Nordic Walking

Routes round Ettlingen for beginners and advanced walkers

Ettlingen, between 120 and 400 m above sea level, is the sunny northern gateway into the Black Forest National Park (Naturpark Schwarzwald Mitte/Nord). In addition to several opportunities for culture and shopping, Ettlingen offers a wide range of outdoor sport activities, including Nordic walking.

With the paths “Wattkopf”, “Kreuzelberg”, and “Gut-Scheibenhardt” for Nordic walkers and joggers we offer three workout paths with varying difficulty levels. And with our well-marked network of hiking trails, you will find a variety of opportunitie to combine routes and create your own personal workout trail!

The routes presented in the flyer are our recommendations, selected for Nordic walkers and joggers, with special attention given to environmental, physical, and scenic factors. But you can always expand or mix up the trails according to your personal preferences.

Let’s walk, and be creative!

Difficulty levels:

Blue = easy, short, little to no elevation (walking time up to 1 hour)

Red = medium difficulty, at least on longer ascents (walking time up to 1 hour)

Black = difficult, long, several ascents (walking time up to 4 hours)

All trails end where they begin (start = finish). Please choose trails according to your own training, ability, and health, and please be aware of weather conditions. The city will claim no responsibility for damages, including personal injury.

Wattkopf Hill:

Blue: ca. 4.5 km, Red: ca. 6.5 km, Black: ca. 9 km (150 m elevation gain)

Starting point is the large cross by the car park in Vogelsangweg.

Blue, Red, and Black all begin by taking the ascent up to the Bismarck Tower, where you will get a marvelous view over Ettlingen. At the cabin called the “Karl-Friedrich-Hütte”, Blue departs from Red and Black. Blue climbs up the slope line to the Wattkopf radio tower, then turns upward and to the left through a grassy beech grove, steadily descending back to the exit point. Red goes past the cabin, where you’ll get a wide view over the Alb Valley, then turns towards the end of the wooded Höhenkamm crest to the left in the direction of the Käthenklamm gorge and back to the exit point. Black descends the zig-zag path, follows Vogelsruhweg upwards above the fabulous Kalberklamm gorge to the edge of the forest at Grünwettersbach, finally reaching the starting point after crossing the Käthenklamm.

Route map "Wattkopf" 

Kreuzelberg:

Blue: ca. 3.75 km, Red: ca. 10 km, Black: ca. 10 km (250 m elevation gain)

Start at the “Naturfreundehaus” (Nature friends’ house) at Wilhelmstraße car park.

Follow Richard-Massinger-Weg upwards, and enjoy the beautiful view over the Rhine Valley and the mountains of the Palatinate. After about 1 km, Blue splits off towards the Hellberg and comes back to the start via Augustinusheim and Saumweg. Red and Black reach the edge of the forest near Schluttenbach and the follows along the edge of the forest towards Spessart, where red departs from Black and leads back to the start via Pfaffenbrunnenweg, Augustinusheim, and Saumweg. Black passes Spessart and descends downhill through the romantic Krebsbach Valley, reaching the Saumweg, which leads back to the start.

Route map "Kreuzelberg" 

Gut Scheibenhardt:

Blue: ca. 4 km, Red: ca. 5 km, Black ca. 6km (no elevation gain)

Start at the cabin known as “Lauftreffhütte” (Lauftreff cark park).

Go straight ahead towards Gut Scheibenhardt. Blue and Red follow Pirschweg through Seegras-Auenwald Forest. The Red route will keep going directly back to the start, though Blue can be a bit shortened. Black follows the edge of the forest, past the golf course to the Malsch Landgraben Bridge, though the Auenwald back to the starting point.

Route map "Gut Scheibenhardt" 

Translator: Chase Faucheux