Round walk in Markt Bibart

Starting from the south side of the station, follow the path first to Wolfsee, picturesquely situated on the edge of the forest only 400 m south of Markt Bibart.

The Wolfsee Markt Bibart is surrounded by a hute forest and accessible all year round. Native fish species such as perch, pike, carp, roach, rudd and tench can be found here. From early summer onwards, cattle of the "Franconian Gelbvieh" breed, known for their aromatic meat, graze around the lake.

In the forest, follow a short climb by the quarry to the Hohe Straße. There, the municipality's wooden lookout tower rises.

The 20-metre-high lookout tower in Markt Bibart offers an impressive panoramic view of the southern Steigerwald. On the upper platform, information boards draw attention to villages and vineyards and thus allow good orientation far into the country. The lookout tower was selected as a nature showcase by the Steigerwald Nature Park, the Southern Steigerwald Local Action Group (LAG) and the Central Franconia Landscape Management Association. It is located directly on the Hohe Straße, an ancient military road that was used as a trade route from Frankfurt/Main to Regensburg in the time of the Celts.

Your path now leads you into a magnificent forest area up to the Hüßberg, where through gaps in the forest you can see the Steigerwald heights, Schwanberg, Markt Bibart and its districts above a sea of green forest.

Abandoned gypsum quarries are a special element of the cultural landscape. The extraction of mineral raw materials close to the surface often creates valuable habitats for nature conservation. The largest area of the former gypsum quarry was backfilled and then afforested with the aim of creating a near-natural forest. Gradually, the initially patchy mixed deciduous forest has developed into a species-rich oak-hornbeam forest. Many butterflies, such as the emperor's cloak, numerous dragonflies, the common centaury, the marsh iris and the rare snowflake feel at home here. The quarry was selected as a nature site by the Steigerwald Nature Park, the local Local Action Group Southern Steigerwald and the Central Franconia Landscape Management Association. Due to the many rare animal and plant species, it is a very sensitive nature area, so it is imperative that hikers stay on the designated paths.

You continue to follow the route through the mixed deciduous forest in a north-westerly and northerly direction and reach the Finstersee lake along the way. The name may sound sinister, but behind it lies a romantic spot of earth.

Today, Finstersee is a large meadow. Until the 18th century, there really was a lake here with many fish. The meadow owes its name Finstersee to the shady high forest that surrounded the former lake. A former trade route, called Gemeindedämmchen or Dornheimer Weg, leads across this meadow.

The way back to the station is partly along Gipsstraße, via the Knauf biotope and Finstersee. If you reach Markt Bibart from the northwest, cross the railway tracks on Jahnstraße and follow the road until you meet Würzburger Straße, here you turn right and walk about 150 metres directly towards the Rotes Roß inn.
In this family-run inn you can enjoy Greek or German cuisine. (Würzburger Straße 2, 91477 Markt Bibart; Tel: 09162 9282430, opening hours: Mon - Fri from 3:30pm, Sat/Sun from 10:30am, Sat from 1pm - 4pm lunch break).

Before you start your return journey from the inn, take a look at St. Mary's Church, which Julius Echter had built here in 1614 in the course of the Counter-Reformation. After about 400 metres, the Bahnhofstraße will take you to the station and your train.