Where mountain witches and sky goats hunt through the air

THE HOCHRHÖNER® long-distance hiking trail

The Thuringian version of the three-country premium hiking trail DER HOCHRHÖNER winds its way through picturesque stretches of land in the UNESCO Rhön Biosphere Reserve, one of the three largest in Germany. The far-reaching views in this pristine part of central Germany, criss-crossed by volcanic mountains, are a real mind-opener. Impressive cultural monuments and the discovery of unusual animals and plants make this hiking tour a unique experience.

The route leads over green volcanic mountains, through sparse forests and past lush fields and meadows. Basalt, shell limestone and mottled sandstone form the rock base, which is up to 299 million years old - and in some places reveal themselves as curious formations worth seeing. The easy to moderately difficult 60-kilometre route often follows high-altitude paths. You will soon experience that special feeling of relief and freedom that we find so magical when we see far-reaching views. The route usually starts in the brine spa town of Bad Salzungen. You should plan four to five days to Birx or Frankenheim on the Green Belt - or more if you want to include additional themed circular routes on the tour. When stopping for a bite to eat and staying overnight in traditional establishments in tranquil towns, you will remain in the rural atmosphere that also accompanies you during the day.

Impressive biodiversity

The meadows show at first glance how serious the farmers are about nature - without slurry, clover, wild flowers and herbs grow in all their diversity as they did 100 years ago. Cows, goats and Rhön sheep graze on the meadows. The calcareous meadows are particularly colourful in spring - 40 well-known orchid species alone bloom then. Bees, including the blue-black wood bee, and moths such as the mountain witch buzz around busily. In many places, black storks and rare birds can be observed, such as sky goats, corncrakes and ravens. Hard-to-count animal species, including endangered species, live almost undisturbed in the forests of the core and maintenance zones of the UNESCO Rhön Biosphere Reserve. Some, such as black grouse, wildcats and badgers, are so shy that you will hardly ever come across them - but mouflons, red deer, wild boar, kingfishers, fire salamanders and rhinoceros beetles are very common.

Let's go! Are you excited?

A large part of the first stage leads from the starting point in Bad Salzungen through wooded areas and over the Pleß. The observation tower on the basalt stone hill offers hikers wonderful views of a lovely forest and meadow landscape. Shortly before you reach the idyllic village of Bernshausen, you will pass a natural gem - the Bernshäuser Kutte sinkhole lake, surrounded by deciduous trees and with a surprising depth of 45 metres.

Lasting memories of sounds and scents

On the way to Dermbach, you will cross a true natural beauty, the Wiesenthaler Schweiz, characterised by wild flowers such as the blue mountain gentian and juniper heaths. Grind a berry from the wild shrub and the pleasant scent will stay with you for a while - as will the whistling of the red kites as they fly in flocks over freshly ploughed fields and mown meadows. The heraldic animal of the UNESCO Röhn Biosphere Reserve often reaches a wingspan of 1.70 metres and a body size of 70 centimetres at a weight of just one kilogramme.

Through the mysterious Yew Garden

The yew trees, as they used to be called and which are said to have all sorts of magical properties, have become rare. The Ibengarten nature reserve with its almost 350 trees of this species, 14 per cent of which are more than 500 years old, is therefore considered a botanical sensation in Europe. They form a dark contrast to the light-coloured beech trees that dominate the forest today and fascinate nature lovers in equal measure. The Rhönpaulus adventure trail, a section of the HOCHRHÖNER, runs through this area. At the individual stations, everything revolves around the Rhönpaulus, a legendary figure known as the Robin Hood of the Rhön.

Noah's sail shows more than just the HOCHRHÖNER®

Noah's Sail is enthroned on the 800 metre high elbow on the wooded route to Birx. The biblical story of Noah's Ark breathed architectural life into this airy, creative structure. The structure, which symbolises diversity and its need for protection, is not only moving in terms of its symbolism - the panoramic view from the platform is also captivating. Up there, you can survey the route you have travelled so far and catch a glimpse of the final section.

How things can change for the better

The area around Frankenheim and Birx is located in the former restricted and border area of the GDR. Barbed wire fences and watchtowers have been preserved as memorials to promote an awareness of history. However, they have long since lost their horror - the expressive scenery with grazing animals conveys a peaceful feeling. In the Green Belt, as the 1400 kilometre long former border district is now called, flora and fauna have been able to develop completely untouched. The HOCHRHÖNER crosses the national natural monument several times. Knowledgeable local guides and eyewitnesses to history offer interesting guided border hikes.

Near Birx, you can also take a circular hike to the Black Moor - discover the carnivorous sundew, the fresh green peat moss and the short-growing birch trees in one of the few remaining raised bogs in Europe.

Green Belt natural monument

You can search for traces of the Green Belt using a cleverly developed app with films, eyewitness accounts, historical documents, graphics and pictures.

Let's go to the 360°-Tour!

On cloudless nights, the lightless UNESCO Rhön Biosphere Reserve impresses with an unobstructed view of an infinite number of stars and planets - another unforgettable special feature for trekking fans on the long-distance hiking trail DER HOCHRHÖNER.

Header Picture: ©Wolfgang Fallier, Rhön GmbH