The steep slopes in Stettener Stein

The tour starts at the train station in Karlstadt, or "Karscht" as the town is affectionately called by the locals.

Go left out of the subway and you will find the signs for hiking trail K4, which you will follow for a large part of the tour.

First turn right, then left onto Stationsweg, which will lead you into the middle of nature after a short while. You will soon reach the bird trail.

Terroir f - these are sites in Main-Franconia that are associated with viticulture in a special way. This also includes the wine cultural landscape on the steps of the Wellenkalk in the Stettener Stein site near Karlstadt.

"Shapers of our vineyard sites - wine shapes" is the theme of this terroir f. Here, a good 2 million years ago, the waters of the Main created the basis for a breathtaking wine cultural landscape with the steep slopes.

The view from the viewing platform of terroir f into the wine valley of the Main shows how wonderfully wine itself shapes the landscape. It is first directed towards the nearby Stettener Stein vineyard and can then wander unhindered all the way to Würzburg. No wonder, then, that this point was named the most beautiful wine view in Franconia by the German Wine Institute in 2020.

Incidentally, there is a reason why the viewing platform hovers above the ground. This terroir f is located in Franconian dry grassland, a type of landscape with a particularly large number of rare plants and animals, and the biodiversity at this point is thus protected.

Below terroir f, the route continues. Follow the path with the vineyards on your right.

At the end of the path, turn left and right again to rejoin the K4 hiking trail. Keep following the signs until you reach Stetten.

Stetten is a district of Karlstadt and is one of the oldest settlement sites in the area. Winegrowing has a long tradition here.

As early as 1540, the place was described as one of the "...richest wine nests in the high diocese..." with a cultivated area of 200 hectares. Around this time, a number of impressive half-timbered houses were built, which still characterise the cohesive appearance of the winegrowing village today.

You cross Stetten and return to the countryside. Continue following the signs along the edge of the forest and through fields up an ascent until you reach the village of Heßlar from the Heßlarer Berg.

The bird trail is idyllically situated in a forest. Over a length of about 3.5 km, it shows many interesting facts about the local bird life, plants and other inhabitants of the forest. The nests of different bird species are exhibited in a glass case.

The bird trail in Karlstadt has been in existence for forty years. It was built by the members of the Vogelschutzverein e. V. Karlstadt and inspires children and adults alike. The latest achievement: in 2020, the association built a new information and shelter hut at the entrance to the bird trail. It is aimed at walkers, hikers and sportsmen, but also serves to bring kindergartens, school classes and nature conservation groups closer to nature and the forest habitat.

From the bird trail, continue following the K4 signs to the Station Trail.

It traces the 12 stations of the Passion of Jesus Christ and ends at the Holy Sepulchre Chapel. From there you have a beautiful view of the southern Main valley and the winegrowing village of Stetten.

The tour takes a sharp right turn and thus leads you onto the M-Weg, the Mainwanderweg.

Follow it until it joins the Stetten wine trail. You hike through the forest and thus reach terroir f from above.

The small Karlstadt district of Heßlar is situated on the water-poor Kalkhöhe east of the Werntal valley on a slope gently sloping down to the south and east into the municipal area, surrounded by quiet, widely manageable countryside. The village is now more than 1200 years old.

The pretty Catholic parish church of St. Michael is located in the centre of the village. It dates from the Baroque period and hides a particularly magnificent pulpit inside. The foundation stone was laid in 1693 and the church was consecrated in 1698. The altars also date from the time of construction. In 1806, Heßlar was separated from Stetten and elevated to a parish of its own.

Shortly before the turn of the millennium, St. Michael's Church received a new celebration altar, a new ambo and a new baptismal font.

In Heßlar, the Obere Stiegelstraße leads out of the village again.

Follow the K4 over the Schönartsberg to Schönarts. Beyond the small village and the railway tracks, you will come across the remains of the Schönarts castle ruins.

Follow the path parallel to the railway tracks for a short distance, then turn left. The trail now leads you over a mountain with an exceedingly cute name: the Saupurzel.

The Saupurzel is Karlstadt's local mountain and towers over the medieval town at a height of 300 metres.

It is part of the Grainberg-Kalbenstein-Saupurzel nature reserve, which combines very different habitats and geological formations. A geoscientifically significant geotope has been created at Saupurzel. Flying sands from the Main valley have spread here and become a dune field.

From the Saupurzel, the way back to the city is not far. After a short descent, the route takes you back through the eastern part of the city to the station.

Take the opportunity for a short tour of the old town before you leave.

Simply cross the subway of the station and walk through the city wall into a picturesque ensemble of mostly medieval buildings.

Here you are sure to find a traditional wine tavern or one of the Heckenwirtschaften, where you can sample regional Franconian wine and small dishes.