Starting point

Johannis parking lot

67697 Otterberg

MAP

Key data

Marking: Black 5 on a white disc

Distance: 6 Km (~ 4 miles)

Walking time: approx. 3 hours

Difference in altitude: 200 meter (~ 220 yards)

Option for a stop: Hotel “Badstube”

Description

Except for one particular incline the hiking trail leads along easy roads and paths, which are partly quite overgrown, almost exclusively through mixed woodlands.

We start from the parking lot in Johannisstraße in the town centre of Otterberg. This square used to be the “Stadtweiher (town pond) and served as a retention basin in front of the town wall. Until the end of the twenties of the last century the pond was used for bathing. However, the former function as a retention basin was only realised when the pond was backfilled in 1967 and a parking lot was built. We proceed along the Otterbach brook through the pond gardens, which is a greenbelt recreation area near the town. After a couple of hundred metres we see the oil mill, a former agricultural building with a facility that was used to process oleiferous fruit. The mill had been operated from as early as Michaelmas (i.e. 29 September) in 1581, approved by Count Palatine Johann Casimir. The premises are located at the foot of castle hill (324 metres), which has its name from the Otterburg castle that used to be on that hill. In 1143 Siegfried IV von Boyneburg-Nordheim donated the castle to the Cistercian monastery Eberbach in the Rheingau valley (near Wiesbaden). From 1168 to 1254 the abbey church and major parts of the monastery were erected in the Ottertal valley. Apart from the abbey church and chapter house, only some fragments can be found in town today.

Change:

We continue along the local signposts 5 and 3 until we reach the new water works. Here we turn right and then, just behind the water works, left again towards the sports centre. After about 500 metres we see the oil mill, a former agricultural building with a facility that was used to process oleiferous fruit. The mill had been operated from as early as Michaelmas (i.e. 29 September) in 1581, approved by Count Palatine Johann Casimir.

The premises are located at the foot of castle hill (324 metres) with the Schwarzhübel hill (342 metres) to its right. We arrive at the sports centre after some 400 metres and walk around the outdoor swimming pool. The pool is operated on source water with no chlorine additives. The swimming pool restaurant is in front of us to the right with the pool to the left. We carry on for some 200 metres on the access road to the swimming pool. We cross country road L 387 road and continue our hike on the service road up to the access of the camping site. The campsite “Gänsedell” is open to both resident campers and holiday campers. At the parking lot near the entrance to the campsite hiking path 5 takes us to a small staircase on to the adjacent sloping forest path away from the country road. After a 1 km walk we arrive at the source at the Kohl-Dell located near a sunny road that takes us to the Birotshof farm.

The Birotshof farm was built by the local Otterberg butcher David Piroth (1689-1743) near the Kiefernbrunnen well, where some masonry remnants of the original farm were found as late as in the 20^th century. Today there is only a signpost reminding us of the original location of the farm. After many new constructions and alterations the present buildings are only used for residential purposes.

The path takes us to the left onto a heavily overgrown path, which takes us across the Badstuber Hübel hill (357 metres) into the Schellental valley. After some 2 kms we arrive at the memorial stone for the forest worker Herbrand. This stone marks a water source that feeds a brook running alongside our path up to the country road L 387. Here the path makes a left turn and we cross the moist Schellental valley until we arrive at the country road.

In the Hotel Badstube we can sit down and have a break.

At the road we rejoin the path that we took as we started, and we walk back through the greenbelt recreational area and the former pond until we reach at our starting point.

Starting point

Johannis parking lot

67697 Otterberg

MAP

Key data

Marking: Black 6 on a white disc

Distance: 10 Km (~ 7.5 miles)

Walking time: approx. 2.5 hours

Difference in altitude: 350 meter (~ 380 yards)

Option for a stop: “Haus Schippke”

Description

The path includes major inclines and walking is difficult in some parts.

