Thuringia - The Green Heart of Germany On the western edge of the former East Germany, Thuringia has a rich past. The city of Weimar was home to Goethe, Schiller, and J. S. Bach, while Eisenach is world famous for the Wartburg, the castle where Martin Luther first translated the bible. The natural beauties of the Thuringian Forest with its wide range of flora and fauna, including gentians, columbines and sundews; eagle owls, peregrine falcons and kingfishers, account for its popularity with walkers. The most famous of all German Long Distance Paths, the Rennsteig, once an important horse messenger route, runs for 105 miles along the ridge. Eisenach is ideal for those who want to combine their walking with visiting historic sites, while Oberhof, once the leading winter sports resort of the former East Germany, is ideal for those who simply want to experience some of the finest walking country in Germany, without being tied to a specific route.
The Rennsteig Oberhof Eisenach

The Rennsteig Though not as well known in the UK as it deserves, the Rennsteig is without doubt the most famous Long Distance Path in Germany. Dating back to before 1000, it was both a border and an important road linking Thuringia with northern Franconia. You will see many intriguingly carved old border stones along the path. Much of the route follows the main ridge of the Thuringian Forest. Once you have climbed up the ridge during the first day or two of the walk, there is little climbing and you can enjoy a classic forested ridgeway. Much of the central part passes through a nature reserve; almost all the rest is still through protected countryside. As it crossed the former iron curtain, no one could walk the entire route for 40 years before 1989. Starting at Hörschel just west of Eisenach (where Luther translated the Bible from Latin), it runs via the Grosser Inselsberg and the famous wintersports resort of Oberhof, to Blankenstein. The towns of Eisenach, Gotha, Erfurt and Weimar lie to the north of the route and a visit to any or all of these can easily be combined with a holiday on the Rennsteig.

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Oberhof Oberhof is a leading resort high on the Rennsteig ridge and home to perhaps the finest alpine garden in Europe as well as magnificent high level walks. There is a fine swimming pool in town too.

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Eisenach The birthplace of JS Bach, Eisenach manages to combine the feeling of a small town with the activity of a city. It is an ideal place from which to explore both historic sites and fabulous countryside.

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