Frankenweg - Stage 5 (Egloffstein to Altdorf)
Stage 5
Here you'll find a **list of lodging options** along the "Frankenweg" hiking trail. This stage of the trail connects the landscapes of Franconian Switzerland and the Franconian Alb, offering wonderful surprises along the way: over the course of 65 kilometers, natural spectacles alternate with a mighty mountain fortress, unusual museums, and a dip in relaxing thermal waters. Heading south through Franconian Switzerland: The first few kilometers of the Frankenweg lead to Egloffstein—proceeding from the Rennsteig toward the Swabian Alb—and soon Gräfenberg, with its medieval charm, welcomes hikers. Here at the Grand Clock Museum, they don’t dwell on trivial matters. The oldest clock in the collection dates back to the 15th century and still measures “temporal time,” a system that was abolished with the introduction of the Gregorian calendar. Things get interesting from an art-historical perspective after another descent into Weißenohe, where the remains of a Baroque monastery complex—once home to noble Benedictine monks—can be found in the town center. The magnificent pillar-supported church was built according to plans by Wolfgang Dientzenhofer. The next ascent, shortly after Weißenohe, is rewarded with a unique natural monument: the sinter terraces in the Lillach Valley. Dissolved limestone is present in the waters of the Lillach; as the river flows, it precipitates this limestone in its stream bed, creating impressive limestone sinter terraces that are remarkable for their height and length. Soon after, the trail also leads to the source of the Lillach. Over the next few kilometers, the long-distance hiking trail leaves Franconian Switzerland and enters the Nuremberg region. At the foot of the Albstufe, Schnaittach is the first destination. The market town is dominated by the mighty Rothenberg mountain fortress; within the town, the Jewish Museum, housed in one of Franconia’s oldest synagogues, stands out as a cultural highlight. The museum also includes a ritual bath as well as a rabbi’s residence and a cantor’s house. The exhibition features both magnificent ritual objects and artifacts that represent the life of rural Jewish communities. Several ascents and descents now separate hikers from Hersbruck and its medieval city center. Life in this town is particularly pleasant, as evidenced by Hersbruck’s inclusion—as the first German city—in the “International Association of Livable Cities – Cittaslow.” Hikers can experience this as well, for example, when they relax in the thermal waters of the Fackelmann Therme Hersbruck and let themselves drift through the swimming cave amid the play of light. The German Shepherds’ Museum is also worth a visit here. It displays clothing, tools, and handicrafts from shepherds around the world. The Frankenweg trail—stretching from the Rennsteig to the Swabian Alb—demonstrates just how beautiful such pastures can be, set within the protected landscape of the Klingenhofer Anger. The history of this pasture dates back to the Middle Ages; for several years now, cattle have once again been grazing among centuries-old oaks, mighty beeches, and pines. From here, the trail descends to Altdorf, the end of this stage, and thus into the town’s eventful history. It was once the seat of the Frankish royal court and, until 1809, home to a university of European renown, where, for example, the mathematician and philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz immersed himself in his studies. You can “encounter” him at the museum in the former university printing house, which also pays tribute to student life as it once was.
- Ascent
- 1527 m
- Descent
- 1468 m