Fränkischer Gebirgsweg

Up among the highest peaks in Franconia

The Fränkischer Gebirgsweg begins in the Selbitz valley around the beautiful peaks of Untereichenstein and Blankenstein. Here, it meets the Saale-Orla Weg, the Rennsteig, the Blauer Kammweg and the Frankenweg (Rennsteig to Swabian Alb), transforming a once-forgotten corner of the German-German border into a superlative walking region.

A Wanderbares Deutschland premium route, the 425km Fränkischer Gebirgsweg begins in the Franconian Forest. After crossing the loftiest peaks of Franconia through the Steinwald Forest and Fichtelgebirge mountains, the trail continues to the Franconian Switzerland region with its fascinating culture and natural beauty, before ending at Hersbruck in the Franconian Alb. A richly varied experience, it takes you across plateaus and into forests, along meadow paths and through river valleys. Numerous conservation areas and protected natural features can be found on the wayside. Enjoy the views from the Ochsenkopf and other lofty summits, admire beautiful lakes and rivers such as the upper reaches of the Red Main, and visit exciting rock climbing centres. Along the way, you can sample regional cuisine at restaurants and taverns. There are also numerous cultural monuments and architectural gems to discover that trace the history of the Franconian region.

The trail has literally weeks' worth of walking for you to enjoy. If you look at the map, you'll see that the route makes two prominent loops, one into the Fichtelgebirge range, the other into the Franconian Switzerland region. These give you the opportunity to explore one or two other mountains along the way. The return journey is simple as well: regional train services run from Bayreuth to Münchberg and from Pegnitz to Creussen.