Glottertal offers several different ways to explore on foot: the Explorer Trail is a themed route around the village, some route variations pass through vineyards, and the network of marked hiking trails extends beyond a single route. There are also themes covering the history of Glotterbad and mining. When choosing accommodation for your trip, these interests can help guide your planning.
Hiking trails with different focuses
The Glottertal Explorer Trail is a themed route around the village, marked with its own trail symbol. Along the way, numerous illustrated panels provide information about the surroundings with special texts, including texts for children. The route combines exercise with themed stops that draw attention to the landscape and its history.
The main route is 6.5 kilometres long, is also suitable for families with small children and is easily accessible with a pushchair. Another option is the Urgraben variation, which is just under eight kilometres long: it is a separate short circular walk that focuses on mining in Glottertal and the “Urgraben” technical monument. The two routes differ in both length and focus; pushchair accessibility and suitability for families are specified for the main route.
Glottertal has 100 kilometres of marked hiking trails. Those who choose the Explorer Trail can follow its themes, while an extensive network of marked trails is available for further hikes. All of Glottertal’s natural loungers can be reached via marked hiking trails and offer places to take a break amid nature and at scenic spots on hikes around Glottertal.
Vineyards and the heights of Kandelberg
The vineyard variation of the Glottertal Explorer Trail leads into the vineyards of Eichberg and through the heart of Glottertal’s wine-growing area, the “Roter Bur” site. Along the way, there are views across the valley and information about Glottertal wine. This gives the variation a different focus from the Urgraben circular walk, which centres on mining.
Glottertal lies on the western edge of the Black Forest, 14 kilometres from the university city of Freiburg, in the Breisgau area of Baden wine country. The municipality stretches from the western entrance to the valley, at 280 metres above sea level, to Kandelberg, which rises to 1,243 metres. Grapes have been grown here at the foot of the Black Forest mountains for centuries.
The elevation is also part of the wine-growing area: the vineyards on the southern slopes of the foothills of Kandelberg are among the steepest and highest vineyards in Germany. Wine is grown there at elevations of up to 500 metres above sea level. The vineyard variation of the Explorer Trail therefore leads through a landscape where wine-growing and the Black Forest’s mountain ridges meet.
History along the way
The Glotterbad variation of the Explorer Trail leads to the origins of the historic Glotterbad sanatorium. Three themed panels share the eventful history of Glotterbad, from its beginnings in the 15th century to the present day. Those interested in local history will find a dedicated focus here within the themed route.
Breaks and cycling tours
Glottertal’s natural loungers are places to take a break on hikes around Glottertal: they are set amid nature and in scenic locations. All can be reached via marked hiking trails. This means you can plan these resting spots as part of a hike without treating them as the destination of a separate route.
Glottertal can also serve as a starting point for cycling. Tours can be planned for a sporting ride or a leisurely outing. The well-signposted cycle route network provides easy access to sunny Breisgau and the Kaiserstuhl, the neighbouring valleys of Elztal, Simonswäldertal and Dreisamtal, as well as the city of Freiburg. No specific route distances or journey times are given for these connections, so planning mainly depends on the choice of destinations and the type of tour.
Discover more destinations: Schelingen, Munzingen, Buggingen, Eschbach, MĂĽllheim, Oberried, Freiburg im Breisgau, Ebringen
Go to the regional travel overview: Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald.