Starting at the parking lot in Johannisstraße we walk along the old town wall toward the cemetery. Until 1561, when the monastery was disbanded, the cemetery was located inside the area surrounded by the town wall north of the church. After Walloons settled in 1579, a new “graveyard was established at the present location outside the town wall. The path goes uphill to the Schlossberg hill (324 metres), where the core of the Otterberg settlement –Otterburg castle – was located. In 1143 Siegfried IV von Boyneburg-Nordheim donated the castle to the Cistercian monastery Eberbach in the Rheingau valley (near Wiesbaden). “In the name of the holy and indivisible trinity. Be it known to all future and present, that I, Heinrich, by the divine mercy Archbishop at Mainz, willing to support the pious efforts of the abbot of Eberbach, have conveyed the church inside the old Otterburg castle as well as the prebend of the church in the nearby village including altarpieces and tithing and the synodal taxes I am entitled to, so he shall establish a monastery there …” this is the wording of the corporate charter of the monastery prepared by Heinrich von Wartburg in Mainz in 1143.

If we took a left turn leaving the signposted path at the top of the Schlossberg hill near the small birch grove, we could walk over to the Otterberg high-level water tank. This is located right inside the former castle grounds. Unfortunately apart from the moat and a wall, there are no remnants of the castle left on the surface. The path forks up on the Schlossberg hill. In front of us we see a private animal enclosure; we take the right fork and walk on across the Frohnberg hill. After about 1 km we arrive at the L 383 country road towards Baalborn. After another 1,000 metres we arrive at an old water house. This little building holds a well that was used for the fresh water supply for the nearby Münchschwanderhof farm. From the edge of the forest we can see this farm on the opposite side of the road.

The settlement came under the Otterberg monastery in 1195 and had since been listed as a Grangie, i.e. an external granary, in historic documents. Early in the 16^th century the monastery farm went to ruin because of looting and pillaging during the Peasants’ War (in 1525).

In the Otterberg capitulation dated 15 June 1679, Count Palatine Johann Casimir expressed his intention of creating settlements for the Walloons in the unused buildings of the former monastery. The first hereditary tenants were Peter Carra and Claus Olivier who took over Münchschwanderhof in 1579. During the 17^th and 18^th centuries more peasants settled at the Münchschwanderhof, which gradually became a farm settlement.

At the waterhouse, we cross the red line marking and walk into a tract of forest. After about 1 km, we turn left towards the Lanzenbrunner Weiher pond; the path, however, does not go directly along the edge of the pond, which is one of the last preserved fishing ponds of the Otterberg monastery. The monks actually did without meat, but they were allowed to eat fish. Therefore they established numerous ponds in the valley pastures and used them for fish farming. What used to be known as the Krömmel- or Kümmelwoog pond should be identical to today’s Lanzenbrunner Weiher pond. District names such as “Lantzenprunnen” (1600), “Lengstall” (1731) and “Lanzendäll” (1800) can be found in historic documents. It is assumed that the original name stems from Middle High German “langez” and/or “lenze”. Both forms refer to the modern German word of Lenz, which is another expression for spring. Consequently the “Lanzenbrunnen” would be translated as “spring source”, meaning a source that would bubble up stronger when spring arrives.

The tenant of shoot Dr. Karl Ritter bought Lanzenbrunner Weiher in 1903 and had a hunting lodge built in 1904. It is not know if there had been any earlier construction in the area. The Ritter family from Kaiserslautern own the place still today; however the farm has been leased to tenants and is used for agricultural purposes.

After some 500 metres we turn right into a path that leads along the edge of the forest. After 250 metres we take the path that leads into the forest and after 250 metres we join the path of the red line marking. The path leads through a ravine, which is quite difficult to negotiate. We turn left at the end of the ravine. After 100 metres we cross the “Nabinger Weg” path, named after the forest warden Nabinger. We follow the slope towards großer Ohligskopf hill (377 metres). After 750 metres we walk downhill into the valley, where we arrive at the source of the Otterberg freshwater supply. We walk up again to Schlossberg hill to take the same way back to the parking lot. On our way we can have a rest in the Pension Schippke, a boarding house closed on Fridays!

Haus Jörg

Hauptstr. 98

67697 Otterberg

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Short description

This corner house built in the Baroque Style, situated close to the site of the former town gate, was erected by the master tanner Theobald Seitz in 1769. Displayed on the door lintel is the sign for the Guild of the Tanners, the name of the builder and the year in which it was built. The original front door from the house, dating from the 18th century, is currently on display in the museum of local history.

Haus Karch

Mühlstr. 6

67697 Otterberg

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Short description 

This house is a reformed parish and school house. Built around 1600, it is the birthplace of the landscape painter Johann Roos. His father was a teacher in the winter and painter in summer. The house served as a school house until 1740/50.

