Alte Heeresstraße

When you talk about Ludwigsstadt, you automatically think of the Trogenbach. It originates from two spring streams in the Alte Tröge forest section near the Rennsteig. It flows through a narrow, untouched forest valley, picks up the equally idyllic Bärenbach at the Zwa Wage (Two Paths), crosses former slate quarries, passes under the Trogenbachtal bridge (railroad bridge: Munich-Berlin) built in 1881/85 and flows into the Loquitz in the town center.

We leave Ludwigsstadt together with the FrankenwaldSteig via Kirchgasse and under the viaduct. We walk parallel to the railroad line until we come to a forest path, which we follow straight ahead. We hike steadily uphill, somewhat steeper at first, with occasional views of the B 85 and the railroad line, as long as the hiking route runs close to the valley.

At a rest area about halfway along the trail, the FrankenwaldSteig trail leaves us to the left. However, we continue through the forest, cross the Rennsteig and come to the Drei-Brüder-Kreuz (Three Brothers Cross), which commemorates a terrible event during the Thirty Years' War.

Three people from a Protestant family were on the run to join their co-religionists in Lauenstein. They were caught here by the vengeful Kronachers and were beaten and stabbed to death.

Now it is only a stone's throw to the Steinbach-Kleintettau road, which our hiking trail crosses at its highest point (just under 700 m). We now walk along pleasant paths through wooded areas and open fields. The forests become increasingly sparse in favor of beautiful views, such as from the Windheimer Höhe to Steinbach a.Wald (left) and to the right to Windheim and all around to the wide, wooded Franconian forest heights.

We pass the Napoleonsbusch (information board and seating area of the Windheimer Wanderfreunde) in open countryside.

The bush once stood where Napoleon's troops once camped. Since 1957, its second successor, a Douglas spruce, has been a reminder of that distant time when life once pulsated here when the army commanders passed through with their troops.

Accompanied by beautiful views, we cross the road where the old and new times meet (transformer station and chapel). Other chapels, crosses and martyrdoms on the hike through fields and forests bear witness to the deep faith of people past and present. Varied views accompany us as we walk along the little-used road to the sports field in the village of Hirschfeld, which is characterized by slate and many beautiful sandstone martyrs.

We walk through the elongated Hirschfeld, the 646 m high roadside village between Ölschnitz and Steinbach, to the Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary. The pond on the north side is a reminder of the once fortified church on the site of an early medieval tower mound. Napoleon passed through the village in 1806. We walk straight on through the village, leave the main road and follow a village road together with the Burgenweg trail straight out of town to the three large wind turbines on the plateau, a lovingly restored chapel and an impressive view.

We continue along the road, which leads through the forest for long stretches. As we emerge from the forest into the open, there is a beautiful view to the left of the Haßlachtal valley. Following the same path, we soon reach the historic Galgenberg on the right, the Schlossberg (left) and finally the castle in Rothenkirchen, which was restored in 2006.

It belonged to Ulrich von Haßlach until 1358, was then sold to Konrad IV von Würtzburg and in 1667 by Hans Veit IV von Würtzburg to the Bamberg Abbey. In 1377, the village was granted market rights and the noble house was granted high jurisdiction. House names in the surrounding area are still reminiscent of that now very distant time.