Above Andenhausen lies the Katzenstein basalt rock, around which a hiking trail of approximately four kilometres runs. The nearby Schmerbach core zone can also be reached on foot via several named trails. Andenhausen is therefore best understood through its landscape and hiking opportunities.
Hiking at Katzenstein
The trail around Katzenstein is approximately four kilometres long. This gives you a concrete guide for planning your hike; check local conditions before setting out. The rock itself lies above the village. If you are considering which route to take, you can distinguish this circular trail from the longer routes that also pass through Andenhausen or meet there.
The two north–south variants of the HOCHRHÖNER meet again in Andenhausen. This is a distinct connection between the village and the long-distance hiking trail, and should not be confused with the approximately four-kilometre trail around Katzenstein.
Schmerbach core zone and the Green Belt
The 4.8-hectare Schmerbach core zone lies near Andenhausen, directly on the “Green Belt.” This natural broadleaf forest area encompasses different forest types and a small stream. The core zone can be reached on foot via the Rhön-Höhen-Weg, the “Green Belt” Border Hiking Trail and the HOCHRHÖNER. There is an important boundary to keep in mind: core zones must not be entered off the trails. Stay on the trails if you include this natural area in your hiking plans.
A historical glimpse of Andenhausen
The history of the village can also be read in a road connection. Until November 1989, a road ended abruptly in Andenhausen; in December 1990, the restored road was opened to traffic. These dates mark a historical turning point and its reversal.
Culture in the wider destination of Kaltennordheim
Churches, the museum and other attractions in the wider destination of Kaltennordheim should be distinguished from the sights and trails in Andenhausen. St Kilian’s Church in Kaltennordheim was built in the 14th century as a successor to a wooden church. St Nicholas’s Church was added in 1597 as the town’s second and larger church. The comparison connects two distinct phases in the town’s history: a church building with a wooden predecessor and a later, larger church.
The Kaltennordheim Local History Museum is now housed in the Merlinsburg building. The castle grounds are currently being renovated and cannot be visited. The museum barn displays historic agricultural equipment and scenes of everyday rural life, including baking, milk processing and food storage.
Market, guided town tour and hiking trails in Kaltennordheim
The “Heiratsmarkt” (Marriage Market) in Kaltennordheim takes place every year at Pentecost; the dates vary from year to year. It was first held in 1563 and developed into a folk festival in the Thuringian Rhön in the 19th century. A guided town tour entitled “Auf alten Spuren” (Following Old Paths) visits, among other places, St Kilian’s Church, the historic old town and the surviving town wall. It is available on request.
The two Kaltennordheim Rhön Circular Trails also offer different points of reference. The Kaltennordheim Rhön Circular Trail 1 is 11.0 kilometres long, takes about four hours, is rated easy to moderate and starts, among other places, at the town hall. The Kaltennordheim Rhön Circular Trail 2 also starts at the town hall and initially follows the Felda through the town. Part of the second trail passes through the approximately 50-hectare Großer Hardt Nature Reserve. For choosing a route, the first trail offers specific information on duration and difficulty; on the second, the initial stretch through town and the section through the nature reserve provide notable points of reference.
Discover more destinations: Neidhartshausen, Witzelroda, Bad Salzungen, Dermbach, Fischbach, Klings, Vacha, Bad Liebenstein.
Back to the wider travel overview: Wartburg.
