From Altburg over scenic heights to Zavelstein

Follow the signposts of the Black Forest Association:

Sports ground, Anplätz, Speßhardt, Kohlerstraße, Theurerswald, Wanderheim, Schnappenrad, Schulstraße, Quellgarten, Market square, Burgweg, Schlossberg, Weihreute, Schlossberghütte, Wolfsschlucht, Rötenbachtal, Steinberg, Linde, Church, Stollenacker, Hausäcker, Weltenschwann, Sports ground

From the sports ground Altburg we start on the paved path along the little frequented road downhill towards Speßhardt. On the way to Kohlerstraße we pass some houses clad with shingles. Partly for the foundations the local colored sandstone was used.

After the turnoff towards Theurerswald we walk on a meadow path to the right past a large farm directly onto the meadows, cross the Rötelbach and already see the buildings of Theurerhof in front of us. Rolf Berlin, a hotelier from Zavelstein, bought the old farmhouse from 1620 in 2015. After extensive renovation and restoration with great attention to detail, it is intended to be used for conferences. Did you notice the wooden gutters?

On a meadow path it goes slightly uphill past orchards and fields towards the forest. Soon Speßhardt lies behind us in the valley. A covered bench invites you to rest before we enter the forest. On exiting we cross the road and continue our way through the forest. The nearby Zavelstein hiking home entices with its large shaded beer garden to take a break. At the signpost “Schnappenrad” we meet the East Trail, which leads us with its black-red lozenge into the town and back out again. Anyone walking this path to Zavelstein from the end of February to mid-March will be surprised by a purple-white crocus flower carpet in the meadows. But otherwise there is much to discover in the town. Until the municipal reform in 1975, Zavelstein was the smallest town in Baden-Württemberg and sometimes in all of Germany. The now listed “Städle” at that time consisted of 1 ruin, 1 church and 14 houses. Like in an open-air museum the visitor encounters a great variety of lovingly restored historical sights. Soon the castle ruin becomes visible. It dates from the Stauffer period around 1230. The bergfried offers a wonderful view over the heights of the Northern Black Forest, the Teinach valley and the Gäu to the left of the Nagold. Especially in summer numerous events take place in the ruin. Also, gastronomically, Zavelstein has a lot to offer up to the gourmet restaurant (1 Michelin star).

We leave the ruin and walk the serpentines down through the forest. From the junction Weihreute we follow the yellow lozenge again. The nearby Schlossberghütte also invites you to take a break. In front of the hut a fountain with a large colored sandstone trough refreshes. From now on it goes uphill again. The Rötenbach accompanies us through a beautiful mixed forest into the town.

Rötenbach was founded like Speßhardt and Weltenschwann as a Waldhufendorf until the 12th century. The settlers received “Waldhufe” from the Counts of Calw, i.e. strips of land that first had to be made farmable. A “Hufe” was so big that its agricultural use could feed a family and secure the levies. First a central connecting path was built, on which the settlers’ residential houses were built. Behind each house followed garden, meadows, fields and forest. Area names like “Hausäcker” still remind of the former use. From the 15th century on Rötenbach has been administered by Zavelstein.

In Lindenstraße we meet a mighty lime tree. A plaque informs about its dimensions. It was planted around 1700 and is therefore more than 300 years old. Its circumference in 2020 is about 7.00 m. It grows by another centimeter in width each year.

Past some older houses we leave Rötenbach and continue through cultural landscape and forest to “Hausäcker”.

On the little frequented road we walk past orchards to Weltenschwann. Occasionally there are trees full of mistletoe. We meet the Rötelbach and can already see from far away the stately former Weltenschwann schoolhouse. Today a kindergarten is housed there. Attention, here the yellow lozenge pointing left into the forest can easily be overlooked. The entrance does not become clearly visible until past the colored sandstones which serve as seats. The rest of the way to the starting point of the hike at the sports ground is quickly covered.

Text and pictures: Black Forest guide Roswitha Hild

Arrival by car:

Autobahn A8 from Karlsruhe: Exit Pforzheim-West (approx. 30 km); continue via federal road 463 towards Calw; via K4325 you reach Calw-Wimberg and then Calw-Altburg. Autobahn A8 from Ulm/Stuttgart: Exit Leonberg (approx. 25 km), continue via federal road 295 towards Weil der Stadt to Calw. Then continue via K4325 to Calw-Altburg. Autobahn A81 from the south/Lake Constance: Exit Gärtringen-Stadtmitte (approx. 20 km), continue via K 1075; near Deckenpfronn at the roundabout take the first exit and continue on B 296 towards Calw. Via K4325 you reach Calw-Altburg.

Plan your arrival by car at www.map24.de

Arrival by train:

Route Pforzheim - Calw - Horb - Tübingen (Kulturbahn). Long-distance train connections (EC, IC, ICE) are best reached in Karlsruhe with connecting trains via Pforzheim (Kulturbahn). If arriving via Stuttgart, we recommend continuing with the S-Bahn S6 Stuttgart - Weil der Stadt with a transfer to bus line 670 to Calw.

Plan your arrival at  www.reiseauskunft.bahn.de

Arrival by bus:

Greater Stuttgart area bus line 670 DB Bahn Regiobus / Volz; (Calw-Weil der Stadt) connecting to the S6 Böblingen / Sindelfingen area: Bus line 763 DB Bahn Regiobus; Calw-Böblingen (connection to S1) From the central bus station Calw (ZOB) you can reach Altburg with bus line 6302. It is recommended to get off at the Lamm stop, from there it is only a few minutes' walk to the Altburg sports ground.

 Regional bus line X63 between Calw - Altburg - Bad Wildbad - Bad Herrenalb

Plan your arrival with

Parking at the sports ground in Altburg

The Altburg sports ground is located on the road towards Speßhardt.

Additional parking options:

Hiking parking lot Schwarzwaldhalle Altburg Parking lot at the cemetery in Altburg

Immerse yourself in the local history of Altburg on the Altburger-Bohnenberger-History Trail.
Visit the Farmhouse Museum with current programs on the first Sunday of the months from April to October and enjoy the Altburg "Glombakucha".