Lutherisches Pfarr- und Schulhaus

Hauptstr. 35

67697 Otterberg

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Short description 

This half-timbered house, which served as the Lutheran Rectory and Schoolhouse, was built in 1752. Between 1818, when the Lutheran community merged with the Reformed community, and 1890, the building was used as a second protestant rectory. Within the timber frame itself (upper right hand side), a stylised altar of a cross and a rose has been integrated – the personal symbol of Martin Luther himself.

Motorrad Museum Otterbach

Otterstraße 4

67731 Otterbach

WEB · GOOGLE MAPS

Short description

Since 1980 the Motorcycle Musuem Heinz Luthringshauser is hosting an unique permament exhibiton about historically important motorcycles in rooms that – used for that purpose - you can’t find anywhere else in the world. The exhibition is housed in the protestant church of the town.

Opening hours

April – October:

Sundays and public holidays: 10 am - 12.30 pm & 1.30 - 5 pm

If you want to visit outside of these hours contact: 06301 23 67

Museum Otterberg

Hauptstraße 54

67697 Otterberg 

WEB · GOOGLE MAPS

Short description

The Baroque building in the old "city house" was built in 1753. The year in roman numerals (MDCCLIII) is carved on the portal.

In the baroque tower hangs a bell from 1742, which was rung case of fire. Today, the museum containing exhibits on findings from the monastic and Walloon periods, as well as the history of the city of Otterberg is housed here. The tourist information office is also located here.

Opening hours

Mon. - Fri.: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. & 2 - 5 p.m. 

Wed.: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Sun.: 3 - 5 p.m.

Apr. - Oct. also on

Sat.: 9.30 a.m. - 12.30 p.m.

Sun.: 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Contact information

Phone: 06301 3630

Naturfreibad Otterberg

Schwimmbad

67697 Otterberg

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Short description

The natural outdoor pool contains pure spring water without any chemical substances. A generous water surface of approximately 5000 square meters awaits you.

Contact information

Phone: 06301 7185682

The forests around Otterberg have a mixture of various types of trees and are inviting places to enjoy a robust hike or leisurely stroll. There are rest stations with outdoor grill facilities that also serve as departure points for hiking tours of the area.

Walks among the rolling hills constantly reveals new scenes of nature and the ecology.  Distance markers show the way for many the different hiking routes crisscrossing the countryside and forest. You can follow a single route, or combine parts of many routes to create a tour tailored to your own interests. These are the marked hiking routes or Rundwanderwege you will find on this page.

Portal der lutherischen Kirche

Lutherstr. 2

67697 Otterberg

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Short description

The laying of the cornerstone of the Lutheran church took place on the 11th day of September in 1732. The church was completed in 1743 as indicated by the keystone in the portal and stayed in operation until 1818, when it was then auctioned off. The archway was rediscovered after the fire of a farmhouse in Otterbach and erected in memory of the church.

Starting point

Train station in Olsbrücken

67737 Frankelbach

MAP · WEB 

Key data

Distance: 14.9 km 

Duration: 4:23 h 

Ascent: 383 m 

Descent: 382 m

Description

The slogan for the tour keeps its promise: devilish climbs and heavenly prospects. The 15 km premium trail "Teufelstour" takes its name from the Teufelstein, a former Roman quarry in Frankelbach. Geological highlights are explained on several information boards. A special feature: This path leads directly through the stone quarry of Sulzbachtal.

Supported by 1. FCK, (the local soccer club) the path was signposted using the devil’s emblem from the FCK’s stadium Betzenberg. 

The mix of wild and romantic river valleys, steep climbs and a breathtaking view over the Palatine Uplands and the Palatinate Forest right up to the Donnersberg, makes the “devil’s tour” with its 15 km total length into a unique discovery tour of the Palatinate.

On narrow paths and trails which have hardly changed in the course of time we have the opportunity of passing through almost 300 million years of geological history. Passing both old and still active stone quarries, ambitious hikers can inform themselves on several geological information boards set up by the State Office for Geology and Mining.

For active recreation whilst hiking you should not forget to stop and take a break. Along the Teufelstour   you will find many beautiful places to rest and linger. The Panorama-Gasthof Emmerwiesenhof in Eulenbis , for example, is situated directly on this premium hiking trail.

In "Fossils worldwide", Hebelstraße 4 in Sulzbachtal the geological subsoil can actually be felt. This exhibition is constructed as both a sales and museum vicinity. A wide range of minerals and fossils, which partly come from the immediate vicinity of the Sulzbachtal , are on display.

