SeTro
Experience history - day tours at the Green Belt in Thuringia
Hiking Collection by Thüringen entdecken
8
Tours
26:44 h
116 mi
10,350 ft
From the death strip to the lifeline – where once the inner-German border divided the country into east and west, today a green vein extends through Germany. Animals, plants and a unique nature form the so-called Green Belt. A natural paradise full of rare animals and plants, with memories and new projects. Several federal states have set themselves the task of converting the almost 870 miles (about 1.400 kilometer) long former border to the green belt, thereby creating space for fauna and flora. In this collection we show you the most beautiful tours on foot and on the bike to experience this green oasis in Thuringia. So you have the choice, whether you prefer to cycle or hike.
The first three tour suggestions will take you on a bike through sections of the unique Rennsteig that leads you across Thuringia. If you have enough time, you can go through the three stages over the Kammweg in one go. On the five hikes in this collection you will experience the Green Belt on foot and can explore the beautiful landscape along the borders of Thuringia, Hesse and Lower Saxony at walking pace.
Along the routes you will find many relics thay remnd you of the division of Germany – from historic border posts or impressive exhibitions with goose bumps feeling. This important chapter of history will accompany you on your excursions. Because four decades of separation have left a scar. So it is all the more beautiful to see that a green stripe of nature connects this wound – and today we can again undisturbed and cross the borders of the country. You can read more about the Green Belt here: gruenes-band.thueringen-entdecken.de.
On The Map
Tours & Highlights
- Expert02:3921.8 mi8.2 mph1,625 ft1,850 ftExpert bike ride. Very good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
On this varied 35-kilometer bike tour you will cross three federal states - Thuringia, Bavaria and Saxony. The starting point is at the historical railway station of Hof, where the refugee trains from Prague arrived in 1989. Through the Saale valley, the route takes you to the flat hilly Bavarian Vogtland…
- Expert03:0425.9 mi8.5 mph1,825 ft2,400 ftExpert bike ride. Very good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
Off to the wheel and explore the extraordinary natural landscape of the former border region in Germany. On the tour you will cycle on the Green Belt over the Rennsteig into the Selbitz and Saale valley, through the European bird sanctuary "Frankenwald-Schieferbrüche" and the "Franken (ur) forest". Starting…
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- Intermediate02:5730.1 mi10.2 mph1,425 ft2,350 ftIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
At the time of the German-German division, the 170-kilometer Kammweg on the Rennsteig was not passable. Sections of it long in East and others in West Germany. Fortunately, nothing stands in the way of the nearly 50-kilometer bike ride today. But you will learn a lot of interesting things about this…
- Intermediate04:4610.5 mi2.2 mph1,150 ft1,150 ftIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
This tour starts magnificently: At the Schlossplatz Geisa starts your almost 17-kilometer circular route with great views and an interesting highlight shortly before the end. At the Point Alpha memorial you can experience in a very impressive way what division in Germany meant for the people in the region…
- Intermediate04:229.32 mi2.1 mph1,325 ft1,200 ftIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
This 13 kilometer long hike takes you through Eichsfelder Schweiz, which, with its shell limestone plateau and numerous viewpoints, forms a great backdrop for your hike. Start of the circular hike is at the Wanderparkplatz Alter Steinbruch between Asbach and Sickenberg. You are hiking - as befits a Switzerland…
- Intermediate03:518.05 mi2.1 mph1,150 ft1,150 ftIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
On its 13 kilometers route this hike led you through a variety of animal and plant life with a lot of great views. Let's start the circuit in Heldra. After wandering out of town, you cross the Werra and begin the ascent. 360 meters you leave at the first four kilometers behind you.
You follow the former…
- Intermediate02:325.13 mi2.0 mph925 ft925 ftIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
On this tour you will be hiking on a section of the Harz Border Trail - and on a section of German history. The long-distance hiking trail leads on a total of 100 kilometers along the former inner-German border. Today you can enjoy the peaceful nature along the Green Belt.
The eight-kilometer round tour…
- Intermediate02:345.23 mi2.0 mph950 ft950 ftIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
On this eight kilometer hike you will find a lot of impressive views next to an imposing castle. Start is at the inn Klausenhof in Bornhagen.
For the first two and a half kilometers, the trail climbs steadily. However, you will be accompanied by the view of Hanstein Castle, one of the most beautiful castle…
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Collection Stats
- Tours8
- Distance116 mi
- Duration26:44 h
- Elevation10,350 ft
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