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Ostweg

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Ostweg
Wartenberg
Lengthc. 240 km
LocationGermany,
Baden-Württemberg,
Black Forest
TrailheadsPforzheim; Schaffhausen
Uselong distance path
Elevation change648 m
Highest pointnear Hondingen (921 m)
Lowest pointPforzheim (273 m)
Difficultyeasy
Seasonspring to autumn
Waymarkblack and red vertically divided diamond on a white background
SightsZavelstein Castle, Wanne, Randen
Maintained byBlack Forest Club

The Ostweg is a north-south long-distance path through the Black Forest from Pforzheim to Schaffhausen. The roughly 240-kilometre-long ridgeway was laid out in 1903 and has been managed and maintained since then by the Black Forest Club. Its waymark is a black and red diamond on a white background.

Day tours/stages

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First stage: Pforzheim – Bad Liebenzell

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Overview

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  • Distance: 25 km
  • Journey time: c. 6 hours
Place/Attraction Route
(km)
Höhe
(m ü. NHN)
Further information
Pforzheim-Kupferhammer 0 254 Starting point of the three Black Forest ridgeways: the Westweg (Pforzheim – Basel), Mittelweg (Pforzheim – Waldshut) and Ostweg (Pforzheim – Schaffhausen)
Pforzheim-Würm 4.0 327
Liebeneck Castle 3.0 340
Hamberg 4.0 484 In the municipality of Neuhausen
Steinegg Castle 1.5 391
Neuhausen 4.5 482
Monbachbrückle 1.5 450 Entry to the Monbach valley
Bad Liebenzell 6.5 333

Route description

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The starting point is the Kupferhammer south of Pforzheim. The path runs initially parallel to the road into the Würm valley and then climbs up to the right through the Pforzheim district of Würm and back down to the valley again. At a forest car park the path crosses a wooden bridge and continues to the ruins of Liebeneck. Carrying on up the Würm valley it reaches Hamberg, leaving it on the Schlossstraße. After a chapel it runs past the ruins of Steinegg to Neuhausen. Next the walk crosses the little bridge of Monbachbrückle into the Monbach valley. The Monbach empties into the River Nagold. At their confluence the path turns right and runs parallel to the railway line to Bad Liebenzell.

Second stage: Bad Liebenzell – Oberhaugstett

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Overview

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  • Distance: 21 km
  • Journey time: c. 5 hours
Place/Attraction Route
(km)
Höhe
(m ü. NHN)
Further information
Bad Liebenzell 0.0 333
Wolfsschlucht 3.0 380 near Ernstmühl
Hirsau 2.0 341 In the municipality of Calw
Abbey Ruins of
Calw 3.5 347
Zavelstein 6.0 585 In the municipality of Bad Teinach-Zavelstein

Castle ruins and viewing tower

Bad Teinach 1.0 391 In the municipality of Bad Teinach-Zavelstein
Liebelsberg 3.0 614 In the municipality of Neubulach
Oberhaugstett 2.5 569 In the municipality of Neubulach

Route description

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Ruins of Hirsau Abbey

After leaving the outskirts of Bad Liebenzell the path leads to the Wolfsschlucht gorge near Ernstmühl and then to the village of Hirsau with its ruined abbey dating to the 11th century. Calw itself is then reached via the Hirsauer Wiesenweg. Along Inselgasse and Lederstraße the path continues via the market place (Marktplatz) and Salzgasse out of the town to the rock massif of Gimbelstein and on to the Zavelstein Hostel which lies next to the Zavelsteiner Krokuswiesen Nature Reserve, In Zavelstein the route continues along Staufer Straße and Krokusstraße to the castle. Then the walk descends steeply to Bad Teinach. At the church the path turns right into Badstraße, goes past the Kurhaus and through the spa grounds uphill to Liebelsberg. Just before the village there is a water tower, which is also used as a viewing tower. From Liebelsberg a tarmac path leads to Oberhaugstett, which is reached along the road called Am Schleifberg.

Third stage: Oberhaugstett – Pfalzgrafenweiler

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Overview

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  • Distance: 22 km
  • Journey time: c. 5.5 hours
Place/Attraction Route
(km)
Höhe
(m ü. NHN)
Further information
Oberhaugstett 0.0 569
Buhlerwaldstern 4.0 618
Wart 1.5 600 In the municipality of Altensteig
Berneck 3.5 455 In the municipality of Altensteig
Altensteigdorf 1.5 558 In the municipality of Altensteig
Altensteig 1.5 444
Kohlsägmühle 3.5 470
Zinsbachmühle 3.5 530
Büchelesbrunnen 1.0 630
Pfalzgrafenweiler 2.0 636 Intersection with the Gäurandweg

Route description

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We leave Oberhaugstett on Martinsmooser Straße; the path goes past the watchtower (Wart) to the castle and village of Berneck. Other destinations are Altensteigdorf, Altensteig, the Kohlsägmühle mill, the Zinsbachmühle mill and the end of the stage at Pfalzgrafenweiler.

