Nature & Outdoor Activities
Hessen Railway Cycle Route – an adventure from Hanau to the Vogelsberg nature reserve
The Hessen Railway Cycle Route starts in the Rhine-Main region and runs through the Hessian hills and nature parks against a backdrop of riverside meadows, beech forests and panoramic views.
The route starts in Hanau, the birthplace of the Brothers Grimm. From there, it's on through the Wetterau or along the edge of the Spessart Hills as the long-distance cycle path passes castles, palaces and Celtic burial mounds. Running along the old tracks of what used to be the Oberwald railway, the route takes cyclists through the Upper Vogelsberg Nature Park and into the pretty little town of Lauterbach, which is home to traditional half-timbered buildings, passing palaces in stunning settings in Ortenberg, Gedern and Eisenbach. The nearby city of Fulda doesn't fail to impress with its royal palace and cathedral. On the way back to Hanau, the ruins of Gelnhausen, the former imperial palace of Emperor Friedrich I, are not to be missed.