Contact information for a guided tour

Hiking leader of the union community Otterbach-Otterberg:

Mario Marx 

Phone: 0157 36790509 or 06308 1358 

Email: marimarx(at)web.de

Starting point

Drehenthalerhof

67697 Otterberg

MAP · WEB 

Key data

Distance: 40.5 km 

Duration: 10:45 hours

Ascent: 655 m 

Descent: 655 m

Description

The Hinkelstein, a prehistoric monolith, and the fields of mound graves as well at the old high streets bear witness to the old settlements from thousands of years ago in this area. To the Northwest the forest thins and reveals the view over the North Pfalz hill country with its farm fields and meadows.

From the Drehenthalerhof (from both directions), it is possible to hike along the Hinkelsteinweg in two stages (20 km and 23 km).

The Hinkelsteinweg starts at the Abbey Church in Otterberg, which, after the Speyer Cathedral, is the largest church in the Palatinate. We follow the trail markers (gray menhir stones on a white background) through the historic old town, past beautiful, half-timbered houses. Having reached the town walls, we turn left and then again immediately right and, after a short distance along the Lauterstraße, head left into the Bachstade. Following the trail, we reach a paved road after the Kneippanlage, on which we turn to the right. Continuously uphill, the trail leads along the Johann-Roos-Straße and then to the Rotenberg where we turn left in the forest. We follow the trail marker "black menhir on a white background" over the Pfifferlingsberg and past the "Mehlinger Heide", one of the largest heathlands in southern Germany. And well worth a visit especially in August, when the heather is in full bloom. A sign takes you to the entrance.

Through the forest we follow the path and reach the idyllic Weinbrunnerhof. After a short stretch on the paved road, we turn right onto a natural forest path which, at the upper end, gives us our first views of the Palatinate highlands. We cross the L 382 and wander on natural pathways to the Lanzenbrunner Weiher, a gem of the Otterberger forest. We now walk through the valley of the Grafenthaler brook, past the Husarenbrunnen, until we reach the signpost at the Drehenthalerhof. Here it is possible to shorten the trail and take the loop trail back to Otterberg.

We follow the trail markers on the Kahlenberg to a small quarry where the rare Leopard sandstone used to be extracted. A magnificent view for Donnersberg awaits us on the hill in front of Potzbach. We walk through Potzbach, open landscapes then accompany us past the Leithöfen and reach again a deciduous forest which accompanies us until we reach the "Igelborner Hütte" - a forest tavern run by the Pfälzerwald-Verein Ortsgruppe Winnweiler (opening times: Wed from 11:30 hrs.; Sat from 14:00 hrs.; Sundays / holidays from 10:00 hrs.; For groups of 10 people or more, following reservation). From here it is possible to connect to the "Pfälzer Höhenweg" at the Winnweiler Bahnhof. You should follow the trail marker "black menhir on a yellow background ''.

The path now leads downhill to Höringen where the Bauerncafe Gebhardt (opening times: only for (hiking) groups by appointment, Tel. 06302-1231) invites you to stay longer than planned with its delicious food . We then go uphill, over the Hauptstrasse, Bergstrasse and a meadow path before we are rewarded for our efforts with a magnificent view over to the Donnersberg , the highest hill in the Palatinate, with its 687 metres.

On the following stage of the Hinkelsteinweg we encounter a variety of landmarks, which, if they could talk, would tell you more about the history of the Otterberg Monastery. The crozier is still recognizable on many of the surrounding stones. Now we reach the menhir "Hinkelstein", which gives the trail its name.

Menhir was originally a Breton name meaning long stone for a stone monolith set up vertically and several metres in height (maen = stone, hir = long). In German-speaking countries menhirs have been called “Hinkelstein” since the Middle Ages.

At the menir "Hinkelstein" the regimes of the Falkenstein, Kurpfalz and Schallodenbach met up with each other until the French Revolution. Even today, the massive “Hinkelstein” is the border stone where the municipalities of Otterberg, Höringen and Heiligenmoschel meet. The Hinkelstein was first mentioned in the year 891 by the Romans and is still about 2.20 metres high and 1.50 metres wide and is flanked by two carved boundary stones. A seating area invites you to rest .

