Nature and romance - from Lohr to Gemünden

From Lohr railway station, go straight ahead on the small asphalt cycle path across the car park and continue along Walter-Senger-Straße. You cross the Nägelsee sports centre and reach Jahnstraße. Keep right here and continue straight ahead until you reach Lohrtorstraße. You are now in the old town centre of Lohr with its historic half-timbered architecture.

Walk straight on along Ottenhofstraße to Lohr Castle, passing the old town hall and the tourist information centre. The latter is located in the historic Kellereischeune, a half-timbered house dating back to the 14th century. A good opportunity to stock up on information for the hike.

And that's not all: You will come across various bakeries along the way, such as Pappert's Bakery, where you are very welcome, for example for a breakfast to start your hike. The Pappert family can look back on a bakery tradition dating back to the 16th century.
You are now standing in front of Lohr Castle, a truly fairytale-like building with its towers.

The Counts of Rieneck had the foundation stone for today's Lohr Castle laid around 1340. The building was initially a residential tower. Directly next to it was the Bandhaus, a storehouse in which wine in particular was stored. The forester's lodge, a coach house and the winery building were also in the immediate neighbourhood. In the 15th century, a moat and a ring of walls were added to the complex. When the Electors of Mainz took over the castle in the 16th century after the death of the last Count of Rieneck, they used it from then on as the residence of the bailiffs appointed here. The castle gradually took on its present form. From 1814, it became the property of the Kingdom of Bavaria and was used as a district office until 1972.

According to local historian and honorary citizen of Lohr Karheinz Bartels (1937 - 2016), Maria Sophia Margareta von Erthal, who was born and grew up in the castle in 1725, was the model for the fairy tale of Snow White, which the Brothers Grimm wrote down shortly after the young woman's death. The "Talking Mirror" - a product of the former Kurmainzische Spiegelmanufaktur in Lohr - can still be seen today in the Spessart Museum.

The Spessart Museum has been housed in the castle since 1972. Here, history becomes an adventure. On four levels, the museum tells stories from the eventful history of the Spessart. There is testimony to the lords and haves, robbers, forest labourers and the most diverse historical trades. The theme of "man and forest" is central. Entertaining and informative, the exhibition appeals to all age groups. Audio guides in German, English and French accompany visitors on their journey of discovery through seven centuries in the Spessart.

From the castle, your route leads along the main street through the old town towards the Old Main Bridge. In Fischergasse, you walk through one of the best-preserved medieval suburbs in Lower Franconia.

Once you have crossed the river on the Old Main Bridge, turn right down the steps and onto the cycle path. Your path now leads out of town and finally uphill along Franz-Kraus-Straße towards the forest. You walk through the Romberg nature reserve on this section of the route. The dry sandy grassland growing here is home to special flora and fauna. For example, specimens of the now rare bull beetle still live here.

When the path forks, keep left and also turn left at the next junction. You pass the SV Sendelbach sports centre, cross the country road and finally follow the Way of the Cross, which leads gently uphill. Finally, a flight of stone steps takes you downhill to the Mariabuchen pilgrimage church, a very special place.

The Mariabuchen pilgrimage church was built at the end of the 17th century and is located in a secluded valley on the edge of the Spessart. 600 years ago, according to legend, a pious shepherd from Sendelbach carved a figure depicting the Mother of God with her dead son. He placed it in the knothole of a beech tree, where the figure grew over time and became a pilgrimage destination.

Despite the church, monastery and restaurants, Mariabuchen has retained the atmosphere of the beech tree. The beech church is an attractive, well-designed place of worship, colourful and picturesquely integrated into the landscape. Its richly shaped onion dome rises "full of glory" above the green treetops towards the sky. The interior of the church, richly decorated in the Baroque style, is a place of contemplation for pilgrims. The harmonious embedding of the church in the surrounding nature enhances the harmonious and peaceful impression of the entire ensemble.

The neighbouring Buchenmühle inn is a wonderful place to stop for a bite to eat. (Tel.: 09352 87990)

At the signpost, follow the steps downhill, turn right onto the road and pass the inn in the direction of Halsbach. Your path continues through the forest and between fields and finally through Rettersbach. At the bus stop, first take the right-hand path and then, after about 40 metres, the left-hand path towards the edge of the forest. This is followed by a section in more open countryside between fields and along the edge of the forest. After about 900 metres, turn left before a section of woodland and walk along the edge of the forest again, this time heading north.

