Discover Fichtenau: Mill Route, Pilgrimage History and Winter Cross-Country Trails

Fichtenau is a destination for days that combine outdoor activity with little discoveries. Cycling tours, trails through forests and meadows, the pilgrimage history of Matzenbach and cross-country ski trails in winter offer a range of options. Fichtenau lies at the crossroads of four tourism regions and is a starting point for hiking, cycling, pilgrimage and driving tours. So it makes sense to think about which accommodation suits your stay in terms of the activities you have planned.

Cycling with a range of highlights

The Mill Route is 23.5 kilometres long and has 161 metres of elevation gain. Along the way, it passes 16 mill sites. The cycling tour around Fichtenau is longer at 26.6 kilometres and includes 219 metres of elevation gain. Comparing the two tours by distance and elevation gain, the route around Fichtenau covers more ground; the Mill Route offers a distinct thematic focus on its mill sites. You can decide whether the distance and elevation figures or the stops along the Mill Route should be the main focus of your cycling outing.

Woodland trails and pilgrimage history in Matzenbach

The woodland and pond walk starts at Storchenweiher and leads through forests and meadows. It is 12.5 kilometres long and takes approximately three hours. This makes it a longer tour to plan for; its landscape differs distinctly from cycling outings focused on mill sites.

A distinct cultural highlight is the Matzenbach image chapel: it houses the Matzenbach image, and the pilgrimage to Our Lady of Sorrows of Matzenbach dates back to 1746. A well-maintained 1.5-kilometre path leads southwest from Fichtenau-Matzenbach to the chapel. The annual image festival at the Matzenbach image chapel is traditionally celebrated on the second Sunday in September. Those interested in the pilgrimage will find both a historical connection and a specific route to the destination here.

Playground and Mini Golf

The Giants’ Playground in Fichtenau-Wildenstein features a climbing wall, a slide, a rope-balancing course, swings, a lookout in a crow’s nest and large rocks. Its various features offer a different experience from a tour where kilometres and elevation gain set the pace of the day. There is also a mini golf course at the sports centre in Fichtenau-Matzenbach. So, alongside the longer cycling and hiking routes, there are specific leisure activities to choose from at individual locations.

Cross-country skiing in winter

In winter, Fichtenau has up to four groomed cross-country ski trails. They start from easily accessible car parks and lead through picturesque landscapes. The starting points of two named trails also help with orientation: the Ratzental Trail starts at the playground by Matzenbach image chapel. The Hagenbusch Trail starts at the car park by Stockweiher, at the Giants’ Playground. When planning a winter’s day, you can choose between different starting points; the figure of up to four trails explicitly leaves the total open.

Culture in the wider destination of Schwäbisch Hall

Schwäbisch Hall also offers its own cultural highlight within the wider destination. Its historic old town combines almost unchanged medieval lanes with a partly preserved town wall, numerous towers, covered wooden bridges, stairways and steep stepped lanes, as well as a historic market square. The Hällisch-Fränkisches Museum is housed there in seven historic buildings. A Romanesque wheel chandelier is located in the collegiate church of St. Nicholas at Großcomburg Monastery. These destinations offer further cultural and historical themes, while the local tours, the Matzenbach image chapel and the winter trails shape the range of options in Fichtenau.

The tours differ in length, elevation gain, landscape and starting point; the cultural destinations add further distinct highlights. Once you have decided on your preferred itinerary for the day, you can narrow down your search for suitable accommodation.

Discover more destinations: Kirchberg An Der Jagst, Döttingen, Gerabronn, Stimpfach, Satteldorf, Rosengarten, Blaufelden, Oberrot.

To the overview of the wider destination: Schwäbisch Hall.