Fourth stage: Pfalzgrafenweiler – Freudenstadt

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Overview

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  • Distance: 18.5 km
  • Journey time: c. 4.5 hours
Place/Attraction Route
(km)
Höhe
(m ü. NHN)
Further information
Pfalzgrafenweiler 0.0 636
Russenbusch 0.5 650
Findelhütte 3.0 659
Fuchstrieb 1.0 713
Hausers Heuscheuer 1.5 693
Beim Glattbächle 0.5 695
Obermusbach 2.0 660 In the municipality of Freudenstadt
Untermusbach 1.5 680 In the municipality of Freudenstadt
Tal des Aunbachs 1.0 632 In the municipality of Freudenstadt
Frutenhof 1.0 670 In the municipality of Freudenstadt
Haldenberg 2.5 670 Sportplatz Wittlensweiler
Freudenstadt 2.5 728 Joins the Mittelweg from Pforzheim–Waldshut

Route description

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We leave Pfalzgrafenweiler on Christoph-Decker-Straße. After 9 kilometres the path reaches Obermusbach. There the walk continues along Kälberbronner Straße, Klosterstraße and Mühlhaldenstraße to Untermusbach. Here it continues along Mühlhaldenstraße, past the sports field, along Merzenbergstraße and Müllerstraße out of the village. Passing Frutenhof and Wittlensweiler it leads to Freudenstadt. In the town the route passes the cemetery and reaches the railway station. It then goes along Musbacher Straße and Stuttgarter Straße to the market place (Marktplatz).

Fifth stage: Freudenstadt – Alpirsbach

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Overview

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  • Distance: 21.5 km
  • Journey time: c. 5 hours
Place/Attraction Route
(km)
Höhe
(m ü. NHN)
Further information
Freudenstadt 0.0 728
Friedrichsturm / Kienberg 1.5 799
Kohlberg 4.5 730
Vogteiturm 1.0 740 viewing tower
Sandwiese 1.0 752
Adrionshof 1.0 724
Schömberg 3.5 744 In the municipality of Loßburg
Alpirsbach 9.0 441 End point of the Querwegs Gengenbach–Alpirsbach

Route description

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After the market place the route continues through Freudenstadt along Loßburger Straße, Straßburger Straße, Lauterbadstraße, Friedrich-Ebert-Straße and Herzog-Friedrich-Straße to the Friedrichsturm tower on the Kienberg. The route then runs past the Vogtei Tower to the Adrionshof and on to Ödenwald. About 2 kilometres further on it reaches a large forest clearing. It continues along the edge of the wood and the road to Schömberg, leaving via Reinerzauerstraße and Altenburgstraße. After 2 kilometres the route leaves the track in the forest district of Hardt and follows a narrow footpath. After the Heilenberger Hut it continues, in places very steeply, down to Alpirsbach, which is reached via Forchenweg.

Sixth stage: Alpirsbach – Schramberg

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Overview

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  • Distance: 19 km
  • Journey time: c. 5.5 hours
Place/Attraction Route
(km)
Höhe
(m ü. NHN)
Further information
Alpirsbach 0.0 441
Rötenbach 1.5 420 In the municipality of Alpirsbach
Adelsberg 1.0 518
Fräulinsberg 2.0 530
Holzebene 3.0 583 Naturfreundehaus
Brandsteig-Schänzle 1.5 690 Römische Straßenstation
Zollhaus 1.5 720
Aichhalden 2.5 716
Paradieshof 3.5 670
Schramberg 2.5 424

Seventh stage: Schramberg – Villingen

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Overview

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  • Distance: 27.5 km
  • Journey time: c. 7 hours
Place/Attraction Route
(km)
Höhe
(m ü. NHN)
Further information
Schramberg 0.0 424
Tischneck 2.5 720 In the municipality of Schramberg
Benediktinerhöhe 1.0 798
Hardt 1.5 800
Mönchhof 2.0 794
Lindenloch / Glasbachtal 2.0 760
Albblick / Martinsweiler 1.5 770 Kreuzung mit dem Querweg Rottweil–Lahr
Ruine Waldau 1.5 737 Kulturdenkmal Hof Beck
Königsfeld 2.0 761 Kreuzung mit Querweg Rottweil–Lahr
Mönchweiler 5.5 801
Kurgarten Villingen 5.5 721 Kreuzung mit dem Black Forest-Jura-Bodensee-Weg
Villingen 2.5 704

