FrankenwaldSteigla Eisenpark-Weg

Breathe wide - Deep valleys, bright clearings, plateaus with surprising views: Hiking in the Franconian Forest opens up unexpected horizons for the eyes and soul! In front of the grandeur of nature, our everyday fears and worries become small and insignificant. We breathe in the vastness and find ourselves.

It's open country here on the eastern edge of the Franconian Forest! The view sweeps far over the busy fields and is only rarely obstructed by groups of trees. Even if you walk along our "Iron Park Trail" briefly through dense woodland, the view opens up all the more beautifully afterwards! Agriculture is not the only thing that catches your eye during the hike: the quarry near Hadermannsgrün is still in active use. In contrast, the slate heaps near Eisenbühl are nothing more than historical evidence. But it wasn't just slate that was mined here: In the Middle Ages, an iron mine provided the miners with their livelihood, so the name Eisenbühl is no coincidence! Iron has been playing a role here again for a few years now, albeit in a completely new way: bizarre sculptures await visitors in the Art Garden Einsenpark, oversized works of art made of steel weighing several tons. Some are abstract, while others are reminiscent of mythical figures or models from nature. As strange as these imaginative creatures may seem at first glance, for the people of Eisenbühl, these new residents have long since become part of the community!

Trail description

From our starting point in the center of Hadermannsgrün, we walk through the village until we reach a heavily grassed field path on the outskirts of the village, which leads us to the heights above Hadermannsgrün. Looking back, we can enjoy the view of the village and the Thuringian and Franconian countryside.

Along the row of trees, we first turn right and then left along the ridge together with the Berger-Winkel-Weg. We first walk downhill on a meadow path and then turn onto a field path. This leads us to another hill, from where we can enjoy the beautiful, wide views. From the open field, the path continues along the hill into the forest. Along the edge of the forest, we head downhill again and enjoy the views that accompany us. We walk through the meadows on a pleasant meadow path.

We reach the tranquil village of Eisenbühl. We follow the Kirchgasse into the village and turn right at the main road to cross the road after 50 m and turn into the Schieferleite. Together with the Schiefersteig (US 74), we leave the village and reach the Iron Park, which was built in 1997 and invites us to linger.

After leaving the impressive art collection behind us, we follow the path downhill to the left and then follow a driveway to the left, which takes us back to the main road, where we cross the road at Wiesla. Near the last houses there is a pleasant shady seating area for (thirsty) hikers and cyclists, which occasionally offers a surprise. Immediately after the hamlet, we hike uphill to the right over the ground and reach the Lohwiesen individual meadow, which is well worth seeing. From here, there are pleasant views of the Zottelbach valley ahead, Eisenbühl with the Eisengarten, Blankenberg and the Thuringian countryside. We walk straight ahead uphill in the forest and after a longer stretch reach the single Hollerhöh. We leave the forest and enjoy the beautiful views as far as the Döbraberg, the highest elevation in the Franconian Forest. Immediately after the Einzel, we turn left and hike leisurely to the main road. We follow a forest path to nearby Reitzenstein and can already see the hunting lodge of the Lords of Reitzenstein.

We walk through the valley of the Issigbach stream on a natural path through a young forest up to the hill with beautiful rock formations. With beautiful views of the past hike with views of Reitzenstein Castle and the distant Issigau, we walk past the single stone green, the Mohrenhaus, back to our starting point in Hadermannsgrün.

Prof. Dr. Claus-Frenz Claussen, the iron sculptor from Eisenbühl, created the colorful large sculptures in the probably unique art garden in Eisenbühl using the most modern equipment and techniques. With his steel sculptures, the neurootologist made a name for himself as an iron sculptor from Eisenbühl both as an artist and as a scientist far beyond the borders of Germany. The oversized works of art made of steel weighing several tons, alienated gingko leaves, figures from Germanic mythology and abstract creations, have also been included, for a limited time, in exhibitions and in nature, e.g. in Bayreuth, Hof, in Germany and neighbouring countries. Small sculptures are kept in the studio. A guided visit is worthwhile!