kleins-wanderreisen.de Lichtetal am Rennsteig tourist office www.dein-rennsteig.de Hotel "Berggarten", Brotterode www.rennsteigwanderung.de Rennsteigverein 1896 e.V. (Rennsteig Association) www.rennsteigverein.de RENNSTEIG IN THE WINTER In the winter, the Thuringian Forest and the ridge on the Rennsteig Trail provide snow-covered spruce for- ests and glistening snowy landscapes. With almost 1,400 km connected cross-country skiing routes, win- ter sports and Nordic skiing are right at home here. In the winter, the Rennsteig Trail becomes Central Eu- rope’s longest long-distance cross-country skiing trail. Between Ascherbrück in the west and Brennersgrün in the east, the Rennsteig Cross-Country Ski Trail cov- ers a length of 142 km at an altitude of between 500 and 980 m above sea level and is almost guaranteed to have snow at altitudes above 700 m from the middle of January to the middle of March. You can find all the important information about the latest snow depths and cross-country skiing conditions in the free and ad- free Thuringian Forest SnowApp. In the App-Store or at www.schnee.app. STAGE 3EBERTSWIESE GRENZADLER OBERHOFMORE INFOMORE INFOSTAGE 4GRENZADLER OBERHOF ALLZUNAHMORE INFOMORE INFOSTAGE 7SPECHTSBRUNN BRENNERSGRÜNMORE INFOMORE INFOSTAGE 8BRENNERSGRÜN BLANKENSTEINMORE INFOMORE INFOMORE INFOMORE INFOMORE INFOMORE INFO