Further along on our way, we pass the Lenhardt-Stein, a memorial stone for a former ranger, turn off at the pavilion and walk downhill to Birotshof, where we will find an enchanted pond. Further down we cross the L 387 and get to the festival site of the historic Spring Festival (held in years with an odd number) of the town of Otterberg. Now we go uphill again to the Drehenthalerhof where there is a shortcut towards Winnweiler.

Down through the Scheid-Wald, we walk through the flood plains of the Otterbach to the town of Otterberg, with its beautifully-situated natural swimming pool. Further along the flood plains we come to the Johannis parking lot. We cross the parking lot and the Johannisstrasse, go through the “Loch" (a passage between the houses at the Gaststätte Kraus) into the old town of Otterberg and back to the starting point of this circular route, the abbey church.

Contact information

Tourist-Information, Union community Otterbach-Otterberg

Hauptstr. 54, 67697 Otterberg

Phone: 06301 31504 

Email: tourist-info@otterbach-otterberg.de

Grillplatz Drehentalerhof

67697 Otterberg 

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Short description

On the Drehenthalerhof is a rentable barbecue area with toilet facilities and a covered fireplace. The place can be rented during the summer months.

Contact information

Phone: 06301 607413

Email: simone.wolf(at)otterbach-otterberg.de

Schlösschen

Hauptstr. 27

67697 Otterberg

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Short description 

A former administrative building of the Palatinate Textile Industry AG Otterberg, this building located along the former city wall is popularly called the “Sclösschen.” Since 1975 it has been owned by the city and is now the town hall of the district administration Otterbach-Otterberg.

Haus Straus

Hauptstr. 105

67697 Otterberg

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Short description

This house was once home to one of Otterberg’s most prominent Jewish families, the Strauss family, who emigrated to the USA in 1847. There, one of the sons co-founded the Macy department store in New York. Another son, Oscar Straus, was Secretary of Commerce and Labor under Theodore Roosevelt. The third son died on the Titanic after his last visit to Germany.

Jüdisches Bethaus

Kirchstr. 19

67697 Otterberg

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Short description

Otterberg used to be home to sizeable Jewish community in the 18^th and 19^th century, with between 20 to 100 families living in the city over the time period—notable among these families was the Strauss family, whose house in town can still be visited. In 1838, a synagogue was inaugurated, but in the second half of the 19th century, many Jewish families either emigrated or moved to different cities. As a result, the Jewish community was dissolved and in 1897 and the synagogue was sold. Later, the building was rebuilt and utilized as a residential building in Kirchstraße.

Erbsenbrunnen

Kirchstr. 44

67697 Otterberg

GOOGLE MAPS

Short description

A fountain, for whose name no plausible explanation can be found. Once upon a time, this fountain was used very frequently as a wash fountain. Its Brunnenstube is located in the backyard of the former bakery Kraus, below the city wall.

Alte Apotheke

Hauptstr. 61

67697 Otterberg

GOOGLE MAPS

Short description

This Walloon half-timbered house was erected in 1608 by the tanner David Gille Anthoine. Purchased by the Pharmacist Leonard Euler in 1836, it remained a pharmacy until as recently as 1966. On the first floor there is a raised plasterwork ceiling from the 19th Century. During renovation of the ground floor the original decorative coloring of the time was revealed.

Schmiede Theis

Kirchstr. 15

67697 Otterberg 

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Short description

Originally built in 1612 outside the walls of the monastery, this estate has been in the possession of the Theis family for seven generations and was in use as a forge until as recently as 1980. The forge is one of the oldest in the region and has been fully restored as a farrier museum complete with a pair of leather bellows and a solid sandstone forge.

It is open to the public on the first Saturday of the month at 3 p.m.

Contact information

Email: tourist-information(at)otterbach-otterberg.de

Verkehrsübungsplatz

Heiligenmoschelerberg 3

67697 Otterberg 

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Short description

Here you can learn how to drive if you don't have a driver's license yet.

The use of the area is allowed for cars, motorcycles, moped, as well as for traffic lessons.

Within the fenced off area, young people who are at least 14 (moped, moped, moped),15 (car) or 16 (motorcycle) can learn how to drive, but not yet have obtained the required permission. The vehicle owner must be present with a driver's license as a companion or sit next to the trainee.

Contact information

AVIA Gas station Otterberg

Hauptstraße 2

67697 Otterberg

Phone: 06301 9518