Cultural and Foodie Route in the Murg Valley

34 KM   I   ALTITUDE 356 METRES  I   DURATION 1.30 HOURS   I  LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY  MEDIUM 

SHORT DESCRIPTION :

This exciting cycle route along the Murg River covers diverse landscapes, passing through charming historical towns and shaded wooded areas in the Naturpark Schwarzwald Mitte/Nord (Central/Northern Black Forest Nature Park). You won’t find it difficult to find a stunning spot in which to while away the time. Head to one of the local beer gardens, cafés and guest houses for some traditional Baden cuisine and fine wine.

 

Starting point and how to get there

  • Starting/finishing point: Gaggenau or Gernsbach
  • How to get there: A5 motorway to the Rastatt Nord exit, B462 to Gaggenau or Gernsbach
  • Public transport: Metropolitan Railway to Karlsruhe-Freudenstadt (S41 or S31), www.kvv.de. Parking: Gernsbach: P+R at the train station car park, Kurpark (Spa Garden on Igelbachstraße); parking in Gaggenau: Jahnhalle Hall on Annemasseplatz

Things to see

  • Gaggenau: Unimog Museum on the B462 between Gaggenau and Kuppenheim, Haus Kast (Rafter Museum) and Radfahrerkirche (Cycle Path Church) in Hörden, Kurpark Bad Rotenfels (Bad Rotenfels Spa Garden) featuring Elisabethenquelle Spring, Waldseebad Lake (the largest natural pool in Southern Germany)
  • Gernsbach: Historische Altstadt (Historical Old Town) with fortification, Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall), Katz’scher Garten Garden, Kurpark (Spa Garden), Schloss Eberstein (Eberstein Castle – now a hotel and restaurant), lots of artistic sundials, Heuhüttentäler (Hay Hut Valleys)
  • Kuppenheim: Reste der historischen Stadtmauer (Remains of the Historical Town Wall) with Stadtgraben (Town Moat), Neugotische Kath. Pfarrkirche (Gothic Revival Catholic Parish Church), Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall), Jüdischer Zentralfriedhof (Central Jewish Cemetery) in the town’s woodland. On the outskirts: Barockschloss Favorite (Favorite Baroque Palace) featuring a collection of porcelain, glass and earthenware pieces, Cuppamare Hallenbad (Indoor Swimming Pool), Wellenfreibad (Open-Air Swimming Pool) and Sauna, Koffermuseum (Luggage Museum)
  • Baden-Baden: Kurhaus (Spa Resort), Trinkhalle (Pump House), Casino, Festspielhaus (Concert Hall), Römische Badruinen (Ruins of the Roman Baths), Frieder Burda Museum
  • Ebersteinburg: Viewpoint at Wolfsschlucht Gorge

 

Places to stop

  • Gaggenau, Gernsbach, Kuppenheim, Baden-Baden: There are plenty of places to stop in the town centres Baden-Baden Ebersteinburg: You can stop at Hotel Wolfsschlucht

PEAT BOGS

You can choose to start this loop in Gaggenau or Gernsbach. You can park free of charge in the designated parking spaces. If you are travelling to the starting points on public transport, you will be setting off from the relevant train station. To start with, lots of cycle path signs will point you to the signposted “Tour de Murg” (Murg Route) cycle path heading towards Rastatt. Once you have passed the fascinating Unimog Museum, you will come to the historical town of Kuppenheim. At this point, you will move away from the “Tour de Murg” route, instead following the signs towards Haueneberstein as far as Baden Oos on the Rheintalradweg (Rhine Valley Cycle Path). Cycle alongside the Oos River until you reach the spa town of Baden-Baden. When you reach the intersection on Lange Straße/Leopoldstraße, follow Leopoldstraße uphill and turn right onto Kernerstraße just before you reach the edge of the forest. As the road merges onto Schützenstraße, bear right until a short yet steep uphill incline on the left takes you back onto Leopoldstraße. Still cycling uphill, follow the cycle path signs beneath the Burgruine Hohenbaden (Hohenbaden Castle Ruins) and the climbing walls on the Battert to the Wolfsschlucht Gorge near Ebersteinburg. You will have the chance to stop for a break at Hotel Wolfsschlucht at the top of the pass. Once you have passed by Hotel Wolfsschlucht, carry on cycling on the road in the direction of Gernsbach. After the car park on the left and around another 150 meters, turn left so that you are back on a forest path. The route along this path will keep switching between uphill and downhill sections along the Gernsbach-Staufenberg district, through the Hahnbach Valley and into the old town of Gernsbach. A picturesque backdrop awaits as do lots of places to stop – either as a way to finish off the route or as a break before jumping on your bike again and heading back to Gaggenau by following the signposted “Tour de Murg” towards Rastatt. There too there are plenty of cafés, beer gardens and restaurants in the town centre so you can enjoy some traditional Baden cuisine. Information on further paths: The “Tour de Murg” is the most popular cycle route in the Murg Valley. It spans 67 kilometres along the Murg River from Freudenstadt to Rastatt. Information on maps for further afield: You can get a free brochure called “Tour de Murg” from any of the tourist information offices in the Murg Valley or from the “Im Tal der Murg” Association. Tel.: +49 (0)7225 982160, www.murgtal.org.

 

CONTACT

Zweckverband „Im Tal der Murg“
Am Bahnhofsplatz 1, 76571 Gaggenau
Tel. +49 (0) 7225 / 982160
info (at) murgtal.org
www.murgtal.org

Copyright photo on this page: Zweckverband "Im Tal der Murg" - Radfahrer Unimog Museum

Copyright map: map.solutions GmbH