Discover Gerolfingen: Hesselberg Trail and St. John’s Church

Hiking and local history in Gerolfingen

Gerolfingen brings together nature and culture, both tied to specific places. The Hesselberg Trail starts at the large car park by the warehouse in Gerolfingen and passes the Gerolfingen bathing pond. Nearby, the trail also passes Wilhelmsstein on the Hesselberg.

A hiking route starting at the car park by the warehouse in Gerolfingen is easy to navigate with a pushchair. This is a practical point to bear in mind when planning with children and looking for a suitable route.

The Church of St. John, built in 1514, stands prominently in Aufkirchen, a district of Gerolfingen. It has a Baroque altar and one of Bavaria’s oldest organs. The year it was built, the altar and the organ offer a cultural and historical perspective on exploring the area, distinct from its hiking routes.

More discoveries in the wider Ansbach destination

In the wider Ansbach destination, the Hesselberg Trail leads to the Hesselberg’s most scenic spots and offers information about the mountain’s nature, history and geology. Those who want to learn more about the landscape while hiking will find a range of perspectives on the Hesselberg here.

The Franconian Literature Trail in Wolframs-Eschenbach is a different kind of walk: this accessible 2.2 km route circles the town fortifications. Its 15 information boards cover authors from the Middle Ages to the present day whose works deal with Franconia. The route and its subject are clearly defined, combining a circuit of the fortifications with literary history.

The museums in the wider Ansbach destination also explore engaging topics. The “wiegen & messen” (“weighing & measuring”) museum in Königshofen displays more than 4,000 exhibits, including historic scales and their weights, cubits, yardsticks and vessels for measuring grain. The German Brush and Broom Museum in Bechhofen a.d. Heide features household implements as well as specialist brushes and paintbrushes for crafts and industry in its permanent exhibition. The range of subjects thus extends from weighing and measuring to tools used in crafts and industry.

In the wider Ansbach destination, the Löhe and History Trail explores Neuendettelsau, where Pastor Wilhelm Löhe was active in the 19th century. The route leads to sites in Neuendettelsau and to the churches in Reuth and Wernsbach; each stop has an information board. Its historical focus and stops give this trail a different character from the literary and museum offerings.

For a broader view of the landscape, head to the Frankenhöhe Nature Park in the wider Ansbach destination. It covers around 1,100 km², lies within the districts of Ansbach and Neustadt a.d. Aisch–Bad Windsheim and the independent city of Ansbach, and is particularly well suited to recreation thanks to its natural setting. The Altmühl, Fränkische Rezat and Zenn rivers rise there. The nature park also provides information about hiking and cycling routes as well as ranger-led tours.

Discover more destinations: Ehingen, Wettringen, Langfurth, Leutershausen, Ornbau, Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber, Geslau, Wilburgstetten.

Back to the wider travel overview: Ansbach.