Eighth stage: Villingen – Sunthausen

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Overview

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  • Distance: 16.5 km
  • Journey time: c. 4 hours
Place/Attraction Route
(km)
Höhe
(m ü. NHN)
Further information
Villingen 0.0 704
viewing tower Wanne 2.5 777
Bertholdshöfe 1.0 758 Intersection with the Black Forest Jura-Bodensee-Weg
Hölzlekönig 1.0 748 Ehemaliges Naturdenkmal
Kugelmoos 2.5 710
Schwenninger Moos 1.0 706 Naturschutzgebiet
Bad Dürrheim-Kurhaus Hüttenbühl 2.0 700
Waldcafé 2.0 795 Aussichtspunkt
Hirschhaldehütte 2.0 759 Kleine Schutzhütte
Sunthauser See 2.0 707
Sunthausen 0.5 706 In the municipality of Bad Dürrheim

Ninth stage: Sunthausen – Geisingen

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Overview

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  • Distance: 16 km
  • Journey time: c. 4 hours
Place/Attraction Route
(km)
Höhe
(m ü. NHN)
Further information
Sunthausen 0.0 706
Öfingen 5.0 820 In the municipality of Bad Dürrheim
Intersection with the Black Forest Jura-Bodensee-Weg
Blatthaldenhütte 5.0 915 Schutzhütte mit Grillplatz
Aussichtspunkt
Hörnlekapf 1.5 875 Hubertushütte
Aussichtspunkt
Geisingen 4.5 667

Tenth stage: Geisingen – Achdorf

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Overview

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  • Distance: 23 km
  • Journey time: c. 6 hours
Place/Attraction Route
(km)
Höhe
(m ü. NHN)
Further information
Geisingen 0.0 667
Wartenberg 2.0 825
Gutmadingen 2.5 673 In the municipality of Geisingen
Wendthütte 3.0 859 Grillplatz
Längewiesen 1.5 914
Wegabzweigung nach Hondingen 0.5 921 Höchster Punkt des Ostwegs
Neue Hütte 1.5 835
Hondingen 1.5 720 In the municipality of Blumberg
Eichberg 6.0 913 Schutzhütte
Aussichtspunkt
Achdorf 4.5 540 In the municipality of Blumberg

Eleventh stage: Achdorf – Stühlingen

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Overview

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  • Distance: 16.5 km
  • Journey time: c. 4.5 hours
Place/Attraction Route
(km)
Höhe
(m ü. NHN)
Further information
Achdorf 0.0 540 Kreuzung mit dem Querweg Freiburg–Bodensee
Kreuzung mit dem Schluchtensteig
Wutachflühen Bei der Muttergottes 4.0 575 Naturschutzgebiet
Kreuzung mit dem Schluchtensteig
Footbridge over the Wutach 2.5 505 Flüheweg durch das Wutachtal
Gasthaus Wutachschlucht 1.5 500 Ehemaliger Haltepunkt Lausheim-Blumegg der stillgelegten Wutachtalbahn (Sauschwänzlebahn)
Ehemaliger Bahnhof Weizen 4.0 471 Bahnhof der stillgelegten Wutachtalbahn (Sauschwänzlebahn)
Kreuzung mit dem Schluchtensteig
Katzenloch 1.0 530
Stühlingen 3.5 501 Kreuzung mit dem Schluchtensteig

Twelfth stage: Stühlingen – Schaffhausen

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Overview

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  • Distance: 19 km
  • Journey time: c. 5 hours
Place/Attraction Route
(km)
Höhe
(m ü. NHN)
Further information
Stühlingen 0.0 501
Stühlingen-Grenzübergang 1.0 450
Schleitheim 2.5 467
Strickhof 2.5 580
Schleitheimer Schlossranden 2.0 901 Schleitheimer Randenturm
Zelgli 1.0 865
Bräunlingsbuck 2.5 778
Chlosterfeld 2.0 655
Schaffhausen 5.5 400

Route description

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Schleitheim

The route leaves Stühlingen via Hauptstraße and Bahnhofstraße.

Literature

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Reinhard Distel und Heinz R. Wittner: Wanderführer Schwarzwald-Höhenwege. 7th edn., Ostfildern, 1997. ISBN 3-8134-0213-4. pp. 111–141

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  • Wanderservice Black Forest: web service by the Black Forest Club for visualising the Black Forest trails on Google Maps with various overlays (trail network, waysigns, accommodation, …)
  • GPS Wanderatlas Deutschland: complete tour description with current GPS data and digital hiking map