Eselsweg

The Donkey Trail is one of the oldest trade routes crossing the Spessart. With every step you take, you follow in the footsteps of Celtic warriors, Roman merchants and imperial couriers. But bishops, counts, knights, poor farmers and respectable glassmakers also used this north-south connection on the ridges of the Spessart, which was also used by the heavily laden donkeys to transport the salt from the Orb salt works south to the River Main.

The Donkey Trail runs almost exclusively through the forest and avoids the valleys and villages of the Spessart. Ideal for enjoying the peace and solitude of the forest, surrounded by magnificent old trees. From Schlüchtern in the Kinzig valley, the trail first climbs uphill to Hohenzell and then across open meadows to the Bellinger Warte, which once again offers an impressive panoramic view before the Donkey Trail descends into the forest and reappears in Lettgenbrunn in the Jossa valley.

On the Bavarian-Hessian border, the mystical Wiesbüttmoor is enchanting before the route leads over the "Engländer" to Heigenbrücken - an idyllic climatic health resort in the Hochspessart. The donkeys had to pass the glassmaking village of Weibersbrunn to the Echterspfahl forester's lodge - a meeting place of three knights, shrouded in legend, where you can stop for a bite to eat today. The post where they tied their horses can still be seen today.

The route then leads past Wildensee and the climatic health resort of Mönchberg to the imposing Engelberg Monastery above Großheubach. The Franciscan monastery, whose origins date back to the 1300s, towers spectacularly over the Main valley. Before descending the 612 steps that pilgrims laboriously climb, you can fortify yourself with fresh monastery bread and cheese and the famous beer brewed by the monks.