In Nahetal-Waldau, hiking trails, churches and historic sites are associated with clearly named local areas. The five districts are located in the Thuringian Forest Nature Park and the Vessertal Biosphere Reserve. When planning, it is worth keeping the relevant place names in mind as well as your preferred theme: Waldau, Hinternah, Silbach, Oberrod and Schleusingerneundorf are each associated with different sights and attractions.

Hiking trails with specific local connections

Many kilometres of well-marked hiking trails offer views of a mountain panorama. One specific route is the Naturpark-Weg Schwarze Kuppe. Around the Schwarze Kuppe, it connects Hinternah and the Nahetal with Waldau in the Schleuse valley. This offers two distinct ways to orient yourself: a network of trails with markers and mountain views, and a named route linking particular places. If you plan around this route, Hinternah, the Nahetal and Waldau are the key local references.

Waldau and Hinternah have regular public transport bus services, with stops directly beside the hiking trail. Check the timetable if you plan to use this connection.

Churches and traces of history

A special sight in Waldau is the church built in 1624. In Hinternah, there is an Evangelical Late Gothic church with a Crucifixion group from the Franconian carving school of the Riemenschneider era, dating from 1614. The two places have different historical highlights: Waldau is notable for the date the church was built, while Hinternah is distinguished by its Late Gothic church and the dated Crucifixion group.

Hinternah’s historic centre also includes a moat dating from 1353, which reaches as far as Schleusingen. There is also an intact village mill there. It is located in the village’s second-oldest house, which was first mentioned as early as 1575. The church, moat and mill offer different ways to explore Hinternah’s local history.

In Silbach lies on the edge of the Vessertal Biosphere Reserve. Sights there include a village fountain and a bell house that was once the home of the writer J. Knappe. In Oberrod, the chapel dedicated to Saint Wolfgang is a local attraction. These place names help distinguish the individual destinations rather than confusing them with the churches and historic traces in Hinternah or Waldau.

Winter trails and other places to visit

In the Glasbachtal near Schleusingerneundorf, there is an open-air swimming pool with an outdoor stage. In winter, cross-country ski trails are also groomed in Schleusingerneundorf. The swimming pool and outdoor stage offer different leisure activities from the explicitly winter trails. If you are planning a winter outing, check the current conditions on the ski trails in advance.

The Nahetal project of the municipality of Nahetal-Waldau includes an information board on the Nahetal cycle path. It is another named point of reference in the municipality. Together with the hiking trails, cultural sites and seasonal ski trails, it shows how destinations can be grouped in different ways by location and interest.

Discover more travel destinations: Masserberg, Schnett, Schleusegrund, Oberstadt, Sachsenbrunn, Themar, Sankt Kilian.

Back to the main travel overview: Hildburghausen-Suhl.