After about 800 metres, you pass under electricity pylons and continue northwards towards the country road, which you cross and then continue northwards with a small side turn to the right.
In Halsbach, turn sharp right behind the sports field, follow the signpost and cross the Höllgraben. The path now runs parallel to the Ziegelgraben, which you cross behind the Veitenmühle mill. Now follow the path northwards, through the forest and finally uphill in serpentines. The ascent is rewarded at the Schönrain ruins with marvellous views and a romantic atmosphere.

The Schönrain ruins are located on a mountain spur, around 200 metres above the River Main. The exposed location of the ruins, which are steeped in history, offers a magnificent view of the Main valley. The foundation of the former Benedictine monastery dates back to around 1080.

Over the next 400 years, the monastery on Schönrain was repeatedly influenced by the Counts of Rieneck. As a result of disputes between the monks and the local farmers, they were also appointed as patrons of the monastery. The Peasants' War in 1525 brought monastic life to a violent end. Probably on the way to Würzburg, a group of peasants set fire to Schönrain. Due to a lack of money, the monastery was not rebuilt and was sold to Philipp III von Rieneck, who had a residential castle built. The monastery church also disappeared in the following years. After the death of the last count in 1559, his wife Margarete lived at Schönrain until 1574, where she lived as a widow's residence. At the end of the 18th century, Schönrain was the official seat of the diocese of Würzburg. When the diocese was dissolved, the complex fell into disrepair. Since the beginning of the last century, conservation measures have ensured its continued existence.

Today, in addition to numerous remains of walls and fragments of the former outbuildings and enclosures, the outer walls of the three-storey residential palace in particular are still preserved. The castle's ornate two- and three-part windows are designed as moulded simple curtain arches. The round stair tower, which has also been preserved, is accessible up to the top floor.

From the Schönrain ruins, turn sharp right into the hollow path and follow the forest path straight ahead. After just under 1.5 kilometres, you will pass the monastery spring, which is located to the left of your path. The monks of the Schönrain monastery once had to fetch their water from here, as the only disadvantage of the exposed location on the mountain spur above the Main was the lack of any access to water.
Continue straight ahead and the path turns into a tarmac road towards Massenbuch. Before you reach the village, turn sharp left at the first transmitter mast and walk downhill along the hedge. As soon as you reach the forest path, turn left into the forest. After approx. 400 metres, the path forks and you take the one on the right, keeping to the right and heading north. The path leads quite steeply downhill through the forest and out of the forest, over a road and almost directly towards the Gemünden bridge over the River Main.

Once you have crossed the Gemünden bridge over the Main, keep right. You cross two more bridges, over the Franconian Saale and over the Mühlbach. You will now come directly to the Gemünden am Main market square.

The three-river town was first mentioned in documents in 1243. The old town centre around the market square was comprehensively and carefully renovated and rebuilt in the 1980s. Towards the end of the Second World War, Gemünden am Main was the most heavily damaged small town in Bavaria. The parish church of St Peter and St Paul was reconstructed between 1948 and 1950. Today, the market square is once again characterised by the late Gothic parish church, half-timbered facades and the town hall.

Not far from the market square is an important and rare example of civic horticulture: the Ronkarzgarten. It was built between 1830 and 1845 with red sandstone retaining walls by Heinrich Ronkarz and has been a listed building since 1989. It is divided into a 40 metre high staircase, three terraces and the outer castle garden.

The Mühltorturm, the Eulenturm, the Hexenturm and the remains of the old town wall bear witness to the town's medieval boundaries. Other highlights of Gemünden are the ruins of Scherenburg Castle high above the old town, from whose courtyard you can enjoy a magnificent panoramic view over the Main Valley, and Hutten Castle, built in 1711.

Before you make your way to the railway station and start your journey home, you may want to fortify yourself with a good meal after this varied hike. You will find the Ratsschenke pub on the market square. Except on Wednesdays, when the restaurant is closed, you can choose from a wide range of dishes here. A few steps away from the market square in the direction of the railway station you will find the Fränkische Gasthof and a few steps further on the Pizzeria Al Leone. So a successful end to the day with a good meal is guaranteed. It is just under a kilometre on foot from the market square to the railway station.

Gemünden is an important regional hub for the German railway. This means that you can travel easily from here in many directions.