Walking Holidays on the Rennsteig in Thuringia

Telephone enquiries about this holiday: 01946 861652

The Western Rennsteig 2012

The perfect introduction to one of Germany's most famous Walks

This tour is not described in our brochure

Download a profile of the Rennsteig.
You still start in the famous city of Eisenach, while the end is at Oberhof, once the training centre for East Germany's winter sports athletes.

This walking tour is for those looking for a much more gentle walk along just part of the Rennsteig. Covering just over one third of the route with daily distances are reduced to between 6½ and 10 miles. The climb out of the Werra Valley (rising about 1500 feet in all, but spread over two days) at the beginning of the walk, and the ascent of the Grosser Inselsberg (a quite steep climb of just under 1000 feet) are both included.

Day 1. Arrive in Eisenach.

Day 2. Transfer to Hörschel. From Hörschel walk from the banks of the River Werra up to the Grosser Eichelberg with fine views over the surrounding country. Continue to the stone cross at Wilde Sau. Below you is the Sängerwiese (Singer's Meadow) that features in the Tannhäuser legend. Continue along the Rennsteig to Hohe Sonne (about 8 miles).
Transfer back to your hotel in Eisenach.

Day 3. Transfer back to Hohe Sonne. From there follow the Rennsteig first to Ascherbruck and then to the Trinius viewpoint. Continue to the Auerhahn Hut and the Grosse Meilerstätte before ending the day's walk by descending to the Schiller Beech, planted in 1905 to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the writer's death, on the Glasbachwiese (about 7½ miles).
At the end of the day you are transferred to a nearby hotel.

Day 4. Transfer back to Glasbachwiese. First pass the Dreiherrenstein, a border stone marking the meeting point of three former Lordships, then there is the climb over the most significant hill on the whole Rennsteig, the Grosser Inselsberg, just over 3000 feet. Descend to Grenzwiese, and then continue over the gentle tops of the Trockenberg and Grosser Jagdberg to Heuberghaus (about 6¾ miles).
At the end of the day you are transferred to a nearby hotel.

Day 5. Transfer back to Heuberghaus. Continue over the Spiessberg and past a number of boundary stones including another Dreiherrenstein. Towards the end, just a little over a quarter of a mile off the Rennsteig, is the Spitterfall, the highest natural waterfall in the Thuringian Forest. Finally past a nature reserve to end at Neue Ausspanne (about 7½ miles).
At the end of the day you are tranferred to a nearby hotel.

Day 6. After a transfer back to Neue Ausspanne, you walk over the Sperrhügel, with a fine view over the route you have taken. Much of the rest of the day's walking is marked by old border stones until you reach the Grenzadler, a notably large border stone bearing a Prussian eagle. From here there are a number of routes to your final destination of Oberhof, which lies a little to the north of the Rennsteig (about 9½ miles).

If you have the time and energy, continue as far as the Rondell and the the Rennsteiggarten, one of the largest collections of mountain flora in Europe. You can either walk, or take a bus, down from here into town.

The Western Rennsteig
Tour Details: 6 nights bed & breakfast in hotels inns, in rooms with shower/WC. Transfers as described above.
Transfer from Eisenach station to the first hotel is not included.
Bus or taxi from Oberhof to Oberhof Station after the the walk is not included.

Dates: Available starting any day from May to the end of October.

Tour Code: REN/6

2012 Tour Price: By rail from London via Brussels/Cologne - £707
2012 Tour Price: By rail from Frankfurt or Berlin Airport - £499
2012 Tour Price: No Travel Included - £439
2012 Tour Price: Single Supplement - £ 77
2012 Tour Price: Extra Night in Eisenach (Double Room) - £ 41
2012 Tour Price: Extra Night elswhere (Double Room) - £ask
2012 Tour Price: 24 hour Museum Pass - £ 14.25

Please note that these single room prices apply where a minimum of 2 people book. There is an additional supplement of £ 20 for a solo walker.

Please check our travel page for information on other ways of travelling to your holiday.

Please contact us for prices when using one of these other routes, and also for single supplements, child discounts and so on.

Our telephone number is 01946 861652.

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Among the information requested is a contact telephone number. On receipt of your e-mail, we will telephone you to double check the arrangements you wish to book, as well as to take details of a debit or credit card, which will be used to pay the initial deposit.

We look forward to hearing from you.

For enquiries about this holiday telephone 01946 861652

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