Kraichgau-Stromberg Castle Route

54 KM   I   ALTITUDE 410 METRES  I   DURATION 3.30 HOURS   I  LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY  MEDIUM 

 

SHORT DESCRIPTION:

This cycle route showcases the castles of Kraichgau and boasts some spectacular views, with the Barockschloss Bruchsal (Bruchsal Baroque Castle) as one of the highlights. You will be able to admire Graf-Eberstein-Schloss (Gochsheim Castle) as well as Gondelsheim Castle with its Nymphenbrunnen (Nymph Fountain) and Schlosspark (Castle Grounds). Not forgetting Flehingen Castle, which pays homage to the von Sickingen Dynasty.

Starting point and how to get there

  • Starting/finishing point: Gondelsheim

  • How to get there: A5 to the Bruchsal exit then the B35 towards Bruchsal or A8 to the Pforzheim-Nord exit then the B294 via Neulingen-Bauschlott towards Bretten

  • Public transport: S3 from Heidelberg or Karlsruhe, S31/S32 from Karlsruhe or Rastatt, S4 from Heilbronn or Karlsruhe, S9 from Mühlacker, regional train line from Karlsruhe, Heidelberg or Stuttgart and EC/IC trains from Munich, Stuttgart, Heidelberg, Strasbourg and Basel

  • Parking: At the train station in Gondelsheim

Things to see

  • Melanchthonhaus Museum Bretten, Derdinger Horn Aussichtsplattform mit Weinplateau (Derdinger Horn Observation Platform with Wine Plateau), Badisches Bäckerei- und Deutsches Zuckerbäcker Museum (Baden Bakery and German Confectionery Museum), Barockschloss Bruchsal (Bruchsal Baroque Castle), Stadtgarten mit Belvedere (Castle Grounds with Belvedere)

     

 

 

Places to stop

  • Gondelsheim: Löwenthor guest house
    Bretten: Hotel Restaurant Krone
    Oberderdingen: Weingut Lutz (Lutz Wine Estate), Weingut Kern (Kern Wine Estate)
    Kraichtal: Zur Stadtschänke restaurant, Zum Kannenbesen pub, Zur Krone guest house
    Ubstadt-Weiher: Hammerschmiede wine bar
    Bruchsal: Brauhaus Wallhall restaurant, Gasthaus Zum Bären restaurant

 

PEAT BOGS

This route begins at the train station in Gondelsheim. From there, cycle for a short stretch on the road called Neibsheimer Straße towards Neibsheim, before turning right onto Mühlstraße and heading straight ahead on Postweg in the direction of Diedelsheim. Once you are in the town centre, head right on Schwandorfstraße, crossing the Saalbach Stream and the tracks, and then left on Robert-Bosch-Straße in the direction of Rinklingen. Go through the underpass and straight on to Hauptstraße. Bear left on this main road and you will soon find yourself on the cycle path to Bretten. Take a right at the roundabout and head towards the train station. Turn left at the junction on the cycle/footpath, cross at the crossing and turn onto Luisenstraße, heading towards the town centre. Cycle along the following roads: Am Seedamm, Schlachthausgasse, Untere Kirchgasse, Obere Kirchgasse and Schulgasse, before turning onto Melanchthonstraße. From there, turn left onto Am Gaisberg and then right onto the main road (Hauptstraße). Take the next left onto Apothekergasse and start to head uphill. At the T junction, turn right onto Postweg. At the end of the road, turn right and then immediately left onto Reuchlinstraße. Take a left turn at the roundabout onto Merianstraße. Follow the road straight ahead. Bear right and head downhill over the bridge. Go through the underpass and cycle straight uphill, passing the farm. Once you reach the top, take a slight left at the car park and head into the forest. After around 1 km, take a right towards the L1103 and cross straight over it. Turn right at the Schwarzerdhof Estate and then follow the path round to the left in the direction of the stream. Turn left at the four-way intersection and you will soon find yourself following the tarmac farm track uphill towards Großvillars. Once you get to the town centre, bear right and then take the next left turn onto Freudensteinerstraße. After the Waldenserhäusle (Craftsman’s House), turn left onto Piemontstraße. At the end of that road, turn left and then take the next right. On the road called Ziegelhütte, carry on straight out of the town and head towards Oberderdingen. At the Pferdehof (Stable), turn left towards Hauptstraße and then turn right on this main road to head into the town. Cycle straight past the Amthof Building and turn left towards Flehingen at the T junction. When you reach the junction, leave Hauptstraße by taking a slight left onto Rote Tor Straße. Turn right onto Haustraße, at the end of which you will need to turn left onto the main road (Hauptstraße) towards Flehingen. After around 200 m, you will see the start of a cycle path on the left. Once you have passed the petrol station, bear left at the roundabout and head uphill to the stopping point in Flehingen. From there, head right and go through the underpass. Turn right on the road and cycle downhill. Turn left onto Kraichtalstraße at the next intersection and then right onto Hirschstraße after around another 500 m. At the T junction, take a left and cycle along the Kraichbach Stream towards Gochsheim. Turn left on Hauptstraße and then take the next right onto the farm track, at which point you will have to briefly tackle a steep incline. At the top, take a slight right down onto Berthold-Bott-Straße. Cycle straight ahead onto the road called Alte Münzesheimer Straße and then veer right so that you are cycling alongside the tracks on your way to the stopping point in Münzesheim. On the main road (Hauptstraße), bear left to get to the crossing and cross over the L554. Head left towards the town centre on the cycle/footpath. Turn right at the Feuerwehr (Fire Station) and take the gravel path to the stream. Follow the stream through the town and on to the stopping point in Oberöwisheim towards Unteröwisheim. At the former Wasserschloss (Moated Castle), take a right turn, heading through the allotments and straight on past the train station. Follow the road to Hauptstraße, at which point you should turn right. Take the cycle/footpath alongside the road all the way to Ubstadt. Turn right at the entrance to the town, heading over the tracks and past the stopping point. Take a left turn into the 30 km/h zone and go straight ahead at the traffic lights. Take another left turn once you have passed the railway crossing. Follow the track over the bridge. Turn left and then cross the tracks on your way to the B3. Proceed along the cycle path to Bruchsal. Follow the main road (Hauptstraße) straight ahead to the castle. Turn right onto the road called Am Schlossgarten and then cycle to the left through the Schlosspark (Castle Grounds). Follow the cycle/footpath signs to Bretten through the town centre. Cross the B3 and take the cycle/footpath alongside the stream out of Bruchsal. As you leave the town, turn onto the road called Münzesheimer Weg and cycle alongside the Saalbach Stream. Take a detour through Heidelsheim town centre. Keep going beyond Helmsheim and head back to where the route started.

 

CONTACT

Kraichgau-Stromberg Tourismus e.V.
Melanchthonstraße 3, 75015 Bretten
Tel: +49 (0) 7252 / 9633-0
info (at) kraichgau-stromberg.com
www.kraichgau-stromberg.com

Copyright photo on this page: Kraichgau Stromberg Tourismus e. V. Jan Bürgermeister www.fotostate.de

Copyright map: map.solutions GmbH